New Hampshire Leave Laws
New Hampshire has a more limited state leave framework than California. It does not have a broad private-sector state family and medical leave law equivalent to the California Family Rights Act. For general family and medical job-protected leave, eligible New Hampshire employees typically rely on federal FMLA, employer policy, collective bargaining agreements, or specific New Hampshire protections described below.
New Hampshire leave obligations are best separated into job-protected leave entitlements, paid benefit / wage replacement programs, and short-term protected absence rights. The key compliance distinction is that the Granite State Paid Family Leave Plan is primarily a voluntary wage replacement insurance program, while job protection comes from a narrower set of statutes or from federal FMLA when applicable.
New Hampshire Leave Laws
New Hampshire has a more limited state leave framework than California. It does not have a broad private-sector state family and medical leave law equivalent to the California Family Rights Act. For general family and medical job-protected leave, eligible New Hampshire employees typically rely on federal FMLA, employer policy, collective bargaining agreements, or specific New Hampshire protections described below.
New Hampshire leave obligations are best separated into job-protected leave entitlements, paid benefit / wage replacement programs, and short-term protected absence rights. The key compliance distinction is that the Granite State Paid Family Leave Plan is primarily a voluntary wage replacement insurance program, while job protection comes from a narrower set of statutes or from federal FMLA when applicable.
State Leave Summary
| Field | State-Specific Summary |
| State | New Hampshire |
| Primary Leave Agencies | New Hampshire Commission for Human Rights; New Hampshire Department of Labor; Department of Administrative Services / NH Paid Family Medical Leave; Department of Employment Security for individual pool administration. |
| Main Leave Categories | Pregnancy disability leave, voluntary paid family and medical leave insurance, childbirth/postpartum/infant pediatric appointment leave, crime victim leave, jury duty protections, domestic violence employment protections, and emergency responder leave. |
| Federal Interaction | New Hampshire does not provide a broad state analogue to FMLA for private-sector employees. Federal FMLA remains the primary general job-protected family and medical leave framework when eligibility requirements are met. |
Job Protected Entitlements
| Leave Type | NH Law/ Program | Job Protected | Paid Leave | Covered Employers | Employee Eligibility | Duration |
| Pregnancy Disability Leave | NH Law Against Discrimination, RSA 354-A:7, VI | Yes | Generally unpaid; pregnancy treated the same as other temporary disabilities for benefits purposes | Employers with 6+ employees, subject to statutory exclusions | Employee temporarily physically disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions | Period of temporary physical disability; original or comparable position must be made available when physically able to return, unless business necessity makes this impossible or unreasonable |
| Family / Medical Leave Insurance Job Restoration | RSA 275:37-d / Granite State Paid Family Leave Plan | Yes, limited to covered sponsoring employers | Yes, through FMLI wage replacement when coverage applies | Employers with 50+ employees that sponsor family and medical leave insurance under RSA 21-I:99 | Employee takes family or medical leave and accesses wage replacement benefits under sponsored FMLI coverage | Tied to FMLI leave/benefit period; job restoration consistent with federal FMLA; health insurance continuation required with employee share of cost |
| Childbirth, Postpartum, and Infant Pediatric Medical Appointment Leave | RSA 275:37-f | Yes | Unpaid; employee may substitute accrued vacation or other appropriate paid leave | Employers with 20+ employees | Employee needs leave for own childbirth/postpartum medical appointments or child pediatric medical appointments within first year after birth or adoption | Up to 25 hours; if both parents work for same employer, 25 hours total collectively in child’s first year |
Paid Benefit Programs
| Leave Type | NH Law/ Program | Job Protected | Paid Leave | Administered By | Eligibility Basis | Duration |
| Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance | Granite State Paid Family Leave Plan / NH PFML | No, not by itself for all employees; job restoration may apply for 50+ sponsoring employers under RSA 275:37-d and FMLA may separately apply | Yes | State-sponsored insurance framework through Department of Administrative Services and contracted carrier; individual pool through Department of Employment Security | Permanent state employees receive coverage for qualifying family leave. Other public/private employers may voluntarily sponsor coverage; individuals may purchase coverage if employer does not offer equivalent benefits and eligibility requirements are met. | Generally 60% of average weekly wage, capped at the Social Security taxable wage maximum, for up to 6 weeks per year; individual pool includes a 7-month waiting period and one-week elimination period |
| State Disability Insurance | No New Hampshire state disability insurance program comparable to CA SDI identified | No | No | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Paid Sick Leave | No generally applicable statewide paid sick leave requirement identified | No separate state requirement | No state-mandated paid sick leave | N/A | Employer policy, PTO, collective bargaining agreement, or local/federal requirements if applicable | N/A |
Job-Protected Leave Entitlement Descriptions
These laws create a protected right to take time away from work and generally require the employer to preserve employment rights, restore the employee to the same or comparable position, or otherwise avoid interference or retaliation.
General State Family / Medical Leave
New Hampshire does not have a broad private-sector state family and medical leave law equivalent to California CFRA. For general family, medical, bonding, or caregiving leave, the main job-protected framework is typically federal FMLA when the employer and employee meet federal eligibility requirements.
Pregnancy Disability Leave
New Hampshire law provides job-protected leave for the period of temporary physical disability resulting from pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. When the employee is physically able to return, the original job or a comparable position must be made available unless business necessity makes that impossible or unreasonable.
Family / Medical Leave Insurance Job Restoration
The Granite State Paid Family Leave Plan is primarily a wage replacement insurance framework. However, RSA 275:37-d adds job restoration, health insurance continuation, and anti-retaliation protections for employers with 50 or more employees that sponsor family and medical leave insurance and whose employees access wage replacement benefits under that coverage.
Childbirth, Postpartum, and Infant Pediatric Medical Appointment Leave
Effective January 1, 2026, New Hampshire requires employers with 20 or more employees to allow up to 25 hours of unpaid leave for childbirth, postpartum, and infant pediatric medical appointments during the child’s first year after birth or adoption. The employee’s original job must be made available upon return.
Granite State Paid Family Leave Plan / NH PFML
New Hampshire PFML is voluntary for non-state employers and provides wage replacement rather than a universal mandatory paid leave entitlement. Permanent state employees receive coverage for qualifying family leave reasons, while other public and private employers may voluntarily sponsor coverage and certain individuals may purchase coverage through the individual pool.
Paid Sick Leave and State Disability Insurance
Unlike California, New Hampshire does not have a generally applicable statewide paid sick leave mandate or a state disability insurance program comparable to California SDI. These items should be tracked as “No statewide requirement identified” unless employer policy, collective bargaining, federal law, or another specific rule applies.
*State Leave Law Summaries are for informational purposes only and are subject to change. To the extent possible, we will update these leave laws as and when States update their policies. However, there may be a time lag. Further, for specific applicability with a personal situation, Qcera advises contacting your employer’s HR department for support.