Fair Employment Practices | Employers with six employees or more are typically subject to the New Hampshire Law Against Discrimination (NHLAD). According to the NHLAD, it is unlawful to discriminate against someone based on age, gender identity, race, color, marital status, physical or mental impairment, religious affiliation, national origin (including ancestry), or sexual orientation.
The NHLAD forbids firing or taking any other adverse action against someone who reports discrimination or participates in a discrimination investigation. |
Equal Pay | According to New Hampshire's equal pay law, employers are generally prohibited from treating employees differently based on gender by paying female employees less than male employees for similar work in terms of skill, effort, and responsibility and is carried out under comparable working conditions. |
Discussion of Wages | The equal pay statute in New Hampshire prohibits employers from requiring applicants or employees to withhold information about their compensation as a condition of employment. Additionally, if an employee discloses their pay, benefits, or salary, the employer is not permitted to fire, punish, or otherwise discriminate against the employee. |
Access to Personnel Files | Requests for personnel file reviews from current and past workers are welcome. The employer must give the employee a fair chance to evaluate the file. Employees are also entitled to a copy of the entire or a portion of the file. |
Whistleblower Protections | Employees who object to or refuse to participate in illegal activity, carry out an illegal directive, or participate in a government investigation or hearing regarding claims that their employer violated federal, state, or local law are protected under the Whistleblowers' Protection Act of New Hampshire. |
Recruiting and Hiring | Employers can obtain and use consumer reports under New Hampshire's Fair Credit Reporting Act when employing new employees. To seek a consumer report as part of the application process, the employer must inform job applicants in writing and obtain their consent in writing. |
Minimum Wage | The minimum wage in New Hampshire is correlated to the federal minimum wage. The minimum wage is different for workers who get tips. |
Overtime | Employees who are not exempt from pay must be paid time and a half for all hours beyond 40 in a workweek. |
Meal Breaks | Employees may not be required to work for more than five hours without being given a 30-minute lunch break or eating period unless the employee can eat while working and the employer permits this. |
Child Labor | Except in an authorized apprenticeship, vocational rehabilitation, or training program, minors under 18 may not be allowed to work in any dangerous occupation. |
Health Care Continuation | In New Hampshire, those covered by an employer with two or more employees often have access to health care continuation. The federal COBRA program or New Hampshire legislation, but not both, may be chosen by those insured by an employer with 20 or more employees. |
Pay Frequency | An employer may make regular intervals of no more than 14 days between weekly or biweekly wage payments. |
Pay Statements | Every employee in New Hampshire is entitled to receive a statement of the deductions made from their salary for each pay period during which deductions are made. |
Wage Deductions | Any deductions from an employee's pay mandated by federal or state law, approved or requested in writing by the employee, or necessary for medical, surgical, or hospital care or services may be made without the employer being compensated. |
Leaves of Absence | Numerous laws regarding mandated vacation time and employee leaves of absence are in place in New Hampshire. These regulations cover things like pregnant disability leave, time off for Veterans Day, military leave, leave for crime victims, emergency responders, jury duty leave, and requirements for a day of rest. |
Smoke-Free Workplace | Employers with four or more employees must follow the Indoor Smoking Act. While some companies must be smoke-free, others may maintain functionally segregated indoor smoking zones. An employer must outright ban indoor smoking if it cannot be kept to a specific area. |
Safe Driving Practices | In New Hampshire, it is illegal for drivers to talk, text, email, access the internet, or set up a GPS or navigation system while behind the wheel. |
Final Pay | The following normal paycheck must pay all salaries due to an employee who leaves or resigns. All salaries must be paid within 72 hours if an employee offers at least one pay period's notice of their intention to resign.
All salaries due to terminated employees must be paid in full within 72 hours of the termination.
If a proper demand for payment is made, up to $300 in unpaid wages from a deceased employee may be given to the spouse, adult children, parents, siblings, or grandparents. |