Congratulations on your new position. Thank you for choosing to work in North Carolina state government in service to the citizens of this state. Working in state government offers opportunities to contribute to the quality of life here while following a career in public service.
Structure of State Government
NC State Government has two branches:
- Cabinet agencies, with heads appointed by the Governor.
- Council of State agencies, with heads elected by the public.
The agencies for each branch are listed below:
| CABINET agencies: | COUNCIL OF STATE agencies: |
| Dept. of Administration | Dept. of Agriculture and Consumer Services |
| Dept. of Commerce | Dept. of Insurance |
| Dept. of Public Safety | Dept. of Justice (Attorney General) |
| Dept. of Cultural Resources | Dept. of Labor |
| Dept. of the Environment and Natural Resources | Dept. of Public Instruction |
| Dept. of Health and Human Services | Office of the Lieutenant Governor |
| Dept. of Revenue | Office of the Secretary of State |
| Dept. of Transportation | Office of the State Auditor |
| Dept. of Information Technology | Office of the State Treasurer |
| Office of State Human Resources |
Forms
You have 30 days from your date of hire to return the following forms:
- Teachers' and State Employees' Retirement System Notice of Enrollment Form
- State Health Enrollment Application (Teachers' & State Employees' Comprehensive Major Medical Plan)
- NCFlex Enrollment
- Form W-4
- Form NC-4
- Your I-9 form (U.S. Employment Eligibility Verification form) must be completed in person within three days of the date you are hired.
You may sign and fax your forms, then mail the original documents to your agency coordinator.
Essential Documents Checklist
Prior to beginning the New Employee Orientation, you need to have the following documents available:
- Two (2) photocopies of your Social Security Number card
- Birth dates of dependents and/or beneficiaries
- Addresses of dependents and/or beneficiaries
- A "voided" check or deposit slip for Direct Deposit Enrollment form
Agency Orientation
After starting your new job, your agency will provide you with a new employee orientation. During this orientation you will get all the forms needed to sign up for health insurance, join your agency's payroll, etc. You will also receive full explanations of employee benefits, such as vacation, sick leave, retirement, etc.
Definitions of Terms Related to Employee Orientation
Accrue: refers to the ability of an employee to accumulate paid time off in the next fiscal year based on the length of service and time worked per month in the current fiscal year.
Allowance: a reduction in the amount of taxes an individual pays. The maximum number of allowances an individual may claim is 9. Generally allowances refer to the taxpayer and his immediate family (spouse and children).
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the right of people with disabilities to have equal access to the basic institutions and services of state and local government. A primary goal of the ADA is to bring people with disabilities into the mainstream of the American economy including access to shopping, dining, recreation, and business and leisure travel. It prohibits discrimination in educational and work-related environments faced by many people with disabilities. For more information, please see http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm.
Anniversary date refers to the most recent date of hire into either a full- or part-time position.
Principal Beneficiary: the individual who is the first person eligible to receive your retirement benefits if something should happen to you. You may identify more than one principal beneficiary. If you identify more than one beneficiary, each beneficiary listed receives an equal portion of your benefit. If you identify more than one principal beneficiary, you do not need to identify a contingent beneficiary.
Contingent Beneficiary: the individual who will receive your retirement benefit if something should happen to your principal beneficiary.
COBRA refers to the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 which requires that most employers offer employees and their families the opportunity for a temporary extension of health coverage in certain instances where their coverage would otherwise end.
Death Benefit: If you should die while still in active service or within 180 days (6 months) of the last days for which the employee's salary was paid, a lump sum payment equal to 12-months' salary in a row preceding the month before death.
Dependent: an individual other than yourself or whom you are the primary financial responsibility; individuals claimed as dependents by another party cannot claim themselves as an allowance.
A member of an employee's or retiree's family who is eligible for benefit coverage, such as a spouse or unmarried dependent child(ren).
Dependent Child: An unmarried natural child or stepchild. A legally adopted or foster child.
Disabilities is used according to its definition in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 which is: an individual who either 1) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of that person's major life activities, 2) has a record of such an impairment, or 3) is regarded as having such an impairment.
Earned time refers to the amount of paid time off that can be taken in the current fiscal year.
Effective Date of Coverage for new employees: The effective date of coverage is the first day of the month following the date of employment or the first day of the second month.
Employee: any permanent full-time or permanent part-time regular employee (designated as half-time or more) of an employing unit. Employment status refers to the three recognized work schedules of full-time, part-time and temporary.
Exempt is a term for employees generally holding teaching, administrative, or professional positions, and whose compensation is not based on a report of hours worked. The term "exempt" refers to their exemption from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Family medical includes time to care for an ill family member for medical reasons.
Fiscal year refers to the period of July 1 through June 30.
FICA (Federal Insurance Contribution Act) is an employment tax. It is the combination of Social Security tax and Medicare tax.
Form I-9: Employment Eligibility Verification. INS form required for verification of worker's legal right to work in the US.
Form W-2: Issued annually to each employee, reports compensation and taxes for the year. The employer also files these forms with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and in some states with the state tax authorities.
Form W-4: Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate, Federal. Gives the filing status and exemptions for the worker, thus determining the amount of income tax to withhold. Not needed if opting not to withhold income taxes.
Gross Pay is the amount of salaries or wages being paid by an employer before any deductions have been taken out.
Member: any eligible employee, retiree, or dependent enrolled in the North Carolina Teachers' and State Employees' Comprehensive Major Medical Plan.
Net Pay is the amount of salaries or wages reduced by deductions taken out. It is the employee's earnings after taxes and other deductions.
Nonexempt is a term for employees who perform secretarial, clerical, technical, trade, or service work and are entitled to additional pay for work in excess of normal working hours. They are not exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act.
Overtime is the hours worked per week in excess of the time worked in the normally scheduled workweek.
Personal medical includes sick time and all medical disabilities as certified by a health care provider including the time prior, during, and following childbirth.
Plan: North Carolina Teachers' and State Employees' Comprehensive Major Medical Plan, which is a self-funded health benefits plan for eligible employees, retirees and their dependents.
Plan Year: Based on the State of North Carolina's fiscal year (July 1 to June 30).
Retiree: An enrolled retired employee who receives monthly retirement benefits from any retirement system supported in whole or in part by contribution of the State of North Carolina.
Serious illness and serious health condition normally are defined as an illness which requires daily or continuing treatment as certified by a health care provider.
Severance refers to pay for a specific period beyond the last date of employment.
Sexual harassment can be defined as any unwelcome sexual advance, request for sexual favors, or other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature, or verbal or other physical conduct directed at an individual or individuals because of gender and motivated by animus (strong dislike or animosity) based on gender.
Spouse: The husband or wife of an employee or retiree who enters in to a marriage that is legally recognized by the State of North Carolina.
Student: An unmarried dependent child, between the ages of 19 and 26, who is enrolled as a full-time student in an accredited school.
Tax Exempt: required to pay no Federal or State taxes. Visit the following websites for more information:
Unscheduled absence is defined as an occurrence of absence and/or tardiness that is unrelated to approved time off.
Withholding Tax: an amount of money deducted from an employee's salary and set aside to pay federal and/or state taxes. Employees determine the amount employer will withhold based on the number of exemptions they claim.
Workers Compensation Insurance is an insurance policy covering work-related injury and illness. Not a part of payroll or employment taxation, but required to be purchased by employers in some states. Once known as Workmen's Compensation.