NC H1085

Requires North Carolina state agencies to provide mandatory employees (essential workers required on-site during public health emergencies) with hazard pay of at least 1.5 times regular pay or equivalent compensatory time for hours worked up to 40 hours per week.

Defines mandatory employees as those in positions directly impacting public health, patient care, public safety, critical infrastructure, and research operations who must report to designated work sites when other employees are restricted from the workplace.

Allows mandatory employees to be excused from work if they are high-risk, isolated, quarantined, ill, or caring for immediate family members affected by school or facility closures.

Permits agencies to require mandatory employees to remain on-site for extended periods with adequate housing and food provided; employees working 24 hours daily qualify for extra hazard duty pay and are entitled to 8 hours of sleep and 3 hours for meals daily.

Appropriates $5,000,000 from the General Fund to the Office of State Budget and Management for the 2020-2021 fiscal year to fund hazard pay; directs Legislative Research Commission to study hazard pay practices at private and local government employers by 2021.