Running for Office: The Hatch Act is Nearly Dead
When an employee of a city or county wants to run for elective office, three legal considerations have traditionally leapt to mind—North Carolina’s criminal conflicts of interest statute, the state’s common law principle of incompatibility of office, and the federal … Read more
Paying Employees Who Are Absent in Inclement Weather
It’s that time of year. Winter storms may make it impossible for local government employees to make it to work. Sometimes absences are for only a day or two and once the roads are clear and it is safe to … Read more
Confidentiality of Applicant Names
Here’s an idea that many people in local government in North Carolina cling to: the names of applicants for governmental jobs are confidential. It’s a very handy idea. It allows a manager in a small county to apply for the … Read more
Firing At-Will Employees: Legal Limitations
If you go to work for someone else, the odds are great that you are an employee at will. That’s the basic rule in North Carolina, as it is almost everywhere in the United States. In North Carolina, it applies … Read more