Legal Question in Employment Law in Pennsylvania

Restraint of Job Opportunities

Hi,

I work as a pharmacist in a medium size community. I have worked for 15 years and am very qualified to work in any hospital in the area. There are only 3 other hospitals to find employment at in the area--and everytime I apply to them I never get the job. I have heard that the pharmacy director at my present workplace is very friendly with the directors at the other hospitals and have also heard they have a gentleman's agreement not to hire from each others staff. So, what happens is all the hospitals pay a lower than average rate of pay because, in esssence, you can't go to the other ones for work. I know this ''gentleman's aggreement'' is hard to prove being in effect but is there any legal way to handle our problem? Thanks

FS


Asked on 6/14/02, 11:07 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
J. Bryan Tuk Mandracchia & Modesti, LLC

Re: Restraint of Job Opportunities

This is certainly not an unheard of situation: area employers (or manufacturers) getting together and manipulating prices. As you correctly stated, it is difficult to prove the existence of such gentlemen's agreements unless, however unlikely, there is a piece of paper (i.e. a memo, a letter) that establishes it.

One of the things unclear from your email is what "the area" is and how impractical it is to go outside of the area to find work. In these kinds of cases, this is a critical piece of information.

If you would like to discuss this further, please call me at (215) 239-6026.

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Answered on 6/17/02, 8:24 am


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