§ 126A-1-2.  Definitions.

(1) Agency. - An executive branch agency or a local agency.

(2) Agency head. - The head of an agency, such as a member of the Council of State, a cabinet Secretary, the President of The University of North Carolina, or an executive director of a commission.

(3) Cabinet agency. - An executive branch agency that is under the control of the Governor.

(4) Career employee. - An employee in a career appointment as provided in Part 2 of this Article.

(5) Commission. - The State Human Resources Commission.

(6) Council of State agency. - An executive branch agency under the control of a member of the Council of State.

(7) Director. - The Director of the Office of State Human Resources.

(8) Employee. - An individual hired to carry out assigned tasks in return for payment operating under the guidance and supervision of an employing agency. This term does not include independent contractors.

(9) Employing agency. - The agency that hired an employee and has the power to separate the employee from a position.

(10) Executive branch agency. - Any department, commission, division, board, bureau, council, or institution of the State within the executive branch of government, including The University of North Carolina.

(11) Exempt managerial employee. - An employee designated as an exempt managerial position as provided in Part 3 of this Article.

(12) Exempt policymaking employee. - An employee designated as an exempt policymaking position as provided in Part 3 of this Article.

(13) Experiential program. - A program for both employment and educational or training purposes, such as a registered apprenticeship, informal apprenticeship, fellowship, or other work-based learning program.

(14) Local agency. - One of the following:

a. Area mental health, developmental disabilities, and substance abuse authorities, except as otherwise provided in Chapter 122C of the General Statutes. A consolidated county human services agency created pursuant to G.S. 153A-77(b) is not considered a local agency under this subdivision.

b. Local social services departments.

c. County health departments and district health departments.

d. Local emergency management agencies that receive federal grant-in-aid funds.

(15) Local employee. - An employee of a local agency and any other county employee as designated by a board of county commissioners.

(16) OSHR. - The Office of State Human Resources.

(17) Personnel professional. - Any employee whose primary job duties involve administrative personnel and human resources functions.

(18) Policy. - A policy, rule, standard, practice, procedure, criteria, or regulation established by the Commission, subject to the approval of the Governor.

(19) Qualifications. - Training, education, years of experience, or other skills, knowledge, and abilities that bear a reasonable functional relationship to the abilities and skills required in the position.

(20) State employee. - An employee of an executive branch agency, including The University of North Carolina.

(21) Supervisor. - A position that has other employees directly report to it.

(22) Temporary employee. - An employee classified as a temporary employee as provided in Part 2 of this Article.

(23) The University of North Carolina. - As defined in G.S. 116-1. A constituent institution of The University of North Carolina has only the authority delegated to it by the Board of Governors or the University of North Carolina System Office.  (2026-40, s. 1.)