A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT revising the employment preference for military personnel to eliminate requirements related to period of war and to include persons serving on active duty, members of the armed forces reserve, and their spouses and dependents.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 128‑15 reads as rewritten:
"§ 128‑15.  Employment preference for military personnel and military spouses.
(a)	It shall be the policy of the State of North Carolina that, in appreciation for their service to this State and this country, and in recognition of the time and advantage lost toward the pursuit of a civilian career, the following military personnel and their spouses and dependents shall be granted preference in employment with every State department, agency, and institution:
(1)	A "veteran" which, for purposes of this section, means a person who served in the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty, for reasons other than training, and has been discharged under honorable conditions.
(2)	A person serving on active duty as long as the person complies with federal law and regulations regarding off‑duty employment.
(3)	A member of the United States Armed Forces Reserve.
(4)	A member of the National Guard.
(5)	A spouse of a person who qualifies under subdivisions (1) through (4) of this subsection.
(6)	A spouse or dependent of a disabled person who qualifies under subdivisions (1) through (4) of this subsection.
(7)	A spouse or dependent of a person who qualifies under subdivisions (1) through (4) of this subsection and was killed while on active duty.

	

	

	

	

	
(c)	Hereafter, in all evaluations of applicants for positions with this State or any of its departments, institutions or agencies, a preference shall be awarded to all military personnel and their spouses and dependents listed in subsection (a) of this section. This preference applies to initial employment with the State and extends to other employment events including subsequent hirings, promotions, reassignments, and horizontal transfers.
(d)	The provisions of this section shall be subject to the provisions of Article 1 of Chapter 165 of the General Statutes, G.S. 126‑83, and Parts 13 and 19 of Article 9 of Chapter 143B of the General Statutes."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies to applications and other employment events occurring on or after that date.