“Governor Roy Cooper added to his proud, powerful record of support for North Carolina’s moms and families, businesses and economy, by issuing an executive order last Friday allowing state employees to take paid leave for bereavement if they lose a close family member or coworker. This is finger-on-the-pulse policymaking, especially in the wake of the devastation Hurricane Helene caused. Our state and our families will be better off because Gov. Cooper put this policy in place and made it retroactive to September 27 of this year.

“Moms are grateful that North Carolina state employees are now eligible for up to 40 hours of paid leave following the loss of an immediate family member, including a spouse, child, sibling, parent, or grandparent; and because step, half, and in-law family members are included, as are dependents living in an employee’s home. State employees who lose a colleague are now eligible for up to eight hours of paid bereavement leave to attend a funeral or memorial service for their coworker.

“Gov. Cooper has been an unwavering force for the policies – including paid family and medical leave, affordable child and home care, and access to health care including reproductive health care – that our state needs to thrive. North Carolina needs the progress to continue.”