Press Releases

The N.C. Department of Labor is now accepting applications from businesses that qualify for a workplace safety award. 

Safety awards are given to companies that have above-average worker safety and health programs. 

Read this news release about the N.C. Department of Labor implementing Executive Order No. 95, Providing Paid Leave to Eligible State Employees, effective Feb. 1, 2021.

Read this new release about the Occupational Fatality Inspection Review (OFIR) courtesy of NCDOL's Planning, Statistics and Information Management Bureau.

Read about veteran NCDOL employee, Tommy Petty, who was named the new chief of the labor department’s Elevator and Amusement Device Bureau by Labor Commissioner Josh Dobson.

North Carolina native Josh Dobson, who was elected in November as the 18th state labor commissioner, was officially sworn into office Saturday, Jan. 2.
Commissioner Dobson today announces 11 appointments that will make up his leadership team.

On Dec. 15, from noon to 3 p.m., the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program will collect toys at 4 W Edenton St., in front of the Labor Building. This is the 22nd year that the N.C. Department of Labor and its Toys for Tots partners have co-hosted this annual toy drive. Because of the health concerns, this year’s drive will be a “drive-by and drop-off” event.

New figures show the nonfatal workplace injury and illness rate for the Tar Heel state’s private industry remains at a historic low for 2019 with a rate of 2.3 cases per 100 full-time workers, well below the national rate of 2.8.   

A national campaign to promote workplace safety and health has been declared in North Carolina for the week of Aug. 10–16 by Gov. Roy Cooper and in conjunction with NCDOL, the state’s lead agency for workplace safety and health. The federal “Safe + Sound” campaign, promoted each August, encourages every business to develop a safety and health program to ultimately eliminate hazards and prevent injuries, illnesses and fatalities in the workplace.  

Falls caused the largest number of work-related fatal incidents in the Tar Heel state in 2019, based on preliminary information released today by the N.C. Department of Labor. Falls accounted for 17 of the 53 fatal incidents that fell within the NCDOL, Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Division’s jurisdictional authority. Struck-by incidents followed closely, accounting for 15 of the 53 fatal workplace deaths last year.

After handling multiple reports of companies using scare tactics or threatening language about fines to sell labor law posters to employers, the N.C. Department of Labor warns businesses across the state to be vigilant about suspicious correspondence they may receive.