H238 - Economic Security Act of 2017

• Increases state minimum wage in phases from $8.00 per hour (Sept. 1, 2017) to $15.00 per hour (Jan. 1, 2021), with interim increases in 2018 and 2019.

• Requires equal pay for equal work between male and female employees in same job classification; employers may not reduce wages to achieve compliance and employees may sue for unpaid wages with attorney fees.

• Mandates paid sick leave accruing at one hour per 30 hours worked with limits of 32 hours yearly for small businesses (10 or fewer employees) and 56 hours yearly for other employers; applies to employee illness, family care, and domestic violence situations.

• Increases tipped minimum wage to $5.00 per hour effective Jan. 1, 2018, and eliminates tips counting as wages effective Jan. 1, 2018; limits tip pooling reductions to 15% per employee.

• Requires employers to provide written notice at hiring of wages, payment method/day, employer contact information, and employment status; strengthens wage theft enforcement through expanded damages, liens on employer property, and extended statute of limitations.

• Implements "Ban the Box" for public employment by delaying criminal history inquiries until after conditional job offer; disqualification requires substantial relationship to job duties based on seven specified factors.

• Repeals G.S. 95-98 restricting public employee collective bargaining agreements.

• Reenacts Earned Income Tax Credit (5% of federal credit) and Child Care Tax Credit through 2020 and 2021 respectively.