Labor & Employment (Paid Leave)

HB 1663 protects employment for New Hampshire state legislators who work for private employers. It requires employers with 25+ employees to allow legislators to leave work for voting sessions without penalty, provided they give advance notice of session attendance. Employers may require use of accrued paid leave for these absences, but must grant unpaid leave if no leave is available. The law prohibits firing legislators for attending sessions and imposes civil penalties for violations, enforced by the labor commissioner.

HB 1250 requires employees in New Hampshire to give employers at least 15 days' notice before taking unpaid leave for childbirth, postpartum care, or pediatric medical appointments for their child. It limits this leave to 25 hours total within the first year of the child’s birth or adoption and allows employers to deny job reinstatement if returning would cause major operational disruption. The bill applies to employers with 20 or more employees and permits employees to substitute accrued paid leave for the unpaid time. Employers may request documentation to verify the leave’s purpose. This changes existing rules by clarifying notice requirements and reinstatement conditions.

HB 1761 establishes a publicly administered Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) program to expand New Hampshire's existing paid family and medical leave system. The program will provide wage replacement benefits for eligible employees and self-employed individuals who meet income requirements during a defined base period, covering leave for qualifying family or medical reasons. It creates clear definitions for key terms like "covered individual," "application year," and "average weekly wage" to determine eligibility and benefit amounts. The Department of Insurance will administer the program and enforce protections against interference with leave rights.