Source: https://www.ncleg.gov/EnactedLegislation/Statutes/HTML/ByArticle/Chapter_96/Article_2D.html
Timestamp: 2020-02-25 06:20:59
Document Index: 602141819

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 96', '§ 96', '§ 96', '§ 96', '§ 96', '§ 96', '§ 96', '§ 96', '§ 96']

Chapter 96 - Article 2D
§ 96-15.01. Establishing a benefit year.
(a) Initial Unemployment. - An individual is unemployed for the purpose of establishing a benefit year if one of the following conditions is met:
(1) Payroll attachment. - The individual has payroll attachment but because of lack of work during the payroll week for which the individual is requesting the establishment of a benefit year, the individual worked less than the equivalent of three customary scheduled full-time days in the establishment, plant, or industry in which the individual has payroll attachment as a regular employee.
(2) No payroll attachment. - The individual has no payroll attachment on the date the individual files a claim for unemployment benefits.
(b) Unemployed. - For benefit weeks within an established benefit year, a claimant is unemployed as provided in this subsection:
(1) Totally unemployed. - The claimant's earnings for the week, including payments in subsection (c) of this section, would not reduce the claimant's weekly benefit amount as calculated in G.S. 96-14.2.
(2) Partially unemployed. - The claimant is payroll attached and both of the following apply:
a. The claimant worked less than three customary scheduled full-time days in the establishment, plant, or industry in which the claimant is employed because of lack of work during the payroll week for which the claimant is requesting benefits.
b. The claimant's earnings for the payroll week for which the claimant is requesting benefits, including payments in subsection (c) of this section, would qualify the claimant for a reduced weekly benefit amount as calculated in G.S. 96-14.2.
(3) Part-totally unemployed. - The claimant has no payroll attachment during all or part of the week, and the claimant's earnings for odd jobs or subsidiary work would qualify the claimant for a reduced weekly benefit amount as calculated in G.S. 96-14.2.
(c) Separation Payments. - An individual is not unemployed if, with respect to the entire calendar week, the individual receives or will receive as a result of the individual's separation from work remuneration in any form. Amounts paid to an individual for paid time off that was available, but unused, before the individual's separation under a written policy in effect before the individual's separation are not remuneration as a result of separation. If the remuneration is given in a lump sum, the amount must be allocated on a weekly basis as if it had been earned by the individual during a week of employment. An individual may be unemployed, as provided in subsection (b) of this section, if the individual is receiving payment applicable to less than the entire week.
(d) Substitute School Personnel. - An individual that performs service in a school as a substitute is not unemployed for days or weeks when the individual is not called to work unless the individual was employed as a full-time substitute during the period of time for which the individual is requesting benefits. For purposes of this subsection, a full-time substitute is an employee that works for more than 30 hours a week for the school on a continual basis for a period of six months or more. (2013-2, s. 7(b); 2013-224, s. 19; 2017-8, s. 2(a).)
§ 96-15.1. Protection of witnesses from discharge, demotion, or intimidation.
(a) No person may discharge, demote, or threaten any person because that person has testified or has been summoned to testify in any proceeding under the Employment Security Act.
(b) Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be liable in a civil action for reasonable damages suffered by any person as a result of the violation, and an employee discharged or demoted in violation of this section shall be entitled to be reinstated to his former position. The burden of proof shall be upon the party claiming a violation to prove a claim under this section.
(c) The General Court of Justice shall have jurisdiction over actions under this section.
(d) The statute of limitations for actions under this section shall be one year pursuant to G.S. 1-54. (1987, c. 532, s. 1.)
§ 96-15.2. Protection of witness before the Employment Security Commission.
If any person shall by threats, menace, or in any other manner intimidate or attempt to intimidate any person who is summoned or acting as a witness in any proceeding brought under the Employment Security Act, or prevent or deter, or attempt to prevent or deter any person summoned or acting as such witness from attendance upon such proceeding, he shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. (1987, c. 532, s. 2; 1993, c. 539, s. 673; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)
§ 96-15.3. Board of Review.
(a) Purpose. - The Board of Review (BOR) is created to determine appeals policies and procedures and to hear appeals arising from the decisions and determinations of the Division. The Department of Commerce must assign staff to the BOR. The BOR and its staff must perform their job responsibilities independent of the Governor, the General Assembly, the Department, and the Division and in accordance with any written guidance promulgated and issued by the U.S. Department of Labor.
(b) Members. - The BOR consists of three members appointed by the Governor and subject to confirmation by the General Assembly as provided in subsection (c) of this section. One member must be classified as representative of employees, one member must be classified as representative of employers, and one member must be classified as representative of the general public. The member appointed to represent the general public will serve as chair of the BOR and must be a licensed attorney in this State.
Members of the BOR serve staggered four-year terms. A term begins on July 1 of the year of appointment and ends on June 30 of the fourth year. No individual may serve more than two terms on the BOR. In calculating the number of terms served, a partial term that is less than 24 months in length will not be included. The General Assembly must set the annual salaries of the BOR in the current Operations Appropriations Act.
