Raises the minimum wage from $6.15 to $22 per hour by 202, adjusted for inflation thereafter; requires employers, including nonprofits, to provide paid sick leave of up to 32 hours per year for small employers with 10 or fewer employees and up to 56 hours per year for other employers; reinstates the state earned income tax credit; permits paid sick leave to be used to care for a family member, an employee's own physical or mental health, or in response to sexual violence; requires a heat exposure safety plan; establishes a state 100% tax credit for child and dependent care expenses up to 100% for couples with an AGI of $75,000 or less; and increases the maximum amount and duration of unemployment benefits.

Requires sick leave be permitted to be used for care for a family member; companion to S.458.

Appropriates $50,000,000 from the General Fund to continue the compensation grants portion of child care stabilization grants through the fourth quarter at the current 2024-2025 level.

Increases the minimum wage from $6.15 per hour to $22 per hour, adjusted by CPI; requires equal wage rates regardless of sex; establishes paid sick time for all employers, including nonprofits, with 10 or more employees to care for a child, family member, parent, domestic abuse or sexual assault; establishes workplace safety requirements; establishes employee rights in an emergency; prohibits the inquiry or consideration of criminal history in hiring; creates a tax credit up to 100% for certain employment-related expenses; creates a presumption of exposure to pandemic infections at employment; companion to HB 339.

Requires sick leave be permitted to be used for care for a family member; companion to H.398.

Creates the Student Borrowers’ Bill of Rights to clarify requirements and licensing for student loan servicers; requires student loan services respond to inquiries from borrowers, apply partial payments for certain occurrences, and proper evaluation of the income-based repayment program, public service loan forgiveness program and other repayment programs; prohibits certain conduct by student loan servicers; creates penalties; establishes an ombudsman to review complaints.

Increases the child tax credit to up to $250 per child; establishes the NC Paid Family Leave.

Requires employers, including nonprofits, to provide paid sick leave to care for the employee's immediate family member who is suffering from a physical or mental illness, injury, or medical condition that requires care, professional medical diagnosis or care, preventive medical care, or a routine medical appointment; to care for the employee's own physical or mental illness, injury, or medical condition that requires care, professional medical diagnosis or care, preventive medical care, or a routine medical appointment; absence necessary due to circumstances resulting from the employee, or a family member of the employee, being a victim of stalking or domestic or sexual violence, for needs related to medical and psychological treatment, legal services and related issues; contains documentation requirements for employees seeking leave; provides for notice to employees and requires posting of notice in workplace; prohibits retaliation against employees taking leave under the Act; provides for enforcement.

Establishes the Family Empowerment Act to expand the Child Care Subsidy Program to make more families eligible for the subsidy, cap the amount paid for childcare, establish a tax credit for businesses offering at least four weeks of paid parental leave or paid family caregiving leave, and create a small business leave grant; appropriates $75 million.

Establishes the NC Child Care Finance Agency to assist child care providers access to capital funding.