H817 - Healthy Families & Workplaces/Paid Sick Days

• Requires all North Carolina employers to provide earned paid sick time accruing at 1 hour per 30 hours worked, with annual limits of 32 hours for small businesses (10 or fewer employees) and 56 hours for other employers.

• Permits employees to use paid sick time for their own illness, family member care, preventive medical care, and absences related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

• Exempts volunteers, certain classes of workers under wage and hour laws, and domestic workers employed in their employer's residence from paid sick time requirements.

• Allows employers to require medical certification for absences exceeding three consecutive workdays and prohibits counting paid sick time usage as an absence that triggers disciplinary action.

• Effective January 1, 2024; establishes enforcement through the Commissioner of Labor with remedies including unpaid sick time owed, interest, liquidated damages equal to amounts due, attorney's fees, and a two-year statute of limitations for claims.