Family Dollar Announces Layoffs: Do Central Pennsylvania Employees Have Rights?
Bargain shoppers may need to look a little further for deals, as Family Dollar threatens to close 370 stores and issue employee layoffs. This article in Forbes discusses the possibility that closures could help the value-brand chain make a comeback. Although the company has made no announcements about any of the Central Pennsylvania locations specifically, the local economy never looks forward to a downturn in the community’s well being.
In Pennsylvania, if you work for someone with over 100 employees, such as Family Dollar for example, you have the right to receive at least a 60-day notice of a pending layoff. This may seem like little comfort in the face of losing your primary source of income, but the federal and state government’s WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) laws are meant to protect workers from the effects of a being financially blindsided by a last-minute announcement.
Unfortunately, WARN laws do not extend to every employee of a larger employer. For example, if you’ve worked at the company for fewer than 12 months or if you work less than a 20-hour work week, your employer does not fall under WARN authority. The WARN laws apply to “private, for-profit employers and private, nonprofit employers” alike, along with a few other non-governmental entities.
As an employee, you are also entitled to your final paycheck on what would be your next, regular payday. For more information about Pennsylvania employee laws, check out this post written to educate the public on common employment issues. For a more in-depth conversation about your specific employment situation, please don’t hesitate to reach out the friendly staff and experienced employment law attorneys at The Mazza Law Group. We are here to serve Central Pennsylvania and its surrounding areas.
Family Dollar Announces Layoffs: Do Central Pennsylvania Employees Have Rights? was last modified: May 5th, 2014 by Desiree Fralick