Office of Worker Protections

The Office of Worker Protections (OWP) is the part of the City of Philadelphia's Department of Labor that investigates complaints and enforces local workplace laws. It is a city office, distinct from state agencies such as the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry and from federal agencies such as the U.S. Department of Labor, whose enforcement of federal wage laws also applies in Philadelphia.^[1]

1 Laws enforced

OWP enforces local ordinances in Title 9 of the Philadelphia Code, including paid sick leave, the Fair Workweek law (which requires covered retail, hospitality and food service employers to provide good-faith estimates of schedules and 14 days' advance notice, with predictability pay for changes), wage theft protections and protections for domestic workers. Candace Chewning is listed as the office's director, and has previously served as communications director and outreach coordinator there. Prevailing wage enforcement for city contracts is handled by a separate unit; see Prevailing Wage and Project Labor Agreements.

2 The POWER Act of 2025

City Council unanimously passed the Protect Our Workers, Enforce Rights (POWER) Act, Bill No. 250065, on May 8, 2025. Mayor Cherelle Parker signed it on May 27, 2025. The law updates provisions on paid sick leave, wage theft, domestic worker protections, fair workweek, retaliation and enforcement. It creates a rebuttable presumption of unlawful retaliation if an employer takes adverse action within 90 days after an employee files a complaint, cooperates with OWP, opposes an unlawful practice or tells others about alleged violations, and it strengthens penalties for noncompliant employers. Councilmember Kendra Brooks said Philadelphia was stepping up as federal labor enforcement weakened, and Philadelphia AFL-CIO president Daniel Bauder praised its domestic worker retaliation protections. The Department of Labor and the Commerce Department prepared educational materials for businesses.^[2]

3 Making a complaint

Workers can file complaints through phila.gov, for example for a Fair Workweek violation, and the office investigates and may order back pay and penalties. Employers receive notices and an opportunity to respond. Residents who are unsure which agency handles a dispute can start with How to File a Complaint or Philly311. Immigrant workers may also find help from groups listed in Worker Centers and Labor Advocacy and the Office of Immigrant Affairs. This is general information, not legal advice.

4 Results and resources

The city reported that OWP recovered a record $327,976.56 for workers in 2023, an 82 percent increase over 2022. Advocates and Council members have pressed for more staffing and funding in budgets, as reported by WHYY, since enforcement capacity determines how many complaints can be resolved; see Philadelphia City Budget Process. See also Office of Workforce Development.

See also: Organized Labor in Philadelphia, Philadelphia AFL-CIO Council, Philadelphia City Council.

References

1. City of Philadelphia, "Report a Fair Workweek violation," phila.gov.
2. City of Philadelphia, "Mayor Parker signs POWER Act bill" (May 27, 2025), phila.gov; Morgan Lewis, "The POWER Act: A new era of worker protections in Philadelphia" (May 2025).
3. City of Philadelphia, "Office of Worker Protections recovers record $327,976 for Philadelphia workers in 2023" (January 22, 2024), phila.gov.
4. WHYY, "My rights aren't being respected: Philly workers, City Council push for more resources in the city budget to enforce pro-worker laws."