Pennsylvania

Key facts

EEOC filing deadline

300 days (FEPA work-sharing state)

State agency deadline

180 days to PHRC

Employer coverage

4 or more employees (federal Title VII requires 15+)

State law

Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA)

State court statute of limitations

2 years

Additional protections beyond federal law

• •Family status (having children)
• •Use of a guide or support animal

How it works

Pennsylvania has a work-sharing agreement with the EEOC. A charge filed with Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission is generally also considered filed with the EEOC ("dual-filed"), and vice versa. You usually only need to file once.

Key notes

Pennsylvania's 180-day PHRC deadline is shorter than the federal window — file with the EEOC simultaneously. Pennsylvania does not explicitly protect sexual orientation or gender identity at the state level under the PHRA, though the PHRC has interpreted sex discrimination to include these characteristics, and some courts have agreed. Workers in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have additional protections under local ordinances.