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Bill > H541


NC H541

NC H541
Economic Security Act


summary

Introduced
03/30/2023
In Committee
04/03/2023
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
12/13/2024

Introduced Session

2023-2024 Session

Bill Summary

AN ACT ADVANCING ECONOMIC SECURITY FOR ALL IN NORTH CAROLINA BY INCREASING THE STATE MINIMUM WAGE IN PHASES TO FIFTEEN DOLLARS PER HOUR OVER FIVE YEARS; MANDATING EQUAL PAY FOR EQUAL WORK; REQUIRING PAID SICK LEAVE AND FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE; RESTORING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS ADJUSTED FOR INFLATION AND STUDYING UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS FOR APP-BASED "GIG ECONOMY" WORKERS; INCREASING THE TIPPED MINIMUM WAGE; ENDING WAGE THEFT; REQUIRING THE FAIR ASSESSMENT OF PERSONS WITH CRIMINAL HISTORIES BY "BANNING THE BOX"; REPEALING PUBLIC EMPLOYEE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING RESTRICTIONS; REENACTING THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT AND TAX CREDITS FOR CHILD AND DEPENDENT CARE EXPENSES; CREATING A REBUTTABLE PRESUMPTION THAT FIRST RESPONDERS, HEALTH CARE WORKERS, AND ESSENTIAL SERVICE WORKERS INFECTED BY THE CORONAVIRUS CONTRACTED THE DISEASE IN THE COURSE OF EMPLOYMENT; REQUIRING THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYERS CREDIT FIRST RESPONDERS AND HEALTH CARE WORKERS FOR LEAVE TAKEN WHILE QUARANTINED DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC; MANDATING HAZARD PAY FOR ESSENTIAL STATE EMPLOYEES FIGHTING THE PANDEMIC AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS FOR THAT PURPOSE; DIRECTING THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION TO STUDY THE PROVISION OF HAZARD PAY TO PRIVATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL EMPLOYEES; AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS TO SETTLE PANDEMIC-RELATED STATE EMPLOYEE WORKERS' COMPENSATION CLAIMS.

AI Summary

This bill, known as the Economic Security Act of 2023, makes several changes to North Carolina's labor laws. The key provisions include: - Increasing the state minimum wage in phases to $15 per hour over 5 years, starting at $8 per hour in 2023. - Mandating equal pay for equal work between men and women. - Requiring employers to provide paid sick leave and family medical leave. - Restoring and adjusting unemployment insurance benefits for inflation, and studying benefits for "gig economy" workers. - Increasing the tipped minimum wage and ending wage theft. - Prohibiting employers from inquiring about criminal histories until after a conditional job offer is made ("ban the box"). - Repealing restrictions on public employee collective bargaining. - Reenacting the state's earned income tax credit and creating a new tax credit for child and dependent care expenses. - Establishing a presumption that certain workers who contract COVID-19 did so in the course of their employment, entitling them to workers' compensation. - Requiring local governments to credit leave taken by first responders and healthcare workers who were quarantined due to COVID-19. - Mandating hazard pay for essential state employees during a pandemic and appropriating funds for that purpose. - Directing a study on providing hazard pay to private and local government employees.

Committee Categories

Government Affairs

Sponsors (9)

Last Action

Ref To Com On Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House (on 04/03/2023)

bill text


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