Philadelphia Enacts POWER Act Expanding Protections for 750,000 Workers

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker signed the Protect Our Workers, Enforce Rights (POWER) Act into law, expanding protections for over 750,000 workers including domestic, restaurant, and temporary workers. The legislation broadens definitions of covered workers, mandates paid sick leave accrual especially for tipped employees, and strengthens protections against employer retaliation with financial penalties and enforcement powers granted to the Department of Labor's Office of Worker Protections. The Act also requires employers to provide written contracts to domestic workers and imposes stricter wage theft regulations and record-keeping requirements. It authorizes the city to suspend or revoke licenses and contracts of employers with repeated violations and creates a public "Bad Actors Database" to hold noncompliant employers accountable. Supporters, including Councilmember Kendra Brooks and local labor leaders, highlighted the Act as a significant local effort to bolster worker rights amid declining federal protections. Mayor Parker emphasized the goal of equitable compensation and workplace fairness for essential workers as the City implements the new law.