Handbookly state guide
Georgia Employee Handbook Requirements: Required Policies, Posters & Notices
What Georgia law actually requires in an employee handbook: required policies with citations, headcount thresholds, and the mandatory poster list — plus the federal baseline every employer owes.
Required at any size in Georgia
These policies cover legal requirements that apply to every Georgia employer, regardless of headcount. Each row cites the law that creates the requirement.
| Policy | Legal basis | Applies at | What it must cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voting leave policy | Ga. Code § 21-2-404 | all sizes | Up to 2 hours of leave to vote when polls are not otherwise available outside work hours. |
Best practice at every size
No Georgia law requires these policies. Most employers still include them, so the handbook drafts them and labels them best practice.
| Policy | Legal basis | Applies at | What it must cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| At-will employment disclaimer | Ga. Code § 34-7-1 | best practice at every size | Georgia codifies at-will employment for an indefinite hiring, but no law requires a written disclaimer. It states that the handbook is not an employment contract. |
| Equal employment opportunity policy | No Georgia statute requires this of private employers; federal law applies at 15+ employees | best practice at every size | Georgia's Fair Employment Practices Act covers public employers only. Private Georgia employers are covered by federal discrimination law at 15+ employees, which the federal baseline row reflects. |
The federal baseline
Federal law applies on top of state law, in every state.
| Policy | Legal basis | Applies at | What it must cover |
|---|---|---|---|
| Equal employment opportunity & anti-discrimination policy | Title VII of the Civil Rights Act; the ADA (15+ employees); the ADEA (20+) | 15+ employees | Federal discrimination law binds at 15+ employees; a written EEO policy is the standard compliance posture at every size. |
| Pay practices (FLSA) section | Fair Labor Standards Act (recordkeeping & minimum wage/overtime) | all sizes | The FLSA does not mandate a written policy, but pay schedule, classification, and overtime rules belong in every handbook. |
Required posters & notices in Georgia
Posting is a separate legal obligation from having written policies. Download current versions free from each issuing agency.
Georgia Unemployment Insurance notice
Georgia Department of Labor
Workers' Compensation Bill of Rights
Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation
Leave laws to know
Georgia has minimal state leave mandates; leave sections are employer-defined under the at-will framework.
Get the complete Georgia handbook pack
Answer a few questions and get a complete employee handbook for your Georgia business: every required policy above drafted for your headcount and marked required or best practice, the poster checklist, and an employee acknowledgment form. $249, one time.
Frequently asked questions
Does Georgia require an employee handbook?
No US state requires a handbook document itself — but Georgia law imposes specific requirements and notices (this page lists 1 that apply at any size, each with its citation), and the handbook is where employers conventionally publish them. A written policy is also a record you can point to in a dispute.
Which policies are legally required in Georgia?
Voting leave policy (Ga. Code § 21-2-404). Requirements that only bind above a headcount threshold are listed separately on this page. Federal requirements — like EEO under Title VII at 15+ employees — apply on top of Georgia law.
What posters must a Georgia employer display?
Georgia requires: Georgia Unemployment Insurance notice (Georgia Department of Labor); Workers' Compensation Bill of Rights (Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation). Federal posters — the FLSA minimum-wage poster, the EEOC "Know Your Rights" poster, and the OSHA "Job Safety and Health" poster — are required on top of these.
Is this legal advice?
No. This page is informational document preparation built from public statutes and agency publications, each linked below. It is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. For a specific dispute or a complex workforce, consult an employment attorney licensed in Georgia.
Sources
Informational document preparation from public statutes and agency publications — not legal advice. Laws change; verify current requirements with the agencies above.