States

Intro to North Carolina Labor Laws

Get an overview of the North Carolina labor laws small businesses should know when hiring, and updates on employment laws that could impact your business.

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Last updated on September 19th, 2024

Minimum Wage

The minimum wage in North Carolina is $7.25 per hour, which is the same as the federal minimum wage. 

References: North Carolina Minimum Wage Law

Minimum Exempt Salary Requirements

North Carolina follows the federal minimum exempt requirement of $684 per week or $35,568 per year for most exemptions from minimum wage and overtime.

References: Federal Minimum Exemption Threshold

Meal & Rest Laws

North Carolina follows the federal requirements and doesn’t have regulations requiring employers to provide meal and rest break periods.

Lactation Accommodation Laws

North Carolina follows federal law and doesn’t have state-specific lactation accommodations laws or regulations.

Updates to North Carolina Labor Laws

Keep up to date with important changes to state and local employment laws in North Carolina.

Published: Dec 10, 2021(Various Localities) More North Carolina Localities Enact Anti-Discrimination Ordinances
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Update Effective: Immediately, January 1, 2022, and February 1, 2022

Since a state law preempting municipal anti-discrimination laws lapsed late last year, a growing number of North Carolina localities have enacted anti-discrimination ordinances. While many of these are already in effect, those for Charlotte (and the surrounding county) and Winston-Salem will go into effect January and February of 2022, respectively.

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Published: Feb 11, 2021Local Anti-Discrimination Ordinances
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Update Effective: Various; mainly January 2021 and July 2021

Back in 2017, a state house bill prohibited local governments in North Carolina from enacting or amending any ordinances regarding private employment or public accommodation. Following the expiration of this prohibition in December 2020, several localities have adopted anti-discrimination ordinances to protect individuals from employment discrimination on the basis of a protected class. Among these localities, many have included an expanded definition of protected classes to include gender identity and protected hairstyles.

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Published: Aug 11, 2021New Pay Notice Requirements
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Update Effective: Immediately

Governor Cooper recently signed a law that creates new notice requirements for North Carolina employers regarding pay details. Employers must provide a written notice of payment information to individuals upon hire, including wage details and method of payment. Employers must also provide an advanced notice period of at least one pay period for certain changes in promised wages.

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This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, legal or tax advice. If you have any legal or tax questions regarding this content or related issues, then you should consult with your professional legal or tax advisor.

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