New Hampshire Requires Childbirth-Related Leave

The details

Under the law, an employer with 20 or more employees must provide an employee up to 25 hours of unpaid leave to attend medical appointments:

• Related to childbirth or post-partum care
• For their child’s pediatric needs within the first year of the child’s birth or adoption

Note: If an employer employs both parents, the parents may be required to share this leave, meaning the parents may take a combined total of up to 25 hours of leave.

Relationship to Other Leaves

Employees have the right to use their accrued vacation or other paid leave provided by the employer for these medical appointments.

Employee Notice Requirements

To use the leave, an employee must:

• Provide reasonable advance notice to their employer of their need for leave
• Make a reasonable effort to schedule their leave to avoid disrupting the employer’s business operations

Documentation
An employer may require employees to provide documentation that demonstrates that the leave is used for its intended purpose.

Job Reinstatement
An employee must be allowed to return to their original job following their leave. 

Next steps

• Review and update leave policies and procedures by Jan. 1, 2026.
• Train supervisors and human resources on the requirements under the law.