2026 UPDATED VERSION
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Massachusetts employee handbook

  • Includes federal, state and city-specific policies
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Disclaimer: The content provided below is for informational purposes only and does not substitute legal advice.

Last updated October, 2026

Massachusetts Employee Handbook Overview

Building your Massachusetts employee handbook requires the inclusion of both state-specific and federal policies. Regardless of whether all your employees are based in Massachusetts or only a few, a Massachusetts-specific handbook helps workers understand the policies and rights that apply where they work.

You can find Massachusetts policies, federal policies, and other optional policies below.

What should be included in a Massachusetts employee handbook?

Your handbook should address federal, state, and, where applicable, local policies. Below are Massachusetts-specific policies to consider for your workforce.

  • Massachusetts Sick Leave Policy: Employers with 11 or more employees must provide covered Massachusetts employees with paid earned sick time; employers with 10 or fewer employees must provide unpaid earned sick time. Count employees across all company locations when determining the threshold. Employees generally accrue one hour for every 30 hours worked and may use up to 40 hours per year for qualifying reasons, including certain health, family-care, and pregnancy-loss needs. Massachusetts earned sick time guidance
  • Massachusetts Final Paycheck Policy: An employee who is discharged must be paid in full on the day of discharge. An employee who resigns must be paid by the next regular payday. Earned, unused vacation pay provided under the employer’s vacation plan is treated as wages and must be included in the final payment. Massachusetts pay and recordkeeping guidance · Vacation-pay guidance
  • Massachusetts Meal Break Policy: Employers generally must provide a 30-minute meal break when an employee works more than six hours in a calendar day. The break may be unpaid if the employee is fully relieved of duties and free to leave; time spent working during the break must be paid. Massachusetts breaks and time-off guidance
  • Massachusetts Emergency Response Protection Policy: An employer may not discipline a volunteer firefighter or emergency medical technician for arriving late to a regular shift after responding to an emergency outside normal working hours, provided the employee meets the law’s notice requirements. This protection does not create general leave for emergencies occurring during a shift. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 149, § 177B
  • Massachusetts Personnel File Policy: Employers must notify an employee within 10 days of placing information in their personnel record that could negatively affect employment, promotion, transfer, or discipline. Employees may review and obtain a copy of their record within five business days of a written request and may submit a written statement disputing information in it. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 149, § 52C
  • Massachusetts Sexual Harassment Policy: Employers covered by Massachusetts’ law—generally those with six or more employees—must adopt a written sexual-harassment policy and give each employee an individual copy at hire and annually. The policy must explain prohibited conduct, retaliation protections, how to make an internal complaint, possible consequences, and how to contact enforcement agencies. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 151B, § 3A · MCAD guidance
  • Massachusetts Pay Transparency Policy: Employers with 25 or more employees in Massachusetts must disclose a good-faith pay range in job postings and provide applicable ranges to applicants and employees in the circumstances covered by the law, including certain promotions, transfers, and requests. Retaliation for exercising these rights is prohibited. Massachusetts Attorney General guidance
  • Massachusetts Lactation Accommodations Policy: Covered employers must consider reasonable accommodations related to pregnancy and lactation, including breaks and a private space other than a bathroom for expressing breast milk. Employers must also provide written notice of these rights at hire and within 10 days after an employee informs them of a pregnancy or related condition. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 151B, § 4
  • Massachusetts Victim Leave Policy: Employers with 50 or more employees must provide eligible employees up to 15 days of leave in a 12-month period for needs related to domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or kidnapping affecting the employee or a family member. The employer may decide whether this leave is paid or unpaid, subject to the law’s other requirements. Massachusetts employment-leave guidance
  • Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Policy: Massachusetts PFML can provide eligible workers with up to 20 weeks of paid medical leave for their own serious health condition, up to 12 weeks of paid family leave for qualifying family needs, and up to 26 weeks combined in a benefit year. Employers must provide required individual notices and a workplace poster. Separately, Massachusetts’ Parental Leave Act provides eligible employees of employers with six or more employees up to eight weeks of leave for birth or adoption; explain how the policies apply and coordinate for your workforce. PFML benefit types · Employer notice requirements · Parental Leave Act guidance
  • Massachusetts School Involvement/Small Necessities Leave Policy: Eligible employees of covered employers with 50 or more employees may take up to 24 hours of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for certain school activities involving a child and medical or care-related appointments for a child or elderly relative. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 149, § 52D
  • Massachusetts Voting Leave Policy: Employees in manufacturing, mechanical, or mercantile establishments may request a reasonable absence to vote during the first two hours after polls open in their precinct. Massachusetts law does not require that time to be paid. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 149, § 178
  • Massachusetts Day of Rest Policy: Employees in certain manufacturing, mechanical, and mercantile establishments and workshops must receive a period of at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in every seven consecutive days, subject to statutory exceptions. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 149, § 48
  • Massachusetts Jury Duty Policy: Employees must be excused for jury service. Employers generally must pay regularly employed jurors their regular wages for the first three days, or parts of days, of service. Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 234A, § 48 · Massachusetts jury-duty guidance

