Employee handbook requirements in Tennessee (2026)
A compliant Tennessee employee handbook layers Tennessee-specific policies on top of the
federal baseline.
Below are the 6 Tennessee-specific requirements in our library, plus the federal baseline that also applies.
Standard state
6 Tennessee-specific items
110 federal baseline items
Tennessee-specific handbook requirements
Policies driven by Tennessee state law that a handbook should address.
Tennessee Jury Duty Leave — Pay Required (5+ Employees)
Jury Duty Leave
Tennessee is unusual in the Southeast in that it REQUIRES employers with 5 or more full-time employees to pay employees serving jury duty their full regular wages, minus any juror compensation received, for the first 10 days of jury service. The employee must have been employed for at least 6 months. After 10 days, additional service is unpaid. The employer cannot discharge or threaten an employee for serving on jury duty. Violation is a Class A misdemeanor.
Authority: Tenn. Code Ann. § 22-4-108 (Tennessee jury duty pay requirement — 5+ full-time employees; full wages minus juror compensation for first 10 days; 6-month service threshold; Class A misdemeanor for violation)
Tennessee Maternity Leave Act (4 Months, 100+ Employees at Location)
Pregnancy / Parental Leave
Tennessee's Maternity Leave Act requires employers with 100 or more employees at a single location to provide up to four months of unpaid maternity leave for pregnancy, childbirth, nursing, and adoption of a child three years old or younger. The employee must have worked full-time for at least 12 consecutive months. Leave is unpaid. The employer must reinstate the employee to the same or equivalent position, or pay compensation in lieu of reinstatement. This is more generous than FMLA (3 months) in duration but narrower in threshold (100 at single location vs. 50 within 75 miles).
Authority: Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 4-21-408 (Tennessee Maternity Leave Act — 4-month leave entitlement; 100-employee-at-location threshold; reinstatement obligation); § 4-21-401 (Tennessee Human Rights Act definitions)
Tennessee Voting Leave (3-Hour Paid)
Voting Leave
Tennessee law requires employers to grant employees up to three hours of paid leave to vote in any election in which the employee is eligible to vote, if the employee gives reasonable notice. The employer may designate the hours (beginning or end of shift). The leave is not available if the employee has three consecutive hours of non-work time while the polls are open. Applies to all TN employers.
Authority: Tenn. Code Ann. § 2-1-106 (Tennessee voting leave — 3-hour paid leave entitlement; employer may designate timing; reasonable notice requirement)
Tennessee Volunteer Firefighter / Emergency Responder Leave
Leave Policies
Tennessee law protects volunteer firefighters and emergency rescue workers from discharge or other retaliation for responding to an emergency during working hours. Employers may not discharge, threaten, or coerce employees who leave work to respond to a fire or emergency as a volunteer firefighter or emergency rescue worker. The leave is unpaid. Employees must give reasonable notice where practicable. Applies to all TN employers.
Authority: Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-1-305 (Tennessee volunteer firefighter and emergency rescue worker leave — anti-retaliation for emergency response during work hours)
Tennessee E-Verify Requirement (35+ Full-Time Equivalent Employees)
Hiring / Onboarding
Tennessee requires employers with 35 or more full-time equivalent employees to use the federal E-Verify system to confirm employment eligibility of all new hires effective January 1, 2017 (phased in by employer size in prior years). The obligation applies to new hires — not existing employees. Employers must retain E-Verify confirmation records. Private employers with <35 FTE employees and seasonal workers are generally exempt.
Authority: Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 50-1-702-50-1-707 (Tennessee Lawful Employment Act — E-Verify requirement for 35+ FTE employers); § 50-1-703 (employer obligations); § 50-1-706 (penalties for noncompliance)
Tennessee Final Pay Timing
Pay / Payroll
Tennessee requires employers to pay final wages by the next regular payday following separation, for both voluntary and involuntary separations. Tennessee does not impose an accelerated timeline for discharge. Accrued vacation is treated as wages if the employer's written policy commits to payout on separation. The Tennessee Wage Regulation Act provides civil remedies for unpaid wages including treble damages and attorney fees for willful violations.
Authority: Tenn. Code Ann. § 50-2-103 (Tennessee Wage Regulation Act — final pay by next regular payday for all separations); § 50-2-105 (civil remedies for unpaid wages — treble damages + attorney fees for willful violations)
Federal requirements that also apply in Tennessee
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
Tennessee handbook FAQ
Does Tennessee require employers to have an employee handbook?
No U.S. state requires an employee handbook outright. But Tennessee 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 Tennessee employee handbook need to include?
A compliant handbook layers Tennessee-specific policies on top of the federal baseline (equal-opportunity, at-will, leave, anti-harassment, pay practices and more). The Tennessee-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 Tennessee handbook?
Pacta's handbook generator builds a federal base plus a Tennessee 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 Tennessee 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.