| Update Applicable to: | Effective Date |
| All Employers with 20 or More Employees in New Hampshire | January 1, 2026 |
What happened?
On June 28, 2025, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu signed Senate Bill 246 into law as part of the state’s FY 2026–2027 budget (HB 1 and HB 2), enacting a new employee leave provision under the “Momnibus 2.0” initiative.
Overview:
New Job-Protected Leave for Childbirth and Infant Medical Appointments (275:37-f): Starting January 1, 2026, New Hampshire employers with 20 or more employees must provide up to 25 hours of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for:
- The employee’s own medical appointments related to childbirth or postpartum care.
- The employee’s child’s pediatric medical appointments within the first year after birth or adoption
Additional Information:
- If both parents work for the same employer, they must share the 25-hour leave total.
- Leave is unpaid, but employees may use accrued paid leave (e.g., vacation).
- Employees must be restored to their original job after leave.
- Employers may request documentation, though the law does not specify what qualifies.
- Employees must give reasonable advance notice and schedule leave to avoid disrupting operations.
Source References
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