Employee handbook requirements in Pennsylvania (2026)
A compliant Pennsylvania employee handbook layers Pennsylvania-specific policies on top of the
federal baseline.
Below are the 1 Pennsylvania-specific requirement in our library, plus the federal baseline that also applies.
Standard state
1 Pennsylvania-specific item
110 federal baseline items
Pennsylvania-specific handbook requirements
Policies driven by Pennsylvania state law that a handbook should address.
Pennsylvania Healthcare Non-Compete Restriction
Confidentiality
Pennsylvania Healthcare Practitioner Non-Compete Ban (effective January 1, 2025) voids non-compete agreements for healthcare practitioners. Covered practitioners include licensed physicians, nurses, physician assistants, dentists, pharmacists, and other licensed healthcare professionals. Exception: voluntary resignation by the practitioner (non-competes enforceable if practitioner voluntarily resigns; not enforceable after employer-initiated termination). Non-compete must be 1 year or less to be considered for enforcement even under the exception.
Authority: PA Stat. Ann. tit. 63 §§ 2600 et seq. (PA Act 78 of 2024 — healthcare worker non-compete); PA Dept of State; eff. Jan 1, 2025
Federal requirements that also apply in Pennsylvania
110 federal baseline policies span these areas — every Pacta handbook includes them.
Assignment / Placement Agreement · 10
DOT / FMCSA Compliance · 10
Arbitration Agreement · 8
Code of Conduct · 6
Benefits · 5
Confidentiality · 5
Offer Letter · 5
Employee Classification · 4
Pay / Payroll · 4
Safety / Workers' Comp · 4
Separation / Final Pay · 4
Introduction / At-Will · 3
Timekeeping · 3
Accommodation (Disability) · 2
Assignment Lifecycle · 2
Drug-Free / Alcohol · 2
EEO / Protected Classes · 2
Expense Reimbursement · 2
Harassment · 2
Hiring / Onboarding · 2
Remote Work · 2
Social Media / Recording · 2
Three-Party Relationship · 2
AI Tools · 1
Arbitration · 1
Bereavement · 1
Driving / Vehicles · 1
Emergency Procedures · 1
Employee Records · 1
FMLA / Family Leave · 1
Gifts / Anti-Bribery · 1
Jury Duty Leave · 1
Lactation / Nursing Mothers · 1
Meal / Rest Breaks · 1
Military Leave · 1
Overtime · 1
Paid Sick Leave · 1
Pay Transparency · 1
Pay Transparency Notice · 1
Pregnancy / Parental Leave · 1
Salary Basis / Safe Harbor · 1
Voting Leave · 1
Pennsylvania handbook FAQ
Does Pennsylvania require employers to have an employee handbook?
No U.S. state requires an employee handbook outright. But Pennsylvania requires that a number of employment policies be provided to employees in writing, and a handbook is the standard, defensible way to do that. This page is informational only and is not legal advice.
What does a Pennsylvania employee handbook need to include?
A compliant handbook layers Pennsylvania-specific policies on top of the federal baseline (equal-opportunity, at-will, leave, anti-harassment, pay practices and more). The Pennsylvania-specific items are listed on this page; the exact set depends on your headcount, industry, and the localities you operate in.
How do I create a compliant Pennsylvania handbook?
Pacta's handbook generator builds a federal base plus a Pennsylvania state addendum tailored to your company, then returns a formatted draft you can edit. Every draft must be reviewed by qualified employment counsel before you distribute it to employees.
Handbook requirements in other states
This page is general information about Pennsylvania employment-policy requirements, not legal advice,
and may not reflect the most current law. AI-generated handbooks must be reviewed and approved by qualified
employment counsel licensed in the applicable jurisdiction(s) before distribution to employees.