Bill
HB 351
The bill creates a voluntary Recovery‑Friendly Workplace Program to help employers adopt policies that support employees in recovery and reduce stigma.
Status & Effective Date
- Enacted bill establishing the Recovery‑Friendly Workplace Program.
- Appropriation: $300,000 from the Opioid Settlement Fund for FY 2025–2026.
- Effective date: July 1, 2025.
Purpose / Intent
- To create a voluntary statewide program to help employers adopt policies and practices that support employees in recovery from substance use disorders, reduce stigma, and expand access to treatment and recovery resources in the workplace.
Key Definitions
- Certified Recovery‑Friendly Workplace: employer meeting certification criteria and receiving written designation.
- Participant: workplace that completes the initial participation steps but is not fully certified.
- Employee / Employer: broad definitions include public and private employers (including State agencies, counties, municipalities, self‑insured employers) and all workers, including remote, contract, and managerial staff.
- Recovery‑Friendly Workplace Advisor: staff or contractor who assists employers through participation/certification.
Program Structure & Administration
- Program established within North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). DHHS must subcontract with a professional organization experienced in recovery‑supportive employer engagement and should prioritize collaboration with an accredited Recovery Community Organization (RCO).
- The subcontracted organization will administer the program and hire or contract Recovery‑Friendly Workplace Advisors.
Core Program Duties / Services
- Develop application processes for Participant and Certification statuses.
- Provide orientation and training materials covering addiction science, stigma reduction, and evidence‑based employer practices (including naloxone/overdose prevention training).
- Assign an Advisor to each participating employer for consultation and guidance.
- Provide certificates and public recognition of certified workplaces (e.g., press releases, events).
- Create model policies and procedures (nondiscriminatory hiring, reasonable accommodations, flexible leave, confidential access to treatment, etc.).
- Maintain a program website and carry out outreach to stakeholders (labor unions, recovery organizations).
Participation & Certification Requirements
- Participant status requires: letter of intent, completion of orientation, a Recovery‑Friendly pledge, and notification to employees/board.
- Certification requires: participant steps + a standardized assessment of current policies, a framework for workplace improvements, and implementation of evidence‑informed policies supporting recovery (e.g., flexible leave, confidential treatment access).
Ongoing Oversight / Renewal
- Certified and participating employers must undergo an annual review to maintain status, including evaluation of past activities, plans for improvement, and a program satisfaction survey.
Funding & Fiscal Notes
- $300,000 appropriated from the Opioid Settlement Fund to DHHS for subcontracting to implement the program (nonrecurring, FY 2025–26).
- Funds intended for program start‑up, outreach, advisor roles, training materials, and certification administration.
Who Is Affected
- Employers across North Carolina (public and private) — voluntary participation.
- Employees and job applicants who may benefit from recovery‑supportive workplace practices.
- DHHS (administrative oversight) and the contracted professional organization / RCO partners.
Potential Impact
- Intended benefits: increased employer capacity to support recovery, reduced workplace stigma, improved retention and return‑to‑work outcomes for people in recovery, and broader public‑health advantages (overdose prevention training, linkage to services).
- No regulatory mandates or penalties for employers; program is incentive‑based and voluntary.
- Fiscal impact limited to the one‑time appropriation and any ongoing DHHS administrative costs if continued beyond initial funding.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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