North Carolina SB 582: Budget & Agency Technical Corrections.

Status: Signed by Gov. 10/8/2017 (as of 2017-10-08)

State: North Carolina · Session: 2017 · Bill: SB 582

Subjects: ADMINISTRATION DEPT., AGRICULTURE, ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, ANIMALS, APPOINTMENTS, APPROPRIATIONS, AQUARIUMS, ASSAULT, ATTORNEY GENERAL, AUDITING & AUDITS, BOARDS, BUDGETING, BUILDINGS, CHILD ABUSE, CHILD CARE COMN., CJE & TRAINING STANDARDS COMN., COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES, COMMERCE, COMMERCE DEPT., COMMISSIONS, COMMUNITY COLLEGES, COMMUNITY COLLEGES BOARD, CONFIDENTIALITY, CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES, CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS, COUNCIL OF STATE, COUNCILS, COUNTIES, COURT CLERKS, COURTS, CRIMES, CULTURAL RESOURCES, NATURAL & CULTURAL RESOURCES DEPT., DAY CARE, DEBTOR & CREDITOR, DEQ, DHHS, DISABLED PERSONS, DISASTERS & EMERGENCIES, DISTRICT COURT, DMV, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMN., ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION, EDUCATION ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATION, STATE BOARD OF, ELEMENTARY EDUCATION, EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, EMERGENCY SERVICES, EMPLOYMENT, ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, ENVIRONMENT, EROSION, ESTATES, EVIDENCE, FARMERS MARKETS, FILM INDUSTRY, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, FINANCIAL SERVICES, FISH & WILDLIFE, FOOD SERVICES, FOODS & BEVERAGES, FORECLOSURES, GRANTS, HEALTH SERVICES, HIGHER EDUCATION, HISTORIC PRESERVATION, HOSPITALS, HOUSING, INFRASTRUCTURE, INSURANCE, INSURANCE DEPT., JUSTICE DEPT., LAW ENFORCEMENT, LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, LIBRARIES, LICENSE PLATES, LICENSES & PERMITS, LICENSING & CERTIFICATION, LIENS, LOANS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, MANUFACTURING, MEMBERSHIP, MENTAL HEALTH, MINORS, MORTGAGES, MOTOR VEHICLES, MUNICIPALITIES, NARCOTICS, OCCUPATIONS, PARKS & RECREATION AREAS, PERSONNEL, PHARMACEUTICALS, PILOT PROGRAMS, PRESENTED, PRINCIPALS, PRISON LABOR, INMATES, PRIVACY, PRIVATIZATION, PROPERTY, PUBLIC, PUBLIC INSTRUCTION DEPT., PUBLIC OFFICIALS, RAPE, RATIFIED, REAL ESTATE, RECREATION & LEISURE, REPORTS, RETAILING, REVENUE DEPT., RURAL DEVELOPMENT, SALARIES & BENEFITS, SECONDARY EDUCATION, SESSION LAWS, SEX OFFENSES, SHERIFFS, SHERIFF'S TRAINING COMN., SOCIAL SERVICES, SOILS, SPORTS, STATE BUILDINGS, STATE EMPLOYEES, STATE TREASURER, STUDIES, TAXATION, TAXES, SALES & USE, TEACHERS, TITLE CHANGE, TOBACCO, TRANSPORTATION, TRANSPORTATION DEPT., TRUSTS, UNC, UNC BOARD OF GOVERNORS, UTILITIES, VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, VOCATIONAL REHAB COUNCIL, VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION, WATER & SEWER SYSTEMS, WILDLIFE RESOURCES COMN., WITNESSES, WOMEN, WORKERS COMPENSATION, ZOOLOGICAL PARK COUNCIL, ZOOS, COLUMBUS COUNTY, SUNSETS, FAIR BLUFF, ALAMANCE COUNTY, SUPERIOR COURT, CHAPTERED, INSURANCE COMMISSIONER, UNREGULATED VEHICLES, BOLTON, PUBLIC BUILDINGS, CIVIL ACTIONS, HAW RIVER (TOWN), GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, LOCAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES, PROPERTY-STATE GOVERNMENT, TOBACCO PRODUCTS, WINERIES & BREWERIES, ABC COMN., EDUCATION & WORKFORCE INNOVATION COMN., FAMILY ISSUES, OUTDOOR HERITAGE ADVISORY COUNCIL, BEER & WINE, ABLE PROGRAM BOARD, PUBLIC LIBRARIAN COMN.

