Legal Question in Employment Law in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, an employer can generally require you to work overtime. There are few limitations, most notably in the health care area.

If you refuse the work and are fired the employer will challenge your benefits on the grounds you were discharged for wilful misconduct. However, if the change in your circumstances is found to be a substantial, unilateral, change in your working conditions that would cause a normal person to quit, you would still be eligible.

Are these changes permanent? Indefinite? Temporary? The more permanent or indefinite, the better your chances of qualifying for benefits.

You should be prepared to show that you undertook significant efforts to work out the problems caused by the change in hours. The more reasonable your proposals, the better.

You should also be prepared to explain how the change of hours created difficulty in your personal life - obligations to family, child care, etc. Mere inconvenience or annoyance is usually insufficient.

Is there a medical condition that would justify limiting your hours? In that case you may have some relief under the Family Medical Leave Act (intermittent leave) if your employer is large enough. Or, you may be able to make a request for reasonable accomodation under the Amercian's with Disabilites Act if your medical condition qualifies as a disability.

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