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HB 1250 · 2026 · House · Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services Committee

Notice rules for newborn parental leave

AI-generated

relative to notice, documentation, and job reinstatement requirements under leave of absence for childbirth, postpartum, and pediatric medical appointments.

Requires employees at businesses with 20 or more workers to give at least 15 days' notice before taking leave for childbirth, postpartum, or infant pediatric appointments, and allows employers to deny job reinstatement if it would unduly disrupt operations.AI-generated

Status

Killed in the House — Inexpedient to Legislate · February 5, 2026
  1. ✓Introduced
  2. ✕House
  3. Senate
  4. Governor
  5. Law

Analysis

This bill clarifies that employees shall give at least 15 days’ notice to take leave for childbirth-related medical appointments and allows employers to deny job reinstatement if doing so would unduly disrupt operations.

From the bill's official ANALYSIS section.

In the bill's words

Quoted verbatim from the bill as introduced. Passages chosen from the operative text.Computed by this site

“No employer with 20 employees or more, shall deny an employee leave from work up to a total of 25 hours to attend the employee's own medical appointments for childbirth, postpartum care, or the employee's child's pediatric medical appointments within the first year of the child's birth or adoption.”
RSA 275:37-f
“In the case where both parents of a child are employees of the same employer, the parents collectively may take unpaid leave according to this section, for a total of 25 hours in their child's first year.”
RSA 275:37-f
“However, an employee shall be permitted to substitute any accrued vacation time or other appropriate paid leave for any leave taken pursuant to this section provided doing so does not violate any terms of employment.”
RSA 275:37-f
“When the employee returns from their own or their child's health appointments, that employee's original job shall be made available to the employee by the employer if the job is still available and doing so would not unduly disrupt the operations of the employer.”
RSA 275:37-f

Official record

Bill page — docket & status

gc.nh.gov · the authoritative source

Sponsors

Rep. Ross BerryRPrimeChair· Election Law

Public testimony

332 signed in online · 116 wrote testimony

0% support100% oppose0% neutral

AgainstMedical needs of infants and postpartum mothers can't be predicted 15 days out

AI-generatedLeading arguments, summarized by the testimony tool.

Read the arguments

In their wordsVerbatim, exactly as submitted

“This bill would disproportionately target women and lead to worse outcomes for mothers, infants, and families.…”
— Sophie Merrow, Portsmouthopposes
“This bill would require employees to give at least 15 days notice for postpartum or pediatric appointments, and would allow employers to deny job reinstatement post-leave. This would disproportionately target women and lead to worse outcomes for mothers, infants, and families.…”
— Martha Merrow, Strathamopposes
“As I understand it, this bill would require employees to give at least 15 days notice for postpartum and pediatric appointments, and would allow employers to deny job reinstatement post-leave.…”
— Lucas Merrow, Rollinsfordopposes

Verbatim excerpts of submitted testimony, quoted from the testimony tool.

Read the testimony · as of Aug 12, 2026

Votes

yeanay
Starting text: Bill as introduced
  • Jan 27, 2026HouseCommittee report· consent calendar: Inexpedient to Legislate20–0
    Overall
    100% yea
  • Feb 5, 2026HouseVoice voteInexpedient to Legislateadopted

Hearings and debates

  • Jan 20, 2026Public hearingHouse Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services6:11:45–6:25:3913m 54slocated in the stream transcriptPublic Hearing
  • Jan 27, 2026Public hearingHouse Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services26:54–31:514m 57slocated in the stream transcriptCommittee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate; Executive Session
  • Feb 5, 2026Floor debateHouse floorWatchnot located in the transcript — opens the full streamInexpedient to Legislate — adopted, voice vote

Timestamps locate where this bill is taken up in the chamber's YouTube stream.

Legislative history

  1. Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroduced 01/07/2026 and referred to Labor, Industrial and Rehabilitative Services HJ 1 P. 12
  2. Jan 20, 2026HousePublic Hearing: 01/20/2026 03:15 pm GP 159
  3. Jan 27, 2026HouseExecutive Session: 01/27/2026 10:00 am GP 159
  4. Jan 27, 2026House: Inexpedient to Legislate 01/27/2026 (Vote 20-0; CC) HC 5 P. 9
  5. Feb 5, 2026HouseInexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/05/2026 HJ 3 P. 12

Coverage

No reporting linked yet.

Documents (PDF)

Bill text & amendments link direct to gc.nh.gov; committee reports stream from the state record.