Sponsors: Rabon

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 582

Short Title: Wellness Break Act. (Public)
Sponsors: Senators Theodros and Chitlik (Primary Sponsors).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 26, 2025
*S582-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ESTABLISH A SABBATICAL PROGRAM FOR LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES 2
IN NORTH CAROLINA, PROMOTING HEALTH, REJUVENATION, AND PERSONAL 3
WELL-BEING. 4
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 5
6
PART I. PUBLIC EMPLOYEE SABBATICAL LEAVE 7
SECTION 1.(a) Article 2 of Chapter 126 of the General Statutes is amended by 8
adding a new section to read: 9
"§ 126-8.7. Paid sabbatical leave. 10
(a) Definitions. – The following definitions apply in this section: 11
(1) Long-term employee. – A career State employee who has been continuously 12
employed in the same position for the immediate three years. 13
(2) Sabbatical leave. – A period of paid leave for health improvement, 14
skill-building, and personal enrichment of between four to six weeks. 15
(b) Sabbatical Leave. – The State Human Resources Commission shall adopt rules and 16
policies for sabbatical leave that include at least the following requirements: 17
(1) The long-term employee shall not have been granted a sabbatical leave in the 18
prior three years. 19
(2) The long-term employee shall submit an application to the employer for 20
sabbatical leave that outlines the intended use of their sabbatical leave, 21
including a focus on health, wellness, personal development, or skill 22
enhancement. 23
(3) The long-term employee shall agree to return to the same position at the end 24
of the sabbatical leave for a period of one year. 25
(4) The employer shall grant the requested sabbatical leave unless the employer 26
determines that the grant would prevent the employer from providing essential 27
services. 28
(5) The employer shall continue to provide the employee benefits and an amount 29
equal to seventy percent (70%) of the employee's salary during the sabbatical 30
leave. 31
(6) The employer shall allow the employee to return to the same position at the 32
end of the sabbatical leave. 33
(7) The employer shall not penalize or discriminate against a long-term employee 34
that takes a sabbatical leave. 35
(c) Requirements. – The sabbatical leave authorized by this section: 36

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 582-First Edition
(1) Is available without exhaustion of the employee's sick and vacation leave and 1
is awarded in addition to any other leave authorized by State or federal law. 2
(2) Has no cash value upon termination from employment. 3
(3) May not be used for calculating an employee's retirement benefits. 4
(d) A long-term employee that fails to return to the same position or remain employed by 5
the employer for one year shall be liable for repayment of one-half of the cost of all salary and 6
benefits received during the sabbatical leave. This provision shall not apply if the failure to return 7
is due to the death or permanent disability of the employee. 8
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Chapter, this section applies to all State 9
employees, public school employees, and community college employees. 10
(f) All State employers, local boards of education, and local community college boards 11
of trustees shall report information requested by the State Human Resources Commission on use 12
of sabbatical leave, including rate of use and other measurable outcomes, including measures of 13
employees' well-being and retention. The State Human Resources Commission shall report to 14
the General Assembly annually by July 1 on the reported use and measurable outcomes of 15
sabbatical leave, and any recommendations to improve program effectiveness and sustainability." 16
SECTION 1.(b) Article 5 of Chapter 153A of the General Statutes is amended by 17
adding a new section to read: 18
"§ 153A-99.2. Paid sabbatical leave. 19
Each county shall establish a policy to provide paid sabbatical leave to its employees that 20
includes, at a minimum, the requirements of G.S. 126-8.7. Each county shall upon request report 21
information requested by the State Human Resources Commission on use of sabbatical leave." 22
SECTION 1.(c) Article 7 of Chapter 160A of the General Statutes is amended by 23
adding a new section to read: 24
"§ 160A-169.2. Paid sabbatical leave. 25
Each city shall establish a policy to provide paid sabbatical leave to its employees that 26
includes, at a minimum, the requirements of G.S. 126-8.7. Each city shall upon request report 27
information requested by the State Human Resources Commission on use of sabbatical leave." 28
SECTION 1.(d) The State Human Resources Commission shall adopt rules as 29
required by G.S. 126-8.7, as enacted by this section, no later than June 1, 2026. All State 30
agencies, counties, and cities shall comply with the requirements of G.S. 126-8.7, 153A-99.2, 31
and 160A-169.2, respectively, as enacted by thi

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