S124 - State Hiring Accessibility and Modernization. (SL 2025-34)

Overview: S.L. 2025-34 (Senate Bill 124) makes the following changes to the laws governing State hiring:

• Requires the State Human Resources Commission (Commission) to examine the educational, experiential, and training requirements for jobs and determine when practical experience and training can be the appropriate qualification for a position.  
• Requires the Office of State Human Resources (OSHR) to streamline the job application process for State positions by allowing applicants to upload resumes or website profiles.
• Provides that any qualifications, knowledge, skills, and abilities listed in a specific vacancy announcement that are in addition to the minimum education and experience set forth in the class specification of the vacancy being filled are to be interpreted as management preferences rather than as mandatory minimum qualifications that must be met.
• Expresses the State policy that State departments, agencies, and institutions should simplify their job postings to make it easy for applicants to read the postings and understand essential qualifications and management preferences.
• Directs the Commission to adopt rules or policies requiring the posting of a closing date for each job opening unless the employing agency, department, office, board, commission, system, or institution has approved an exception for critical classifications.
• Grants employing agencies flexibility in hiring, pay, and classification.
• Permits the Council of State, executive branch agencies, the Community College System Office, and The University of North Carolina to:
  • Directly hire temporary employees into vacant positions if certain conditions are met.
  • Directly hire, without posting, into a vacant position if certain conditions are met.
• Requires the Commission to adopt a new performance management and performance evaluation policy.
• Allows local entities to give employment preference to eligible veterans and eligible members of the National Guard for positions subject to the North Carolina Human Resources Act (HRA).
• Allows local entities to offer sign-on and retention bonuses to employees subject to the HRA.
• Limits the job classification standards, job qualifications, salaries, and policies that are exempt from the definition of the term "rule" to those that directly affect only job applicants, current employees, or the resolution of matters relating to past employment.
• Requires the OSHR to report to the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Fiscal Research Division on recommended changes to modernize the HRA.
• Requires the Commission to repeal or amend rules to make changes consistent with this act.

This act became effective July 1, 2025.