Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 31 - Inmate Labor
Section 3104 - Inmate labor in county correctional institutions

(a) General rule.--An inmate of a county correctional institution who is physically capable may be employed at labor for not more than eight hours each day, other than Sundays and public holidays. The employment may be in such character of work and the production of such goods as may now be manufactured and produced in county correctional institutions and may also be for:
(1) the manufacture and production of supplies for the county correctional institutions;
(2) the preparation and manufacture of building material for the construction or repair of the county correctional institution;
(3) the manufacture and production of crushed stone, brick, tile and culvert pipe or other material suitable for draining roads; or
(4) the preparation of road building and ballasting material.
(b) Authority to county commissioners.--The county commissioners or chief administrator of the county correctional institution shall:
(1) determine the amount, kind and character of the machinery to be erected and the industries to be carried on in the county correctional institution;
(2) arrange for the purchase and installation of such machinery at the expense of the county; and
(3) provide for the sale of articles and material produced.
(c) Funding.--The county commissioners shall make available the necessary funds to carry out the provisions of this section.
(d) Inmate accounts.--
(1) The authorities in charge of a county correctional institution shall fix the wages of each inmate to be employed and shall keep an account of all such wages and the amount due each inmate.
(2) Three-fourths of the amount credited to each inmate, or the entire amount if the inmate so elects, shall constitute a fund for the relief of any person or persons dependent upon the inmate and shall be paid to such persons, establishing dependency to the satisfaction of the authorities, at such times as they may prescribe.
(3) In case an inmate has no person dependent upon him, the inmate's wages shall be deposited for his benefit and shall be paid to him as follows:
(i) one-third at the time of his discharge;
(ii) one-third, three months thereafter; and
(iii) one-third, six months thereafter.
(e) Special administrative fund.--
(1) The authorities in charge of a county correctional institution may establish a fund for the purpose of carrying out this section and may provide for the purchase of machinery and materials and payment of wages from such fund.
(2) All revenues received from the sale of articles produced shall be paid into the fund.
(f) Nonapplicability.--This section shall not apply to a county of the first class.

Special Provisions in Appendix. See section 10 of Act 33 of 2009 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to applicability.