North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper | governor.nc.gov
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper | governor.nc.gov
Governor Roy Cooper has announced a new Executive Order granting bereavement leave for state employees who experience the loss of a family member or coworker. The order, aimed at supporting employees in times of personal loss, allows up to 40 hours of paid leave for those mourning immediate family members, including spouses, children, siblings, parents, and grandparents. This provision also covers step-relatives and in-laws.
Governor Cooper emphasized the importance of balancing work with family responsibilities: “Balancing work with family responsibilities can be challenging, and we want state employees to have time to grieve when they lose a loved one.” He added that this measure is part of the state's response to Hurricane Helene's impact: “We continue to mourn those who lost their lives to Hurricane Helene, and this leave will be available to help state employees who lost family or coworkers to the storm.”
The policy applies retroactively from September 27, 2024, allowing eligible employees six months after a death to utilize the leave. For those mourning colleagues, up to eight hours are provided for attending funerals or memorial services.
Executive Order No. 325 is automatically applicable to Cabinet Agencies while other state agencies and universities are encouraged to adopt it. Barbara Gibson from the Office of State Human Resources remarked on the addition: “Our people are our greatest resource and we’re pleased to add bereavement leave to the benefits we are able to offer state employees.”
This initiative follows previous efforts by Governor Cooper’s administration which included extending paid parental leave and personal observance leave. In response to Hurricane Helene's devastation, additional leaves are available for affected workplaces or homes.
Recently, Governor Cooper proposed a $3.9 billion budget recommendation aimed at rebuilding Western North Carolina following significant damages estimated at $53 billion from Hurricane Helene.
For more details on the Executive Order, visit [here](#).
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