Tennessee Employee Handbook

May 29, 2025

When your company hires employees in Tennessee, you are required to comply with federal, state, and local employment laws. There are a variety of human resources and labor policies in the workplace that differ by state. Through your employee handbook, employers can easily document and distribute the correct policies to their employees to comply with the laws of each state.

Creating your Tennessee Employee Handbook is a useful way to explain important policies and procedures, mitigate legal risk, and introduce employees to the expectations and operating practices of the organization.

Mosey has compiled the relevant policies a company with employees in Tennessee must consider.

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Tennessee Employee Handbook Policies

There are 4 state and local employee handbook policies in Tennessee.

Privacy

Tennessee Social Media Privacy Policy

Generally, Employer is legally prohibited from accessing your personal social media accounts and will not discipline or terminate you for refusing to disclose your social media login information or for denying to provide access to your social media accounts. The law does not prohibit Employer from reviewing publicly available social media postings or from accessing their own electronic media and hardware.

Leaves of Absence

Tennessee Jury Duty Leave

You are entitled to job-protected leave to provide required jury service. Unless directed otherwise by your manager, you should return to work at the completion of jury duty, even if for a partial day.

Tennessee Volunteer Firefighter Leave

If you are actively serving as a volunteer firefighter, you are permitted to leave work to respond to fire calls without a loss of pay, vacation time, sick time or other paid leave. Likewise, you may arrive late to work without discipline if you are late due to performing firefighter duties. You may be required to provide proof of service and should provide advance notice that you will be absent or late as soon as possible.

Tennessee Voting Leave Policy

You are permitted to take up to three hours of paid time off to vote if you would not otherwise have sufficient time to vote.

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Federal Employee Handbook Policies

Regardless of which states you have employees in, there are required federal policies that must be included in your employee handbook. In addition to any state-specific policies, your employee handbook for Tennessee should contain the following federal policies.

  • Anti-Harassment Policy
  • Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy
  • Anti-Retaliation Policy
  • Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
  • Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Handbook Policy Best Practices

In addition to the required federal policies, the following policies are best practices to include in your employee handbook.

  • Weapons Policy
  • Disciplinary Action Policy
  • Prohibited Conduct Policy
  • Violations Reporting Policy
  • Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
  • At-Will Employment

Employee handbook requirements by state

Select a state to learn more about state and federal HR policies.

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