Can employer take away paid vacation?

[cs64]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Pennsylvania

My wife is employed at a hair salon where the ONLY employee benefit is two weeks paid vacation. Employees have had paid vacation every year that this establishment has been in business. This week the owner announced that there will no longer be paid vacations. Can she legally do this? The employees are not under any contract or written agreement with the salon owner.

 

[ecmst12]

In PA I don't believe there is any law preventing it. In some states, earned vacation time is considered wages, so while they could stop allowing additional vacation to accrue, they would not be able to just take away time already earned without paying you for it. But PA is not one of those states.

 

[pattytx]

Agree with ecmst12.

 

[cbg]

Just to clarify: There is no law in any state requiring an employer to provide paid vacation. In all 50 states, an employer may eliminate paid vacation as a benefit unless a legally binding and enforceable contract or CBA specifically says otherwise.

In some states, any vacation that has already been accrued at the time of the change of policy cannot be taken away. Pennsylvania is not one of those states, with the same caveat.