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As of July 7, 2026, employers in New Hampshire will have a longer deadline by which they are required to respond to a wage claim filed at the New Hampshire Department of Labor (“NH DOL”).
Where an employee believes their employer has failed to pay them wages that are due, individuals have 36 months from the date the wages were due to file a claim for unpaid wages with the NH DOL. The NH DOL then notifies the employer that a claim has been filed, and the employer has an opportunity to respond.
Under the current law, New Hampshire employers have 10 days to respond to claims filed for unpaid wages.
However, HB 1168, signed into law on May 8, 2026, extends the response deadline from 10 days to 20 days. The 20-day deadline starts from the day the employer receives notice of the claim.
Importantly, this change only provides the employer with additional time to respond. It does not extend or modify the 36-month deadline for individuals to file claims for unpaid wages at the NH DOL, nor does it change the deadlines for responses to other types of claims filed at the NH DOL.