Local policies for Massachusetts Employees

Boston

  • Boston School Visitation Policy: An employer with at least 25 employees working at the same location may not penalize an employee who is a parent or guardian for taking up to three days per school calendar year to visit a child’s school, from kindergarten through grade 12. The employee must give reasonable advance notice and use existing vacation, personal, or compensatory time unless a collective bargaining agreement provides otherwise. Boston City Code

Federal Policies

Don’t forget about federal policies. Which laws apply depends on factors such as employer size, industry, and the work employees perform. Many handbooks also include policies that explain company practices and employment terms.

Core policies to consider

  • Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policy
  • Anti-Harassment and Complaint Procedure
  • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy, if applicable
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Reasonable Accommodation Policy
  • Military Service Leave (USERRA)
  • Wage and Hour Compliance Policy (FLSA)
  • At-Will Employment Notice
  • Policies applicable to federal contractors, such as pay transparency, whistleblower protection, and drug-free workplace 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 available policies in the handbook builder and compare plan features.

Poster Requirements

Understanding labor law poster requirements can feel like solving a puzzle. Employers need to identify the federal and Massachusetts notices that apply to their workplaces.

Why should I care about displaying posters?

Required posters inform employees—and, for some notices, applicants—about workplace rights. Missing or outdated notices can lead to enforcement issues, so check the versions you display as laws and agency guidance change.

What are the requirements for displaying labor law posters?

Post applicable notices conspicuously where covered employees can readily see them. Electronic posting can supplement physical posters. For some federal notices, it may satisfy a posting requirement in a fully remote workplace if employees customarily receive information electronically and can access the notice at all times. U.S. Department of Labor electronic-posting guidance

What labor law posters do I need to display?

The answer depends on your workforce and business. Federal poster requirements can vary by industry, employer size, and activities. The U.S. Department of Labor’s FirstStep Poster Advisor can help identify applicable federal notices.

For state notices, use Massachusetts’ free workplace-poster list. Check the current PFML poster and notice materials as well as any other notices that apply to your workplace.

How to create a Massachusetts Employee Handbook?

An employee handbook isn’t just a formality; it’s the foundation of a well-run company. Getting it right means more than putting words on paper. Your handbook should reflect the federal, state, and local rules that apply to your employees and stay current as those rules change.

When it comes to building a state-specific handbook, many companies face the same choice: hire an attorney to draft one from scratch or try to do it themselves. A generic template can be hard to tailor to the places where employees actually work.

That’s where Handbooks.io comes in. Answer a short survey about your company, choose the policies that fit your workplace, and create a handbook you can edit and share. Review the available free and paid options to find the features you need. 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 interactive 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?

Create your Massachusetts employee handbook now!