Employee Leave Options Policy
The State of North Carolina provides its employees with leave, meaning paid or unpaid time away from work, as a component of the Total Rewards package, alongside salary, benefits, and the other programs available to employees. The State encourages employees to use the leave they earn and expects agencies to support them in doing so.
This policy outlines the standards associated with most types of leave available to state employees, including commonly used types of leave like vacation and sick leave. These standards include which employees are eligible, the amount of leave available, and when it can be taken.
A few types of leave have their own separate policy, specifically: Family and Medical Leave, including Military Caregiver and Qualifying Exigency leave, Family Illness Leave, Voluntary Shared Leave, Military Leave, Adverse Weather, and Emergency Closing. These leaves cover specialized circumstances with detailed rules; please see OSHR’s full list of policies to find policies covering these leaves.
Documents
Visit the policy archive for old versions and repealed policies.
Related Content
Leave That Accumulates as a Balance
| Leave | Allowable Uses | Amount | Entitlement or Discretionary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leave that Accumulates as a Balance | |||
| Vacation Leave | Rest, personal needs, and any other purpose. | 120–240 hrs/yr based on length of service, earned monthly | Entitlement |
| Sick Leave | The employee's own illness, injury, or medical appointment, and care for a member of the immediate family. | 96 hrs/yr, earned monthly | Entitlement |
| Compensatory Time | Time off (in place of overtime pay) for hours worked beyond the scheduled work period. | Depends on hours worked | Entitlement if FLSA-subject; discretionary if FLSA Not Subject |
Leave Granted in a Set Amount
Leave Granted on an Annual Basis
| Leave | Allowable Uses | Amount | Entitlement or Discretionary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Community Service* - General | Volunteer service in schools (not related to literacy programs or tutoring), non-profit community service organizations, State agencies, public universities, and the Community College System, and a parent's involvement in a child's school. | 24 hrs/yr | Entitlement |
| Community Service* - Literacy | Volunteering in a literacy program in a public school. | Up to 45 hrs/yr | Entitlement; requires school and supervisor approval |
| Community Service* - Tutoring | Tutoring or mentoring a student in an approved program in a public or non-public school. | Up to 36 hrs/yr | Entitlement; requires school and supervisor approval |
| Holidays | The paid holidays on the schedule the State Human Resources Commission sets each year. | Typically 12 days | Entitlement |
| Personal Observance Leave | A day of significance to the employee, including a day of cultural, religious, or personal significance or observance. | 8 hrs/yr | Entitlement at participating agencies |
Leave Granted Upon a Qualifying Event
| Leave | Allowable Uses | Amount | Entitlement or Discretionary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bereavement Leave | The death of a member of immediate family or colleague. | 40 hrs familial loss; 8 hrs colleague | Entitlement |
| Civil Leave | Jury service and appearing as a witness under subpoena. | As required | Entitlement; job-related is counted as work time |
| Educational Leave | An approved course under the Employee Learning and Development Policy. | As required | Discretionary |
| Incentive Leave | A recruitment incentive awarded at the time of hire. | Up to 160 hrs | Discretionary |
| Paid Parental Leave | Bonding with a newborn or newly placed child, and recuperation following a miscarriage, stillbirth, or transfer of child custody following birth. | 480 hrs bonding; or 160 hrs recuperation after miscarriage, stillbirth, or transfer of custody | Entitlement |
| Transfer (Relocation) Leave | Locating a new residence and moving after a required transfer. | 3 trips × 3 days; 2 days moving | See section |
| Other Management Approved Leave - Entitlement | Miscellaneous activities for which the agency must grant paid leave: grievance or mediation preparation; investigatory placement; administrative hearings; agency-required relocation; workers' compensation hearings; state board service; smallpox vaccination reaction; international athletic competition; emergency agency closings. | Varies by type | Entitlement |
| Other Management Approved Leave - Discretionary | Miscellaneous activities for which the agency may choose to grant paid leave: work-related conferences, volunteer emergency and rescue services; Red Cross disaster service; blood and bone marrow donation; organ donation; making a suggestion that is adopted. | Varies by type | Discretionary |
Leave Without Pay
| Leave | Allowable Uses | Amount | Entitlement or Discretionary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leave Without Pay | Unpaid time away from work for illness, education, vacation, or another reason the agency head determines is justified. | Normally ≤ 6 months | Discretionary |
*Employee may only use one type of Community Service Leave.