House Bill 838: Retail Workers' Bill of Rights

• Applies to retail establishments with 20+ employees, requiring advance written estimates of minimum scheduled hours and days before employment begins.

• Mandates at least two weeks' advance notice of work schedules posted biweekly, with compensation requirements for schedule changes made with less notice: 1 hour pay (24+ hours notice), 2 hours pay (shifts ≤4 hours with <24 hours notice), or 4 hours pay (shifts >4 hours with <24 hours notice).

• Requires compensation for on-call shifts when employees are not called in: 2 hours pay for shifts ≤4 hours or 4 hours pay for shifts >4 hours, with exceptions for unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters or utility failures.

• Establishes equal treatment requirements for part-time employees, including same starting hourly wages as full-time employees in comparable positions, equal access to paid/unpaid time off (prorated by hours), and equal promotion eligibility.

• Prohibits retaliation against employees for requesting schedule modifications, reporting violations, or filing complaints; authorizes the NC Commissioner of Labor to investigate violations and impose penalties of up to $50 per employee per day plus lost wages and enforcement costs.

• Becomes effective January 1, 2022.