North Carolina maintains limited wage transparency requirements that focus on basic employee notification of wage information at the time of hire and advance notice of changes to wage terms. The North Carolina pay transparency law framework provides minimal worker protections without salary posting requirements or wage discussion protections, positioning the state among those with more restrictive approaches to comprehensive pay transparency.
Here’s what you need to know about North Carolina’s wage notification requirements and how they compare to the expanding pay transparency movement across other states.
Core Law & Compliance
What Is the North Carolina Pay Transparency Law? (2025 Update)
North Carolina does not have a comprehensive pay transparency law requiring employers to disclose salary ranges in job postings or protecting employee wage discussions. Instead, the state maintains basic wage notification requirements found in North Carolina General Statutes Section 95-25.13.
The law requires employers to provide written notification to employees at the time of hire, including information about their wages and the day and place of payment. Additionally, employers must notify employees in writing at least one pay period prior to any change in wages, with recent statutory changes requiring individual written notice rather than allowing posted notifications.
North Carolina also requires employers to provide written information or posted notices containing wage payment policies in locations accessible to employees, ensuring workers understand payment procedures and schedules.
North Carolina Salary Posting Requirements for Employers
North Carolina has no requirements for employers to include salary ranges, compensation information, or benefits details in job postings. Unlike states with comprehensive pay transparency mandates, North Carolina employers face no legal obligation to disclose wages in job advertisements.
This complete absence of posting requirements means job seekers in North Carolina must navigate the entire application and interview process without upfront salary information, relying on traditional negotiation methods to determine compensation expectations.
The lack of salary posting requirements places North Carolina among the majority of states that have not adopted proactive compensation disclosure mandates, leaving job seekers without the transparency benefits available in leading transparency states.
When Did/Does the North Carolina Pay Transparency Law Take Effect?
North Carolina’s wage notification requirements under Section 95-25.13 represent existing legislation that has been part of the state’s employment law framework, with recent modifications to strengthen notification requirements.
Notably, previous versions of the statute allowed employers to fulfill wage change notification requirements through posted signs in public areas, but this allowance was later removed, now requiring individual written notice to each employee for wage changes.
The state has not enacted comprehensive pay transparency legislation or moved toward the robust transparency requirements seen in states like California, New York, or Minnesota, maintaining its focus on basic notification obligations.
Employer Responsibilities
Which Employers Must Comply With the North Carolina Pay Transparency Law?
All North Carolina employers, regardless of size or industry, must comply with the wage notification requirements under North Carolina General Statutes Section 95-25.13. This universal application means that small businesses and large corporations alike must provide the required written notifications.
The notification requirements apply to all private sector employers operating in North Carolina, with no exemptions based on company size, industry type, or number of employees.
The wage change notification requirement similarly applies to all North Carolina employers, ensuring that workers across different types of organizations receive advance notice of compensation changes.
North Carolina Pay Transparency Thresholds by Employer Size
North Carolina’s wage notification requirements do not vary based on employer size, creating uniform obligations for all covered employers in the state.
- All North Carolina Employers: Must provide written wage notification at hire, individual written notice of wage changes at least one pay period in advance, and accessible wage payment policy information (N.C. Gen. Stat. § 95-25.13)
The uniform application across all employer sizes reflects North Carolina’s straightforward approach to wage notification, ensuring basic protections for all workers without creating complex compliance variations based on organizational size.
Unlike states with graduated requirements, North Carolina’s framework applies equally to all employers without size-based thresholds or enhanced obligations for larger organizations.
Penalties for Violating the North Carolina Pay Transparency Law
North Carolina’s enforcement mechanisms for wage notification violations are addressed through the state’s wage and hour enforcement framework, though specific penalty structures may not be as clearly defined as those found in comprehensive pay transparency states.
Violations typically would be addressed through the North Carolina Department of Labor or through individual employee action, with potential remedies focused on ensuring compliance with notification requirements rather than the extensive damages available in robust transparency states.
The limited scope of North Carolina’s requirements means enforcement primarily relates to failure to provide required notifications at hire, advance notice of wage changes, or accessible wage payment policies.
Employee Rights & Impact
What Employees Should Know About the North Carolina Pay Transparency Law
North Carolina employees have limited rights under the state’s minimal wage transparency framework. All workers have the right to receive written notification of their wage information at the time of hire, including details about wages and the day and place of payment.
Employees have the right to receive individual written notice of any wage changes at least one pay period before the changes take effect. This recent strengthening of the law ensures that workers cannot be surprised by compensation changes and have time to plan accordingly.
Workers also have the right to access written information about wage payment policies, ensuring they understand how and when they will be paid. However, North Carolina employees do not have state-level protections for discussing wages with colleagues or rights to salary information in job postings.
Employee Rights Under North Carolina Salary Posting Law
Since North Carolina has no salary posting requirements, employees and job seekers have no rights to compensation information in job advertisements. This absence of posting requirements means workers must rely on traditional methods to gather salary information during job searches.
North Carolina employees’ rights are significantly more limited compared to workers in comprehensive pay transparency states, focusing only on basic wage notification and change notification rather than broader transparency protections.
The limited rights structure means North Carolina employees must navigate job searches and compensation negotiations without the transparency benefits available to workers in states with comprehensive salary posting requirements.
How the North Carolina Pay Transparency Law Helps Reduce Wage Gaps
North Carolina’s limited wage transparency requirements provide minimal impact on reducing wage gaps compared to comprehensive pay transparency laws. Without salary posting requirements, wage discussion protections, or enhanced transparency measures, the state’s framework addresses only basic employment communication needs.
