North Carolina Worker Rights
North Carolina follows the federal minimum wage, runs its own state OSHA plan, and has a state Wage and Hour Act that covers pay notices and final pay.
- North Carolina
Pay
- Minimum wage: $7.25, the same as federal.
- Overtime: 1.5x over 40 hours a week.
- Pay notices: employers must tell you your pay rate and payday in advance and give written notice before reducing pay.
- Final pay: by the next regular payday.
- Prevailing wage: no state law; Davis-Bacon applies on federal projects.
Breaks and leave
- No state law requiring meal or rest breaks for adults.
- No state paid sick leave law.
Unions and right-to-work
North Carolina is a right-to-work state: a union contract can’t require you to join a union or pay dues or fees to keep your job. You still have the right to organize and act together with coworkers under federal law. See Right-to-Work States.
Where to file
- Unpaid wages and overtime: North Carolina Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Bureau.
- Discrimination and harassment: the U.S. EEOC; North Carolina has no state agency for most private-sector employment claims.
- Safety: NC OSH, the state plan, covers most private and public employers.
- Work injuries: report the injury to your employer right away, in writing, and follow up with North Carolina’s workers’ compensation agency. See Workers’ Compensation.
Check current rules: this is a summary. Wage rates and labor laws change often, usually on January 1 or July 1, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm details with the North Carolina Department of Labor before acting. Federal protections apply too. See Where to Get Help.
Standards & references
Last updated: