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Bill Summary · HB 114

HB 114 — Employment Preference for Military Personnel (North Carolina)

Status: Reported Favorably (committee)
Subject: Armed forces; employment; veterans; National Guard; state government employees

Main purpose

HB 114 updates North Carolina’s statutory employment preference for veterans by removing the “period of war” limitation and expanding eligibility to include additional categories of currently serving and affiliated military personnel. The bill is intended to broaden state hiring preference to better recognize and accommodate those serving in the Armed Forces (including reserves and active duty), and their spouses and dependents.

Key provisions

  • Revises G.S. 128‑15 to expand who receives preference in employment with State departments, agencies, and institutions. The groups explicitly covered:
    1. Veterans (persons who served on active duty and were discharged under honorable conditions).
    2. Persons currently serving on active duty (subject to federal rules on off‑duty employment).
    3. Members of the U.S. Armed Forces Reserve.
    4. Members of the National Guard.
    5. Spouses of persons who qualify under items 1–4.
    6. Spouses or dependents of disabled qualifying persons.
    7. Spouses or dependents of qualifying persons killed while on active duty.
  • Eliminates the existing requirement that preference be limited to service “during a period of war”; instead preference applies to the categories above regardless of wartime service.
  • Confirms that the employment preference applies not only at initial hiring but also to other employment events: subsequent hirings, promotions, reassignments, and lateral transfers.
  • Retains cross‑references that make the section subject to other applicable State personnel statutes (Article 1 of Chapter 165; G.S. 126‑83; Parts 13 & 19 of Article 9 of Chapter 143B).
  • Active‑duty personnel’s off‑duty employment remains governed by applicable federal laws/regulations.

Who is affected

  • Primary: job applicants and employees of State departments, agencies, and institutions in North Carolina who are veterans, active duty service members, reservists, National Guard members, and their spouses/dependents.
  • Secondary: State HR and hiring officials—will need to apply the broadened preference in hiring and employment actions and to verify eligibility status.

Implementation & effective date

  • The bill states: it is effective when it becomes law and applies to applications and other employment events occurring on or after that date.
  • Practical implementation will require administrative updates to hiring policies, application forms, and verification procedures to identify eligible individuals.

Potential impact

  • Broadens the pool of applicants entitled to state employment preference, potentially improving recruitment/retention among military‑connected candidates.
  • Administrative impact is expected to be limited (policy and process updates for State HR systems); no major programmatic changes are required by the text.

For specifics on statutory language, eligibility documentation, or coordination with federal employment rules (for active duty members), consult the enacted text of G.S. 128‑15 and the referenced personnel statutes.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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