The individual written notice requirement for wage changes may provide some protection by ensuring employees receive direct notification of compensation adjustments, but this addresses procedural transparency rather than systematic pay equity issues.
North Carolina’s minimal approach means wage gaps may persist due to continued information asymmetries in hiring and compensation practices, with limited mechanisms to address systemic pay disparities across the workforce.
HR & Legal Best Practices
How HR Teams Can Comply With North Carolina Pay Transparency Law
HR teams should focus on establishing robust procedures for wage notification compliance while considering voluntary transparency practices to enhance competitiveness.
Implement systems to provide written wage notification at the time of hire, including information about wages and the day and place of payment. Document these notifications to ensure compliance with state requirements.
Establish procedures to provide individual written notice to each employee at least one pay period before any wage changes take effect. Note that the previous allowance for posted notifications has been removed, requiring individual notice to each affected employee.
Ensure that written information or posted notices about wage payment policies are accessible to all employees, providing clear understanding of payment procedures and schedules.
Updating Job Postings to Meet North Carolina Salary Transparency Rules
Since North Carolina imposes no salary posting requirements, employers have complete discretion regarding compensation information in job advertisements. There are no legal obligations to include salary ranges, benefits information, or other compensation details.
However, employers competing for talent in a national market may find it strategically advantageous to voluntarily include salary information to attract candidates who have become accustomed to upfront compensation details from employers in transparency states.
Job postings should focus on compliance with other applicable employment laws while considering competitive positioning against employers in transparency states who provide comprehensive compensation information to potential candidates.
Does the North Carolina Pay Transparency Law Apply to Remote or Hybrid Workers?
North Carolina’s wage transparency requirements apply to all employees working in North Carolina, regardless of work arrangement. Remote, hybrid, and in-person workers all have the same rights to wage notification at hire and advance notice of wage changes.
For employers with distributed workforces, North Carolina’s requirements create straightforward compliance obligations that apply equally across all work arrangements, ensuring that remote and hybrid workers receive the same basic protections as traditional in-office employees.
The individual written notice requirement for wage changes applies to all North Carolina employees regardless of their work location within the state, maintaining consistent protection across different employment arrangements.
Comparison and Broader Context
How North Carolina Pay Transparency Rules Compare With California and New York
North Carolina’s approach to wage transparency represents a significantly more limited framework compared to the comprehensive laws in California and New York. While California requires detailed salary disclosure in job postings from covered employers, North Carolina has no posting requirements.
New York’s robust salary posting mandates, wage discussion protections, and comprehensive coverage far exceed North Carolina’s narrow focus on basic wage notification and change notification. The contrast demonstrates the wide variation in state approaches to worker protection and pay equity.
The gap between North Carolina and leading transparency states is substantial, with North Carolina providing minimal proactive transparency measures while California and New York have established comprehensive frameworks that significantly enhance worker rights and pay equity.
Federal Pay Transparency Requirements vs. North Carolina Law
Given North Carolina’s limited state requirements, federal protections become more significant for North Carolina workers. Federal contractors in North Carolina benefit from federal salary disclosure requirements that exceed what North Carolina state law provides.
The National Labor Relations Act provides wage discussion protections for private sector employees that North Carolina law does not explicitly offer, making federal law an important source of worker rights in the state.
North Carolina’s minimal framework highlights how limited state-level legislation can leave workers dependent on federal protections and demonstrates the potential importance of comprehensive federal pay transparency legislation.
Pay Transparency Laws by State: Where Does North Carolina Stand?
North Carolina ranks among the states with more limited approaches to pay transparency, placing it in the lower tier of state rankings for worker transparency protections. The state’s minimal framework contrasts with the growing national trend toward comprehensive salary disclosure requirements.
While many states have enacted or are actively considering robust pay transparency legislation, North Carolina has not moved toward comprehensive transparency reforms, leaving workers with fewer rights than their counterparts in progressive transparency states.
North Carolina’s position illustrates the significant variation in state approaches to pay equity and underscores the potential need for federal legislation to ensure more consistent worker protections across all jurisdictions.
FAQs About the North Carolina Pay Transparency Law
Do small businesses need to comply with North Carolina pay transparency law?
All North Carolina employers, regardless of size, must provide written wage notification at hire, individual written notice of wage changes at least one pay period in advance, and accessible wage payment policy information. However, North Carolina has no salary posting requirements that apply to businesses of any size, making compliance obligations limited but universal for basic notification requirements.
How should employers update existing job postings?
North Carolina does not require salary information in job postings, so employers have no legal obligation to update their job advertisements with compensation details. Employers may choose to include salary ranges voluntarily to remain competitive with employers in transparency states or to attract candidates who expect upfront compensation information.
Are salary ranges required for internal postings as well as external ones?
North Carolina has no requirements for salary ranges in either internal or external job postings. The state’s limited requirements focus only on wage notification at hire, advance notice of wage changes, and accessible wage payment policies, not on proactive salary disclosure in job advertisements or internal promotion opportunities.
What happens if employers fail to disclose salaries?
Since North Carolina does not require salary disclosure in job postings or other proactive transparency measures, there are no penalties for failing to include compensation information in advertisements. However, employers who fail to provide required wage notifications at hire, individual advance notice of wage changes, or accessible wage payment policies may face enforcement action through state agencies or employee legal action.
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