Employment Policy
Every employer in Pennsylvania is impacted by myriad laws and regulations from multiple levels of government that regulate the workplace and employer/employee relations. The intent behind many such laws and regulations may often be reasonable or constructive, with goals of helping to facilitate a positive work environment and fostering a healthy work/life balance.
Yet, once a policy transitions from concept to requirement the impact can be unpredictable, broader than its purpose, at times detrimental to the very employees whom the policy is intended to benefit and unduly burdensome on employers. This can be particularly relevant to smaller businesses, which comprise the vast majority of employers in Pennsylvania and may not have staff dedicated to interpreting, implementing and administering complex regulations and cumbersome mandates.
Accordingly, the PA Chamber supports employment policies that:
- Acknowledge the ever-evolving nature of the economy, workforce and technology and recognize that public programs and policy enacted in the past may not be as applicable, appropriate or effective today;
- Limit excessive, unnecessary or duplicative administrative or paperwork requirements;
- Promote consistency between federal, state and local laws and existing regulations;
- Enhance Pennsylvania’s economic competitiveness and incentivize employers to grow their business;
- Allow for reasonable flexibility for employers tasked with crafting and administering internal human resource policies;
- Are developed with recognition that well-intentioned public policy can often trigger negative unintended consequences and therefore ought to include protections or other measures that mitigate potential unintended harm;
- Provide for fair enforcement that directs regulators to assist well-intentioned employers with compliance and focuses punitive actions on repeat or willful violators;
- When relevant, provide a process for resolving disputes that is fair, prompt and, to the extent possible, limit the financial burden on the employer.
Revised by the Policy Committee in June 2023 and approved by the Board of Directors on August 3, 2023