Committee hears competing views on modernizing 'two‑hour' reporting pay rule

The House Commerce Committee considered HB 10‑43, which would modernize New Hampshire’s reporting‑to‑pay rule that currently requires private employers to pay a minimum of two hours when an employee reports to work at the employer’s request. Representative Brian Labrie, sponsor of the bill, said the measure gives employers and employees flexibility by allowing written company policies to govern reporting pay while preserving the two‑hour default where no policy exists.

Representative Michael Cahill and others cautioned that broad repeal or wholesale removal of the two‑hour protection could harm workers who lack flexibility or face childcare and travel costs. Cahill said he favors a narrower amendment to address remote‑work anomalies rather than fully eliminating the statutory protection. Department of Labor counsel explained the agency’s expectation‑based analysis when handling disputes and said the proposed change emphasizes written policies, which would assist the department in resolving ambiguous cases.

Employers and associations including the Business Industry Association, NFIB, Blue Lion (HR consulting), and the New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association testified in favor of allowing written policies, arguing the change better aligns statute with modern workplace arrangements and would reduce confusion created by shifting agency interpretations across administrations. Some committee members expressed concern that multiple differing policies across workplaces could increase disputes or inconsistent treatment for certain workers.

The hearing concluded without a recorded committee vote on this bill during the public session.