i am a 20 yr. old male, and i work for my aunt and uncle in a small tire shop. i've worked there accumalative for four years. i quit last year because me and my uncle had a few problems. just this past spring he asked me to come back. thats not the problem. me and my fiance' are having a baby at the end of october and i just asked him for two weeks unpaid leave and he won't give it to me. what do i do? this is my first baby and iwant to learn what i have to do. he didn't even compromise it was just no. there are 8 people employed total. is there anything i can do or is it just let it go. he always gives me a hard time. what if he doesn't let me leave during work if she goes into labor. please help!

No law protects you. Your uncle sounds like an *** however, maybe try to find a new job?

If he doesn't permit you to leave then you have a choice to make, because he is not legally required to provide any kind of leave at all.

Neither PA nor Federal law requires that any kind of leave be granted unless the employer has 50 or more employees.

what choices do i have? i am looking at leaving in the beginning of '06 but if i have to i will leave sooner?

That's entirely up to your uncle. Given the small size of the company, he's free to ask you to leave any time the mood strikes him and for any reason he wishes. Personally, I think you need to find another job asap. Continuing to work for your aunt and uncle doesn't sound like a good long-term plan.

Your choice is whether to take the leave anyway and risk getting fired, or not taking it and keeping your job.

I'm by no means saying I agree with the position your employer is taking; only that under PA laws he is technically and legally within his rights to deny the leave, even unpaid.

thank you for your help