NC H403

Abolishes at-will employment in North Carolina, requiring employers to have "just cause" to terminate employees and establishing an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing in all employment contracts

Mandates paid breaks for all employees: 60-minute paid meal period plus 15-minute paid break for shifts over 6 hours; 15-minute paid break for shifts of 6 hours or less

Eliminates the subminimum wage for tipped employees effective January 1, 2026, prohibiting tips from being counted toward wage requirements while allowing tip pooling with a maximum 15% reduction

Repeals the ban on public employee collective bargaining (G.S. 95-98) and creates an Ombud's Office for State employee workplace complaints, with protections for contract employees including civil penalties of $1,000-$20,000 for violations

Authorizes cities and counties to establish local minimum wages and worker safety programs, and appropriates $657,000 for the 2025-2027 biennium to fund the Ombud's Office and worker safety inspections