Employee Leave 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.