Learn about the law and your legal rights in North Carolina. Find self-help resources to resolve your legal problems without a lawyer.
There are 18 resources
Self-Help
Work Hours Information
(Separate Website)
Federal laws pertaining to work hours are enforced by the Wage and Hour Division of the Department of Labor's Employment Standard Administration. The Wage and Hour Division enforces federal minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor requirements and the labor requirements under federal law. This web site contains information about: (1) Breaks & Meal Periods, (2) Flexible Schedules, (3) Full-time Employment, (4) Holidays, (5) Job Sharing, (6) Night Work & Shift Work, (7) Overtime, (8)
Part-time Employment, (9) Recordkeeping & Reporting, (10) Sick Leave, (11) Travel Time, (12)
Vacation Leave, (13) Weekend Work and much more.
By: U.S. Department of Labor
Making Sure You Get Paid: How to Enforce Your Rights to Your Wages This brochure discusses basic tenets of employment law, such as the minimum wage and your right to receive your payment for the time you work. It goes on to discuss how to bring an action in small claims court if an employer owes you money and refuses to pay.
By: Labor and Employment Law Section of The North Carolina Bar Association
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Minimum Wage Facts
(Separate Website)
A basic fact-sheet on the federal minimum wage, with links to laws that apply to specific categories such as youth, tipped employees, and workers with disabilities.
By: U.S. Department of Labor
Facts about Farmworkers
(Separate Website)
This web page contains basic information about farmworkers' (1) Economic Contribution, (2) Legal Status, (3) Wages and Benefits, (4) Health and Social Services, (5) Legislative Protection and (6) Housing.
By: National Center for Farmworker Health
Foreign Workers and Social Security Numbers
(Separate Website)
Are you temporarily in the United States to work? If you are, your employer will ask for your Social Security number. Social Security numbers are used to report your wages to the government. Social Security numbers can be assigned to foreign workers who are authorized to work in the United States.
By: Social Security Administration
Read this in:
Chinese / 中文
,
Spanish / Español
Immigrants and Employment
(Separate Website)
This link includes articles about immigrants and employment originally published in the National Immigration Law Center newsletter.
By: National Immigration Law Center
Information on Other Fringe Benefits
(Separate Website)
"Other Benefits" include a host of incentives provided by agreement between an employer and an employee (or the employee's representative). Most of these benefits are not required by law. This website contains information about: (1) Child Care Assistance, (2) Disability Insurance, (3) Flexible Schedules, (4) Other Compensation Benefits, (5) Other Insurance Benefits, (6)Severance Pay, (7) Unemployment Insurance, and (8) Wellness Benefits.
By: U.S. Department of Labor
Farmworkers and Colonia Communities
(Separate Website)
Workers in colonias are often struggle with issues found in "third world" countries (sub-standard living/working conditions). HUD sheds some light on the issue with general information and statistics.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Supplemental Security Income for Non-Citizens
(Separate Website)
This document answers the following questions:
(1) Who can get Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? (2) What are credits of work? (3) What is proof of your status? (4) What is the seven-year limit for some noncitizens? (5) Information about Medicaid, (6) Filing a new claim if you have a sponsor, (7) Social Security numbers, (8) Becoming a citizen.
By: Social Security Administration
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
North Carolina Statutes
(Separate Website)
The North Carolina General Assembly is offering access to the Statutes on the Internet as a service to the public. These statutes are the general laws that govern North Carolina's legal system.
By: North Carolina General Assembly
Labor Statutes in North Carolina
(Separate Website)
The DOL has reprinted the statues, from the NC General Assembly, that pertain to the current labor laws affecting NC employees.
By: North Carolina Dept of Labor
Crab and Oyster Workers' Rights
(Separate Website)
This brochure explains your rights as a crab and/or oyster worker in North Carolina and lists the contact information of the organizations that may be able to help you in case there is a problem or a violation of your rights. The brochure currently exists only in English. Please see Spanish version below.
By: North Carolina Justice Center
Enforcement of Federal Laws Related to Payment of Wages
(Separate Website)
The Department of Labor enforces the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which sets basic minimum wage and overtime pay standards. In addition to the FLSA, the DOL Wage and Hour Division enforces other labor laws related to wage payment. The web site also contains information on the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Immigration Act of 1990, relating to immigrants working under HB-1 visas.
By: U.S. Department of Labor
Fair Labor Standards Act Information: Child Labor (Non-Agricultural)
(Separate Website)
This web page contains: Fair Labor Standards Act/Child Labor Laws, Regulations, and information to help everyone comply with the law.
By: U.S. Department of Labor
Fair Labor Standards Act: Child Labor (Agricultural)
(Separate Website)
This web page contains: Fair Labor Standards Act/Child Labor Laws, Regulations, and information to help everyone comply with the law.
By: U.S. Department of Labor
Minimum Wage Requirements and Labor Standards
(Separate Website)
This is a link to the Department of Labor's Employment Guide, describing various federal laws on employment, including the Fair Labor Standards Act., the Family Medical Leave Act and other laws that apply to workers. The guide is prepared by the US Department of Labor
By: U.S. Department of Labor
H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers
(Separate Website)
The H-2A program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs for which U.S. workers are not available. This outlines the process and procedures workers must follow to be eligible.
Do You Need Legal Help?
(Separate Website)
This will explain who is eligible for our services, what kind of cases Legal Aid normally handles, some examples of them, and how to locate an office near you.
By: Legal Aid of North Carolina
Adobe Acrobat Reader required. (If you are using a screen reader that does not support PDF format, copy the PDF link, and use the Access Adobe online form to convert this file to HMTL text.)
Legal Aid of North Carolina provides free legal advice and representation in some types of cases. Click on the icon to find out what types of cases are handled and to apply online.