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For a qualifying event on or after October 1, 2026, North Carolina state employees generally need a covered non-temporary appointment, 12 months of qualifying continuous service with no break longer than 31 days, and at least 1,040 hours in pay status during the 12 months before the event. Your agency’s Time and Leave Administrator can verify your appointment, work history, hour total, and required paperwork.
Start with the qualifying-event date
The event date determines which benefit rules apply. For events on or after October 1, 2026, the current North Carolina Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) Employee Leave Options Policy provides eligible full-time employees up to 12 weeks (480 hours) of paid bonding leave; part-time leave is prorated. For events before October 1, 2026, OSHR’s prior benefit provided eight weeks to a birth parent who gave birth and four weeks to other eligible parents. For a transition case, ask your agency which policy applies.
| Qualifying event date | Bonding-leave amount described by OSHR |
|---|---|
| Before October 1, 2026 | Eight weeks for a birth parent who gave birth; four weeks for other eligible parents. OSHR benefits page. |
| On or after October 1, 2026 | Up to 12 weeks (480 hours) for an eligible full-time employee; part-time leave is prorated. OSHR Employee Leave Options Policy. |
Check the three eligibility tests
1. Your appointment must be covered
The current OSHR policy covers full-time and part-time employees in probationary, career, permanent or non-permanent experiential, time-limited, or exempt appointments. Temporary employees are excluded. A time-limited appointment is not the same as a temporary appointment under this policy, so ask HR to confirm how your position is classified.
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Count back 12 months from the qualifying event. The policy requires continuous qualifying service in a non-temporary appointment, without a break in service longer than 31 days. This is not necessarily 12 months at your current agency or in your current job: qualifying service may be aggregated across a State agency, a public school unit that provides paid parental leave under the law, and a North Carolina community college. Certain periods, including workers’ compensation, short-term disability, and defined leave without pay, do not necessarily break service under the policy. Have HR review transfers, gaps, and leave periods against the policy’s definitions.
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3. You need at least 1,040 hours in pay status
You must have at least 1,040 hours in pay status with the employers listed in the policy during the 12 months before the qualifying event. The test is based on pay-status hours, not simply the time elapsed since you were hired. Ask your Time and Leave Administrator for the agency’s calculated total.
Confirm that your event is covered
Covered bonding events include becoming a parent by birth, adoption, foster care, or another legal placement. The current policy also provides four weeks (160 hours) of recovery leave for a birth parent after miscarriage or stillbirth following the 12th completed week of pregnancy, or after transfer of custody following birth. A miscarriage before 12 completed weeks is not a qualifying event for this paid parental leave.
Leave cannot begin before the qualifying event. If both parents are eligible State employees, each may qualify under the policy, subject to its conditions. Paid parental leave (PPL) is also distinct from Family and Medical Leave (FML): when an employee is FML-eligible as PPL begins, the leaves run concurrently, but using up FML does not itself remove PPL eligibility.
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For an eligible full-time employee, bonding leave is up to 12 weeks (480 hours) at 100% of regular straight-time weekly pay. Shift differentials, premium pay, and overtime are excluded from that pay calculation. A part-time employee’s hours are prorated against a 40-hour work week based on the employee’s schedule.
The policy generally permits PPL once within a 12-month period, and unused leave expires 12 months after the qualifying event. A later 12-week event within the same 12-month period may allow use of the balance remaining after an earlier four-week recovery-leave event, subject to the policy’s terms. Leave may be taken continuously or intermittently; intermittent use requires agency approval. Rules on timing, delay, and required intermittent use differ for birth parents and other employees, so consult the policy and HR if those details affect your plan.
Request the leave and provide supporting records
- Contact your agency’s Time and Leave Administrator. Ask which request form and submission process apply to your event date and agency.
- Give written notice whenever possible 10 weeks in advance. The current policy says advance notice helps the agency arrange backfill coverage. The agency must respond in writing within five business days.
- Certify the reason and submit proof. Depending on the event, examples include a birth certificate or report of birth, adoption order or proof of placement, foster placement agreement, custody order, or medical documentation for a specified recovery event. Ask HR which records are required for your situation.
- Get the eligibility calculation confirmed. Ask the administrator to confirm your appointment category, which employers and service periods count, whether any gap exceeds 31 days under the policy, and your pay-status hours for the lookback period.
Ask HR these questions if your work history is complicated
- Which appointment category applies to me, and is it covered rather than temporary?
- Which employers and periods count toward my 12 months of service?
- Does any break or leave period affect continuous service under the policy?
- What is my pay-status total for the 12 months before the event?
- Which policy version applies to my event date, and what event documents and agency form should I submit?
- Does my requested intermittent schedule or leave timing need agency approval?
OSHR’s September 8, 2026 FAQ and older request form describe the earlier process; do not rely on them where their instructions conflict with the October 1, 2026 Employee Leave Options Policy. OSHR notes that implementation information may continue to be posted, so your agency administrator is the practical contact for agency-specific procedures.
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