Disclaimer: The content provided below is for informational purposes only and does not substitute legal advice.
Last updated April, 2026
New Jersey employee handbook overview
When creating your New Jersey employee handbook, it is necessary to include both state-specific and federal policies. Whether all of your employees are in New Jersey or only a handful, you will require a New Jersey-specific handbook to ensure that your workers understand the policies and privileges provided by their state.
The mandatory state policies for New Jersey, federally mandated policies, and other optional policies are all listed below.
What should be included in a New Jersey employee handbook?
Every handbook should include Federal, State, and (if applicable) City-specific policies. Below are New Jersey-specific policies that should be included in your handbook.
- New Jersey Family Leave Act Update: The NJFLA now applies to employers with 15 or more employees, reduced from the previous threshold of 30. Employees are eligible after 3 months of employment and 250 hours worked. The law strengthens job restoration rights for employees returning from temporary disability or family leave and allows eligible workers to choose how they use accrued sick leave alongside disability benefits.
- New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Policy: The New Jersey Paid Sick Leave Law mandates that all employers provide paid sick leave to their employees. Employees earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year. The leave can be used for various reasons, including illness or injury, caring for a family member, attending school-related meetings or events for a child, and instances related to domestic or sexual violence. This law applies to almost all employees working in New Jersey, regardless of the size of the business.
- New Jersey Workplace Privacy Policy: Employers must provide rules regarding social media platforms, and what workplace communications can be monitored.
- New Jersey Emergency Response Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide unpaid leave to employees who are volunteer emergency responders during a state of emergency.
- New Jersey Victim Leave Policy: Employers are required to provide unpaid leave for employees who have been, or whose family members have been, the victim of domestic violence or sexual assault .
- New Jersey Misclassification Notice: Employers are required to inform employees of employee misclassification .
- New Jersey Lactation Accommodations Policy: Reasonable accommodations are required to be provided for nursing mothers .
- New Jersey Family Leave Act and Leave Insurance Policy: The NJFLA allows eligible employees to take time off from work for the care of a family member (child, parent, spouse, or any other designated family member) with a serious health condition or to care for a newly born or adopted child.
- New Jersey Religious Accommodation Policy: Companies are required to provide reasonable accommodations for an employee’s request to modify their work environment when it interferes with their religion.
- New Jersey Jury Duty Policy: Employers are required to provide leave for employees summoned to jury duty and cannot penalize or require them to use accrued leave during their service.
- New Jersey Transportation Benefit Policy: Certain eligible employees are eligible for a commuter tax benefit to offset their expenses related to commuting.
Federal Policies
Don’t forget about the federal policies
There are policies that should be included in every handbook to comply with US labor and employment law. Many states require additional provisions. However, this list includes core federal requirements and best practices applicable to most businesses.
Core federal policies
- Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policy Show me!
- Anti-Harassment and Complaint Procedure Show me!
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy Show me!
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) & Reasonable Accommodation Policy
- Military Service Leave (USERRA)
- Wage and Hour Compliance Policy (FSLA)
- At-Will Employment Notice Show me!
- Polices if you employ federal contractors (Pay Transparency Policy, Whistleblower Protection, Drug-free Workplace Policy)
Highly recommended policies
- Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
- Code of Conduct Policy
- Nursing Parents Policy
- Conflict of Interest and Business Ethics
- Disciplinary Procedures
- Use of Company Property
- Employee Classification and Pay Practices
- Health and Safety Policy
- Confidential Company Information
- Open Door Policy
- Receipt of Non-Harassment Policy
- Use of Communication and Computer Systems
- Workplace Searches and Inspections
Additional policies to include
- Industry-specific policies
- Sick Leave, Vacation Leave, PTO policy
- Company Vehicles Policy
- Punctuality and Attendance
- Benefits
- Working Schedule
- Employment Records
- Smoking
- Overtime
- Performance Reviews
- Social Media Policy
- Remote Work Policy
- Introductory Period Policy
- References
- Hiring Relatives and Significant Others
- Business Expense Reimbursement
Get all recommended policies from the free handbook builder.
Poster Requirements
Understanding labor law poster requirements can be a bit like trying to decode a complex puzzle. You need to comply with both state and federal requirements.
Why Should I Care About Displaying Posters?
You might be wondering why it's so important to display these posters in the first place. State and Federal laws mandate that employers must have up-to-date labor law posters conspicuously displayed for their employees. Failing to do so not only results in steep fines (up to $35,000 in federal fines and additional state fines) but also exposes you to real liability.
Consider this scenario: if an employee decides to bring a lawsuit against your company, and you don't have the required posters or they are outdated, you could face even more significant problems:
Statute of Limitations: Normally, there's a limited window within which an employee can file a lawsuit against you. However, if you didn't inform your employees of their rights through proper poster display, a court might decide that the statute of limitations doesn't apply.
Operating in Bad Faith: Courts may determine that you were intentionally withholding information from your employees, which could lead to a finding that you were operating in bad faith. This can substantially increase your liability.
What Are the Requirements for Displaying Labor Law Posters?
Labor law posters must be displayed at every physical location where you have employees, and they need to be conspicuously displayed for all to see.
- If you have a hybrid workplace with both in-person and remote employees, you'll need physical posters at your facilities and electronic distribution to your off-site workers.
- For fully remote companies, you can distribute posters electronically by sharing a permanent link to the appropriate posters.
- Some posters also need to be visible to job applicants, such as FMLA, Equal Employment Opportunity, and Employee Polygraph Protection posters, as per the guidance provided by the Department of Labor.
What Labor Law Posters Do I Need to Display?
You'll need both Federal and State labor law posters for each state where you have employees. The good news is that all the posters you need are provided for free by the federal government and state departments of labor. You've probably seen those convenient "all-in-one" laminated posters, but if you prefer, everything you need is also available as a free, printable document from the New Jersey Department of Labor.
Federal Poster Requirements
Determining which federal posters you're required to display can be influenced by various factors, including your industry, the size of your company, benefits you provide and union affiliation.
The good news is that there's a handy tool to help you understand precisely which federal posters your company needs. You can use the Federal Poster Advisor tool to determine your specific federal poster requirements.
New Jersey Labor Law Poster Requirements
You can refer to the New Jersey Department of Labor for free, printable posters.
Download New Jersey labor law posters here
How to create an New Jersey Employee Handbook
An employee handbook isn't just a formality, it's the foundation of a well-run company. But getting it right means more than putting words on paper. Your handbook needs to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, and it needs to stay current as those laws change.
When it comes to building a legally sound, state-specific handbook, most companies face the same tough choice: hire an attorney to draft one from scratch, or try to do it yourself. The first option is expensive and time-consuming. The second is risky, especially if you're relying on generic, one-size-fits-all templates found online.
That's where Handbooks.io comes in.
Handbooks.io is an employee handbook builder trusted by many companies to create polished, fully compliant handbooks, without the legal fees or guesswork. Answer a short survey about your company, and a tailored handbook is generated in no time. It's everything you need to create, maintain, and distribute a professional employee handbook, all in one place. Let’s build this thing!
Get started on building your handbook
Creating a new handbook only takes a few minutes. And it’s easy. You can get started by answering a few interactive questions about your company. A few examples:
- How many employees do you have?
- Do you have employees in multiple states?
- Do you have an introductory period for new employees?
- Do you offer paid holidays?
- What is your payroll schedule?