Senate Bill 137: Economic Security Act

• Increases North Carolina minimum wage in phases from $8.00 per hour (September 2, 2019) to $15.00 per hour (September 2, 2024), whichever is higher than federal minimum wage.

• Mandates equal pay for equal work by prohibiting wage discrimination based on sex and allows employees to recover unpaid wages, costs, and attorney fees in civil actions within two years.

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

• Eliminates tipped minimum wage credit by January 1, 2021, requiring tips not be counted as wages; strengthens wage theft protections with expanded penalties, statutory damages up to $500 per violation for intentional violations, and employee liens on employer property.

• Bans consideration of criminal history in public employment applications until conditional job offer is made; repeals public employee collective bargaining restrictions; and reenacts earned income tax credit (5% of federal credit) and child care tax credits.