Bill > H398

This bill, known as the KinCare Act, proposes to amend North Carolina's Wage and Hour Act to allow employees to use sick leave to care for family members under specific conditions. The bill provides comprehensive definitions for terms like "family member" (which includes a wide range of relationships such as children, grandparents, spouse, domestic partners, and others closely associated with the employee) and "sick leave". Specifically, the bill enables employees to use up to five consecutive days of their accrued sick leave in a calendar year to care for a family member, while maintaining all existing employer conditions and restrictions on sick leave use. The bill also extends sick leave protections to situations involving domestic or sexual violence, allowing employees to use leave for medical attention, counseling, legal services, and relocation related to such circumstances. The legislation does not expand federal Family and Medical Leave Act entitlements and excludes certain benefits like insurance and workers' compensation. The bill includes anti-retaliation provisions to protect employees who exercise these rights, and it is set to become effective on October 1, 2025. This proposed law aims to provide more flexible and compassionate sick leave policies that recognize employees' diverse family care needs.

Government Affairs

https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookUp/2025/H398