Pending Legislation: NC Employees could be entitled to Paid Sick Leave

Democrats in the North Carolina legislature have proposed a new bill which could require private-sector employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave.

House Bill 270, known as The Healthy Family & Workplaces / Paid Sick Days Bill, would require private employers to provide their employees with 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, beginning at the start of employment: up to 4 days per year for small businesses, and up to 7 days per year for larger businesses.

Here, "Paid Sick Leave" would be provided to an employee for several reasons, including:

(1) To care for a member of the employee's immediate family suffering from health issues;

(2)To care for the employee's own health, unless the care is covered under federal law; or

(3)To allow an employee to address the psychological, physical, or legal effects on the employee or an immediate family member of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

If passed, the bill would only apply to employees hired on or after July 1, 2015. Proposed penalties for Employers who fail to recognize the Paid Sick Days requirements include unpaid sick leave plus interest, liquidated damages, and possible court costs and attorneys fees.

Unlike many European countries, paid sick leave can be rare among many private sector employees in the USA. Many states do NOT require private companies to provide this benefit and in North Carolina, 45% of private-sector employees are currently NOT entitled to paid sick leave. Supporters of HB 270 say private Employers would also benefit by reducing employees absences, lowering health costs, improving employee retention and increasing productivity.

This matter is ongoing and we will be watching for future developments.