NC H541

Increases state minimum wage in phases from $8.00 per hour (September 2023) to $15.00 per hour (September 2027), with intermediate rates of $9.50, $11.00, and $13.00.

Requires equal pay for equal work regardless of sex; establishes paid sick leave accrual at one hour per 30 hours worked with annual caps of 32 hours for small businesses and 56 hours for other employers; provides paid family and medical leave for employees.

Prohibits counting tips as wages effective January 1, 2024; strengthens wage theft protections by increasing liquidated damages to twice unpaid wages, allowing statutory damages up to $500 per employee per violation, and creating employee liens on employer property for unpaid wages.

Implements "ban the box" provisions delaying criminal history inquiries until conditional job offers for public employment; repeals G.S. 95-98 restricting public employee collective bargaining; reestablishes earned income tax credit at 5% and creates new child and dependent care tax credit.

Increases maximum unemployment benefits from $350 to $680 per week; creates rebuttable presumption that first responders, health care workers, and essential service workers infected with coronavirus contracted it during employment; requires hazard pay for mandatory state employees during pandemics; appropriates $10 million ($5 million for hazard pay and $5 million for pandemic-related workers' compensation claims).