NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY

1979 SESSION

 

 

CHAPTER 997

HOUSE BILL 1066

 

 

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH COMMISSION TO STUDY ALTERNATIVE WORK.

 

Whereas, current State employees would benefit from alternative work schedules through better utilization of working hours, reduced tardiness, absenteeism, and fatigue, and improved morale; and

Whereas, North Carolina citizens who cannot work full-time schedules are an untapped, valuable human resource; and

Whereas, many labor economists predict that alternative work schedules will have a desirable impact on unemployment, underemployment, and labor market participation rates of women, the handicapped, and senior citizens; and

Whereas, improved productivity is viewed as a by-product of alternative work schedules; and

Whereas, alternative work schedules allow greater flexibility in shifting personnel to meet fluctuating work loads; and

Whereas, alternative work schedules create a greater ability to recruit more mature and reliable employees whose specialized skills may be unavailable for full-time positions; Now, therefore,

 

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

 

Section 1.  The Legislative Research Commission is authorized to study alternative work schedules for State employees and make appropriate recommendations. The recommendations may include proposals for additional benefits for permanent part-time State employees, and increase in the number of permanent part-time State employees in certain classifications, examination of overlapping State personnel positions, and alternative work schedules such as job sharing, a compressed work week, and flex time. "Permanent part-time employment" means a work schedule of at least two days per week or at least fifty percent (50%) and not more than seventy-five percent (75%) of an agency's full-time work schedule. "Job sharing" means the division of the work schedule of a full-time position into two work schedules for two individuals. A "compressed work week" means a four-day work week of forty hours. "Flex time" means a staggered work schedule based on the concentration of work or the supervisor's decision.

Sec. 2.  The Legislative Research Commission may report its findings and recommendations to the 1981 General Assembly.

Sec. 3.  This act shall become effective July 1, 1979.

In the General Assembly read three times and ratified, this the 8th day of June, 1979.