§ 126‑6.3.  Temporary employment needs of Cabinet and Council of State agencies; use of the Temporary Solutions Program.

(a) Use of Temporary Solutions Required for Cabinet Agencies. – Notwithstanding G.S. 126‑5 or any other provision of law, all Cabinet agencies that utilize temporary employees to perform work that is not information technology‑related shall employ them through the Temporary Solutions Program administered by the Office of State Human Resources. The Director of the Office of State Human Resources may create exceptions to this requirement when doing so would be in the best interests of the State in the sole discretion of the Director. An exception shall be invalid unless it is in writing. Council of State agencies may use the Temporary Solutions Program in the discretion of the agency.

(b) Compliance Monitoring. – The Office of State Human Resources shall monitor the employment of temporary employees by Cabinet and Council of State agencies and shall report biannually to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on General Government and to the Fiscal Research Division on agency compliance with this section and policies and rules adopted pursuant to it. Each State agency granted an exception under this section from using the Temporary Solutions Program and any Council of State agency that elected to not use the Temporary Solutions Program shall record the time worked by each temporary employee in the agency, including the number of hours worked per week, number of months worked, and the amount of time the employee was not employed after 11 consecutive months of service with the agency. To the extent possible for temporary employees, agencies shall use BEACON, or the State payroll system that supersedes BEACON, for payroll purposes. If it is not feasible for an agency to use BEACON, or the superseding system for payroll purposes, the agency shall report the information required by this section to the Office of State Human Resources in accordance with guidelines and requirements established by the Director of Temporary Solutions.

(c) Definitions. – For purposes of this section, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) Cabinet agency. – A unit of the executive branch of State government, such as a department, an institution, a division, a commission, a board, or a council that is under the control of the Governor. The term does not include an agency that is under the control of an official who is a member of the Council of State.

(2) Council of State agency. – An agency that is under the control of an official who is a member of the Council of State. (2015‑241, s. 26.2(e); 2018‑5, s. 26A.2.)