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Last updated October, 2026
Georgia Employee Handbook Overview
Whether all your employees work in Georgia or only a few do, your handbook should explain the policies that apply to them. The right mix depends on your company’s size, industry, benefits, and work locations.
Below, you’ll find Georgia-specific policies, core federal policies, and other policies you may want to include.
What should be included in a Georgia employee handbook?
A useful handbook brings together federal, state, and, where applicable, city-specific policies. Consider these Georgia policies when building yours:
- Georgia Separation Notice Policy: Set out your process for giving separated employees a completed Form DOL-800. Georgia generally requires delivery on the last day of work, or within three days if the employee is unavailable. The notice may be delivered electronically or on paper; employers using electronic delivery must retain proof for four years. A separate process applies to qualifying mass separations. Georgia Department of Labor rule
- Georgia Lactation Accommodation Policy: Provide reasonable paid break time and a private location other than a restroom for employees to express breast milk at the worksite. Tell employees whom to contact to arrange breaks and space. Georgia law includes an undue-hardship exception for employers with fewer than 50 employees and different pay treatment for days worked away from an employer’s worksite. Georgia’s lactation law
- Georgia Voting Leave Policy: Eligible employees who give reasonable notice may take up to two hours off to vote on Election Day or during advance in-person voting. The law’s time-off requirement does not apply if an employee’s shift begins at least two hours after polls open or ends at least two hours before they close. Employers may specify when the time is taken; the law does not require it to be paid. Georgia’s voting-leave law
- Georgia Witness and Jury Duty Leave Policy: Employees must not be penalized for missing work to attend a judicial proceeding in response to a subpoena, jury summons, or other court order. Employers may require reasonable notice. This protection does not apply to an employee who is charged with a crime. Georgia Attorney General opinion
- Georgia Day of Rest Policy: If your business operates on Saturday or Sunday and schedules an employee on their habitual day of worship, explain how they can request a reasonable accommodation. Georgia Code § 10-1-573
- Georgia Family Care Policy: If an employer with at least 25 employees already provides paid sick leave, an employee who works at least 30 hours a week may use up to five earned sick days per calendar year to care for an immediate family member, subject to the employer’s sick-leave policy. This rule lets employees use an existing benefit; it does not require a new sick-leave bank. The law also has an exception for employers that offer an employee stock ownership plan. Explain how employees request available leave and whom they should contact. Georgia General Assembly summary and 2025 Senate report
Federal Policies
Don’t forget the federal policies. Some requirements depend on your company’s size, industry, and workforce. The following list combines commonly applicable protections with handbook best practices.
Core policies
- Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policy
- Anti-Harassment and Complaint Procedure
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy, if your organization and employees are covered
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Reasonable Accommodation Policy
- Military Service Leave (USERRA)
- Wage and Hour Compliance Policy (FLSA)
- At-Will Employment Notice
- Policies required by an applicable federal contract or grant, such as relevant drug-free workplace or whistleblower protections. Check the requirements that apply to your agreements. Federal contractor guidance
Highly recommended policies
- Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
- Code of Conduct Policy
- Nursing Parents Policy
- Conflict of Interest and Business Ethics
- Disciplinary Procedures
- Use of Company Property
- Employee Classification and Pay Practices
- Health and Safety Policy
- Confidential Company Information
- Open Door Policy
- Receipt of Non-Harassment Policy
- Use of Communication and Computer Systems
- Workplace Searches and Inspections
Additional policies to include
- Industry-Specific Policies
- Sick Leave, Vacation Leave, and PTO Policy
- Company Vehicles Policy
- Punctuality and Attendance
- Benefits
- Working Schedule
- Employment Records
- Smoking
- Overtime
- Performance Reviews
- Social Media Policy
- Remote Work Policy
- Introductory Period Policy
- References
- Hiring Relatives and Significant Others
- Business Expense Reimbursement
Explore policies in the handbook builder and compare free and paid options.
Poster Requirements
Workplace posters can be easy to overlook. Your business may need notices under both federal and Georgia law, and the list depends on which laws cover your workplace.
Why should I care about displaying posters?
Required posters tell employees about their workplace rights. Missing or outdated notices can lead to penalties under the laws that apply to your business. Check your posters when you open a location, change your workforce, or receive notice that a required poster has changed. U.S. Department of Labor poster guidance
What are the requirements for displaying labor law posters?
- Display required physical notices where employees can readily see them at each applicable worksite.
- If you have both onsite and remote employees, check the posting and delivery rules for each notice.
- For Georgia’s unemployment-insurance notice, current rules allow specified electronic options for remote employees while preserving physical posting at traditional worksites. Electronic access must meet the rule’s conditions. Georgia’s current poster rule
- Check whether applicant-facing notices must also appear where job applicants can see them. Federal poster FAQs
What labor law posters do I need to display?
You may need both federal and Georgia notices. The good news is that government agencies provide printable posters free of charge.
- Federal poster requirements: The U.S. Department of Labor’s Poster Advisor can help you identify federal notices that apply to your business.
- Georgia labor law poster requirements: Use the Georgia Department of Labor’s poster page for its required notices and links to other Georgia agencies, including the State Board of Workers’ Compensation.
Download Georgia workplace posters.
How to create a Georgia Employee Handbook?
An employee handbook isn’t just a formality. It helps your team understand how your workplace operates and where to find important policies. The challenge is making it specific to your business and keeping it current.
You could draft one from scratch or adapt a generic template. Either way, you’ll need to choose the policies that fit your employees, benefits, and locations.
That’s where Handbooks.io comes in. Answer a short set of questions about your company, choose the policies you need, and create an editable handbook you can review and customize. Let’s build this thing!
Get started on building your handbook
Creating a new handbook only takes a few minutes. Start by answering a few questions about your company, such as:
- How many employees do you have?
- Do you have employees in multiple states?
- Do you have an introductory period for new employees?
- Do you offer paid holidays?
- What is your payroll schedule?