Employee handbook requirements in Louisiana (2026)
A compliant Louisiana employee handbook layers Louisiana-specific policies on top of the
federal baseline.
Below are the 5 Louisiana-specific requirements in our library, plus the federal baseline that also applies.
Standard state
5 Louisiana-specific items
110 federal baseline items
Louisiana-specific handbook requirements
Policies driven by Louisiana state law that a handbook should address.
Louisiana Jury Duty — First Day Pay Required
Jury Duty Leave
Louisiana law requires employers to pay employees their regular wages for the first day of jury service. This is one of the few states that mandates at least some compensation for jury duty. After the first day, jury service leave is unpaid unless the employer's policy provides otherwise. Employers may not discharge, threaten, or coerce an employee who serves on jury duty. Applies to all LA employers.
Authority: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 23:965 (Louisiana jury duty leave — first day of service must be paid at regular wages; anti-retaliation for jury service)
Louisiana Bone Marrow Donor Leave (R.S. 40:1263.4 — Mandatory for 20+ Employees)
Leave Policies
Louisiana law requires employers with 20 or more employees to grant employees who serve as bone marrow donors a paid leave of absence for up to 40 working hours per year. The employee must provide written request and physician certification that the employee is a bone marrow donor. The employer may not retaliate or penalize the employee for taking this leave. This is a mandatory benefit — unlike many other states where bone marrow leave is discretionary.
Authority: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 40:1263.4 (Louisiana bone marrow donor leave — mandatory paid leave up to 40 hours per year for 20+ employee employers; written request and physician certification required)
Louisiana Pregnancy Discrimination Act — Accommodations (25+ Employees)
Pregnancy / Parental Leave
Louisiana's Pregnancy Discrimination Act (originally enacted 1997, updated) requires employers with 25 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations for employees with pregnancy-related medical conditions, unless doing so would impose undue hardship. Covered accommodations include: modified work duties, transfer to a less strenuous or hazardous position, modified work schedule, leave of absence, and employer-provided seating or more frequent breaks. The employer must engage in an interactive process.
Authority: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§ 23:341-23:345 (Louisiana Pregnancy Discrimination Act — 25+ employee threshold; reasonable accommodation obligation; anti-retaliation); Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000gg et seq. (federal baseline for 15+ EE, concurrent)
Louisiana Volunteer Firefighter / Emergency Responder Leave
Leave Policies
Louisiana law protects volunteer firefighters and volunteer emergency medical technicians from discharge, discipline, or other retaliation for leaving work to respond to a fire or emergency call during working hours. The leave is unpaid. The employer may require the employee to provide evidence of the emergency call. Applies to all LA employers.
Authority: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 23:961 (Louisiana volunteer firefighter and emergency responder leave — anti-retaliation for emergency response during work hours)
Louisiana Final Pay — Next Payday (15-Day Cap for Discharge)
Pay / Payroll
Louisiana requires employers to pay final wages by the next regular payday or within 15 days of the date of discharge, whichever comes first, for involuntary terminations. For voluntary resignations, final pay is due by the next regular payday. The Louisiana Wage Payment Act (R.S. 23:631) provides stiff penalties for willful nonpayment: 90 days of wages at the employee's daily rate, plus attorney fees. This penalty provision is one of the most aggressive in the South and makes prompt final pay compliance critical.
Authority: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 23:631 (Louisiana Wage Payment Act — final pay timing; next payday or 15 days for discharge); § 23:632 (penalty — 90 days wages at daily rate for willful nonpayment + attorney fees)
Federal requirements that also apply in Louisiana
110 federal baseline policies span these areas — every Pacta handbook includes them.
Assignment / Placement Agreement · 10
DOT / FMCSA Compliance · 10
Arbitration Agreement · 8
Code of Conduct · 6
Benefits · 5
Confidentiality · 5
Offer Letter · 5
Employee Classification · 4
Pay / Payroll · 4
Safety / Workers' Comp · 4
Separation / Final Pay · 4
Introduction / At-Will · 3
Timekeeping · 3
Accommodation (Disability) · 2
Assignment Lifecycle · 2
Drug-Free / Alcohol · 2
EEO / Protected Classes · 2
Expense Reimbursement · 2
Harassment · 2
Hiring / Onboarding · 2
Remote Work · 2
Social Media / Recording · 2
Three-Party Relationship · 2
AI Tools · 1
Arbitration · 1
Bereavement · 1
Driving / Vehicles · 1
Emergency Procedures · 1
Employee Records · 1
FMLA / Family Leave · 1
Gifts / Anti-Bribery · 1
Jury Duty Leave · 1
Lactation / Nursing Mothers · 1
Meal / Rest Breaks · 1
Military Leave · 1
Overtime · 1
Paid Sick Leave · 1
Pay Transparency · 1
Pay Transparency Notice · 1
Pregnancy / Parental Leave · 1
Salary Basis / Safe Harbor · 1
Voting Leave · 1
Louisiana handbook FAQ
Does Louisiana require employers to have an employee handbook?
No U.S. state requires an employee handbook outright. But Louisiana requires that a number of employment policies be provided to employees in writing, and a handbook is the standard, defensible way to do that. This page is informational only and is not legal advice.
What does a Louisiana employee handbook need to include?
A compliant handbook layers Louisiana-specific policies on top of the federal baseline (equal-opportunity, at-will, leave, anti-harassment, pay practices and more). The Louisiana-specific items are listed on this page; the exact set depends on your headcount, industry, and the localities you operate in.
How do I create a compliant Louisiana handbook?
Pacta's handbook generator builds a federal base plus a Louisiana state addendum tailored to your company, then returns a formatted draft you can edit. Every draft must be reviewed by qualified employment counsel before you distribute it to employees.
Handbook requirements in other states
This page is general information about Louisiana employment-policy requirements, not legal advice,
and may not reflect the most current law. AI-generated handbooks must be reviewed and approved by qualified
employment counsel licensed in the applicable jurisdiction(s) before distribution to employees.