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 6 state and local employee handbook policies in Tennessee.
Wage and Hour
Tennessee Meal Break Policy
You are entitled to a 30-minute unpaid meal break during shifts of six or more consecutive hours, scheduled outside the first and last hour of the shift. If you work during the break, it will be paid time.
Tennessee Lactation Break Policy
You are entitled to reasonable, flexible break time to express breast milk for up to one year after your child’s birth, typically aligned with existing breaks. Employer will provide a private, secure, and functional lactation space, not a bathroom, near your work area. Retaliation or discrimination for exercising these rights is strictly prohibited, though exceptions may apply if accommodations create undue hardship.
Leaves of Absence
Tennessee Jury Duty Leave Policy
Employees are entitled to paid leave for jury service, including compensation for travel time and service at their regular rate. Night shift employees will receive the day before jury duty off to accommodate the service. However, if Employer has fewer than five employees, or if the employee has been employed for less than six months, compensation for jury duty is not required, and pay will be deducted by any jury service compensation the employee receives from the court.
Tennessee Volunteer Firefighter Leave Policy
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
Employer will provide registered voters with up to three hours of paid time off to vote in general or special elections, unless the employee’s work schedule already allows for sufficient time to vote. Employees must notify their supervisor of their intent to vote by noon the day before the election. The supervisor will schedule the leave at a time most convenient for Employer.
Privacy
Tennessee Social Media Privacy Policy
Generally, Employer is prohibited from accessing your personal social media accounts and will not discipline or terminate an employee for refusing to disclose their social media login information or for denying to provide access to their social media accounts.
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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.
- Prohibited Conduct Policy
- Violations Reporting Policy
- Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
- Weapons Policy
- Disciplinary Action Policy
- At-Will Employment
- Federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Policy
