Family and Medical Leave in North Carolina

Like employers in every state, employers in North Carolina must follow the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which allows eligible employees to take unpaid leave for certain reasons. Once an employee’s FMLA leave is over, the employee has the right to be reinstated to his or her position.

North Carolina laws also give employees the right to take time off domestic violence leave and children’s school activities. Employees are entitled to the protections of all applicable laws; if more than one law applies, the employee may use the most beneficial provisions.

Federal FMLA Rights

North Carolina employees who are eligible may take up to 12 weeks of leave for serious health conditions, bonding with a new child, or preparation for a family member's military service; more leave is available for employees who need to care for a family member who was seriously injured on active military duty. For detailed information on FMLA leave, see Taking Family and Medical Leave.

Who Is Covered?

Employers in North Carolina are subject to the FMLA if they have at least 50 employees for at least 20 weeks in the current or previous year.

Employees are eligible for FMLA leave if:

they have worked for the company for at least a year
they worked at least 1,250 hours during the previous year, and
they work at a location with at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius.

Reasons for Leave

FMLA leave is available if an employee needs time off to:

recuperate from a serious health condition
care for a family member with a serious health condition
bond with a new child
handle qualifying exigencies arising out of a family member’s military service, or
care for a family member who suffered a serious injury during active duty in the military. (You can find more information on these last two types of leave in Military Family Leave for Employees.)

How Much Leave Is Available?

North Carolina employees may take up to 12 weeks of leave in a 12-month period for a serious health condition, bonding with a new child, or qualifying exigencies. This leave is available every 12 months, as long as the employee continues to meet the eligibility requirements explained above.

Employees may take up to 26 weeks of leave in a single 12-month period for military caregiver leave. However, this is a per-injury, per-service member entitlement. Unless the same family member is injured again, or another family member suffers an injury while on active duty, an employee may not take additional leave for this purpose.

Leave and Reinstatement Rights

Employees are entitled to continue their health insurance while on leave, at the same cost they must pay while working. FMLA leave is unpaid, but employees may be allowed (or required) to use their accrued paid leave during FMLA leave.

When an employee’s FMLA leave ends, the employee is entitled to be reinstated to the same or an equivalent position, with a few exceptions.

North Carolina Family and Medical Leave Laws

In addition to the rights granted by the FMLA, North Carolina employees have the right, under state law, to take time off for certain family and medical reasons.

North Carolina Domestic Violence Leave

North Carolina employers may not discipline, fire, demote, or refuse to promote employees who take reasonable time off work to obtain (or attempt to obtain) an order of protection from domestic violence for the employee or a minor child.