Easier. Faster. Better.
Effective October 1, 2026, North Carolina’s Public Workforce Modernization Act launches the biggest modernization of our state’s HR system in more than six decades.
- New Pathways into Public Service
- Greater Hiring Flexibility
- Enhanced Benefits for Employees
- Stronger Retention and Career Growth
North Carolina is building a national model for public workforce management.
Approved unanimously by the N.C. General Assembly and signed by Gov. Josh Stein, the law strengthens public service and helps the state attract, support, and retain top talent.
North Carolina’s bold move on civil service
"Governor Josh Stein and his HR Director, Staci Meyer, decided to not only acknowledge that evidence but to address the system’s interlocking problems at their roots. That’s how the biggest rewrite of the state’s civil service law in 60 years got started."
What HR Transformation Does For ...
Job Seekers
- Creates flexible entry pathways into state government careers, including apprenticeships and fellowships.
- Extends veterans’ hiring preference to spouses of active duty service members.
- Streamlines the job application process through JoinNC for permanent and non permanent roles.
State Employees
- Expands paid parental leave for both parents to 12 weeks of paid leave after the birth, adoption or fostering of a child.
- Makes bereavement leave consistent and increases vacation leave for all executive branch employees.
- Defines career employee promotional priority as the highest priority in hiring.
Managers and Agencies
- Gives agencies direct authority over agency specific classification decisions, without needing OSHR approval.
- Cuts the temporary to permanent hiring window from six months to three months.
- Supports workforce fluidity and career growth by allowing lateral transfers within an agency.
- Puts real intention behind the probationary period before a new employee becomes permanent.
Timeline
In late 2026 and early 2027, OSHR will roll out new policies, train managers and HR staff, and build the systems needed to make the improvements within Chapter 126A work in everyday agency practices.
This page will be where all of that gets tracked as it happens: what's already changed, what's coming next, and how OSHR is measuring success.
To learn more about and apply for careers in N.C. public service, visit Work for NC.