New Hampshire employee handbook

Disclaimer: The content provided below is for informational purposes only and does not substitute legal advice.

Last updated October, 2026

New Hampshire Employee Handbook Overview

When building your New Hampshire employee handbook, account for both state and federal policies. Whether all your employees are based in New Hampshire or only a handful, your handbook should reflect the laws that apply to them.

What should be included in a New Hampshire employee handbook?

A New Hampshire handbook should include applicable federal and state policies, as well as local policies where relevant. Below are New Hampshire-specific policies to consider.

• New Hampshire Equal Employment Opportunity Policy: Employers with six or more employees may not discriminate based on race, color, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, or physical or mental disability.
• New Hampshire Equal Pay Policy: Employers may not pay employees differently based on sex for equal work requiring equal skill, effort, and responsibility under similar working conditions, unless a statutory exception applies. Employers may not prohibit employees from discussing their wages.
• New Hampshire Pay and Benefits Notice Policy: Employers must notify employees of their pay rate and payday when hired. They must also make their vacation, sick leave, and other fringe-benefit practices available in writing or through an accessible posted notice. A handbook can provide that information.
• New Hampshire Meal Breaks Policy: Employers generally must allow a 30-minute lunch or eating period before an employee works more than five consecutive hours. An exception applies when eating while working is feasible and the employer permits it.
• New Hampshire Social Media Regulations Policy: Employers may not require employees or applicants to disclose login information for personal accounts, add someone to their personal contacts, or reduce their accounts’ privacy settings. Employers may still set lawful rules for company equipment and accounts.
• New Hampshire Crime Victim Employment Leave Act Policy: Covered employers—generally those with at least 25 employees for 20 or more weeks—must allow an employee who qualifies as a crime victim to leave work for court or related legal or investigative proceedings. Certain immediate family members qualify under the law’s definition of a victim. The leave need not be paid, and employers must keep supporting records confidential.
• New Hampshire Pregnancy and Disability Leave Policy: Covered employers must allow leave for the period of a temporary physical disability resulting from pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition. When the employee can return, the original job or a comparable position must be available unless business necessity makes that impossible or unreasonable. Benefits must be handled as they are for other temporary disabilities.
• New Hampshire Emergency Response Leave Policy: During a declared state of emergency, fire department, rescue squad, and emergency medical services members who receive the required written call into service may take unpaid leave to respond. Employers may not require them to use accrued leave first. A limited exception applies when the employee is essential to the employer’s own emergency response.
• New Hampshire Lactation Accommodation Policy: Employers with six or more employees working in New Hampshire must provide nursing employees with reasonable break periods—defined as approximately 30 unpaid minutes for every three hours worked—and a clean, private space that is not a bathroom, for one year after birth. Employers must make their lactation policy available at hire; employees generally give two weeks’ notice before needing the space and breaks.
• New Hampshire Workplace Firearm Policy: Public and private employers that receive public funds, including grants or payments for contracts, generally may not prohibit an employee who may legally possess a firearm from storing a firearm or ammunition in a locked vehicle on employer property when it is out of sight.
• New Hampshire Parental Medical Leave Policy: Employers with 20 or more employees must allow up to 25 hours of unpaid leave for an employee’s childbirth or postpartum medical appointments or a child’s pediatric appointments within the first year after birth or adoption. If both parents work for the same employer, they share the 25-hour entitlement. Employees must give reasonable notice and generally return to their original job.
• New Hampshire Military Leave Policy: New Hampshire extends employment and reemployment protections comparable to federal USERRA to National Guard, state guard, or militia members called to state active duty. Employers with 50 or more employees at the same New Hampshire location must also follow the state’s unpaid-leave and reemployment protections for qualifying employees whose spouses are involuntarily mobilized.

Federal Policies

Federal employment laws affect many handbook policies, although which requirements apply depends on your business and workforce. This list includes common federal requirements and useful policies for many employers.

Core federal and general policies

• Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policy
• Anti-Harassment and Complaint Procedure
• Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy, where 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 for federal contractors, where applicable: Pay Transparency, Whistleblower Protection, and Drug-Free Workplace

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 recommended policies in the handbook builder.

Poster Requirements

Understanding labor law poster requirements can be a bit like trying to decode a complex puzzle. You need to check both state and federal requirements.

Why should I care about displaying posters?

Employers must display the notices that apply to their workplaces where employees can readily see them. Missing or outdated required posters can lead to penalties, so it is worth checking the current requirements.

What are the requirements for displaying labor law posters?

Required physical posters generally need to be displayed conspicuously at each covered workplace. Electronic access may supplement physical posting, and some notices may be provided electronically in specific circumstances. Check the instructions for each required notice, especially if you have remote employees or applicants.

What labor law posters do I need to display?

The answer depends on your workforce and business. Federal and New Hampshire agencies provide required posters for free.

• Federal Poster Requirements: Your federal poster requirements may depend on factors such as company size, industry, and federal-contracting status. Use the Department of Labor’s Federal Poster Advisor to identify the notices that apply.
• New Hampshire Labor Law Poster Requirements: The New Hampshire Department of Labor provides free, printable employer posters and notices.

How to create a New Hampshire Employee Handbook?

An employee handbook isn’t just a formality; it’s the foundation of a well-run company. But getting it right means more than putting words on paper. Your handbook should reflect the federal, state, and local employment laws that apply to your employees and stay current as those laws 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. The first option can be expensive and time-consuming. The second can be difficult if you’re relying on a generic template.

That’s where Handbooks.io comes in.

Handbooks.io is an employee handbook builder that helps companies create polished, tailored handbooks. Answer a short survey about your company, then review and customize the policies that apply. It brings the tools for creating, maintaining, and distributing your handbook together in one place.

Get started on building your handbook

Creating a new handbook only takes a few minutes. You can get started by answering a few interactive questions about your company. A few examples:

• 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 New Hampshire employee handbook now!