(c) Confirmation. - Appointments of members to serve on the BOR are subject to confirmation by the General Assembly by joint resolution. The Governor must submit the name of the individual the Governor wants to appoint to the BOR to the General Assembly for confirmation on or before May 1 of the year of the expiration of the term. If the General Assembly does not confirm the appointment by May 30, the office will be considered vacant and must be filled in accordance with subsection (d) of this section. The Governor may not resubmit the name of the nominee whom the General Assembly did not confirm for the office. If the Governor fails to timely submit a nomination, the General Assembly will appoint to fill the succeeding term as provided in subsection (e) of this section.
(d) Vacancies. - For the purpose of this subsection, the General Assembly is not in session only (i) prior to convening of the regular session, (ii) during any adjournment of the regular session for more than 10 days, and (iii) after sine die adjournment of the regular session. A vacancy in an office of the BOR prior to the expiration of the term of office must be filled in accordance with this subsection:
(1) During legislative session. - If a vacancy in an office arises or exists when the General Assembly is in session, the Governor must submit the name of the individual to be appointed to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term within 30 days after the vacancy arises to the General Assembly for confirmation by the General Assembly. If the General Assembly does not confirm the appointment within 30 days after the General Assembly receives the nomination, the office will be considered vacant and must be filled in accordance with this subsection. The Governor may not resubmit the name of the nominee whom the General Assembly did not confirm for the vacancy. If the Governor fails to timely submit a nomination, the General Assembly will appoint to fill the vacancy as provided in subsection (e) of this section.
(2) During legislative interim. - If a vacancy in an office arises or exists when the General Assembly is not in session, the Governor must appoint an individual to that office to serve on an interim basis pending confirmation by the General Assembly. The Governor must submit the name of the individual to be appointed to fill the vacancy for the remainder of the unexpired term to the General Assembly for confirmation within 14 days of the date the General Assembly convenes or reconvenes for the next regular session. If the Governor fails to timely submit a nomination, the General Assembly will appoint to fill the vacancy as provided in subsection (e) of this section.
(e) Legislative Appointments. - If the Governor fails to timely submit the name of an individual to be appointed to the BOR as provided in this section, then the General Assembly may appoint an individual to fill the vacancy in accordance with G.S. 120-121 and the provisions of this subsection. If the vacancy occurs in an odd-numbered year, the appointment is made upon the recommendation of the President Pro Tempore of the Senate. If the vacancy occurs in an even-numbered year, the appointment is made upon the recommendation of the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (2015-238, s. 3.3(b).)
§ 96-16. Seasonal pursuits.
(a) A seasonal pursuit is one which, because of seasonal conditions making it impracticable or impossible to do otherwise, customarily carries on production operations only within a regularly recurring active period or periods of less than an aggregate of 36 weeks in a calendar year. No pursuit shall be deemed seasonal unless and until so found by the Division; except that any successor under G.S. 96-11.7 to a seasonal pursuit shall be deemed seasonal unless such successor shall within 120 days after the acquisition request cancellation of the determination of status of such seasonal pursuit; provided further that this provision shall not be applicable to pending cases nor retroactive in effect.
(b) Upon application therefor by a pursuit, the Division shall determine or redetermine whether such pursuit is seasonal and, if seasonal, the active period or periods thereof. The Division may, on its own motion, redetermine the active period or periods of a seasonal pursuit. An application for a seasonal determination must be made on forms prescribed by the Division and must be made at least 20 days prior to the beginning date of the period of production operations for which a determination is requested.
(c) Whenever the Division has determined or redetermined a pursuit to be seasonal, such pursuit shall be notified immediately, and such notice shall contain the beginning and ending dates of the pursuit's active period or periods. Such pursuits shall display notices of its seasonal determination conspicuously on its premises in a sufficient number of places to be available for inspection by its workers. Such notices shall be furnished by the Division.
(d) A seasonal determination shall become effective unless an interested party files an application for review within 10 days after the beginning date of the first period of production operations to which it applies. Such an application for review shall be deemed to be an application for a determination of status, as provided in G.S. 96-4, subsections (q) through (u) of this Chapter, and shall be heard and determined in accordance with the provisions thereof.
(e) All wages paid to a seasonal worker during his base period shall be used in determining his weekly benefit amount; provided however, that all weekly benefit amounts so determined shall be rounded to the nearest lower full dollar amount (if not a full dollar amount).
(f) (1) A seasonal worker shall be eligible to receive benefits based on seasonal wages only for a week of unemployment which occurs, or the greater part of which occurs within the active period or periods of the seasonal pursuit or pursuits in which he earned base period wages.
(2) A seasonal worker shall be eligible to receive benefits based on nonseasonal wages for any week of unemployment which occurs during any active period or periods of the seasonal pursuit in which he has earned base period wages provided he has exhausted benefits based on seasonal wages. Such worker shall also be eligible to receive benefits based on nonseasonal wages for any week of unemployment which occurs during the inactive period or periods of the seasonal pursuit in which he earned base period wages irrespective as to whether he has exhausted benefits based on seasonal wages.
(3) The maximum amount of benefits which a seasonal worker shall be eligible to receive based on seasonal wages shall be an amount, adjusted to the nearest multiple of one dollar ($1.00), determined by multiplying the maximum benefits payable in his benefit year, as provided in G.S. 96-14.3, by the percentage obtained by dividing the seasonal wages in his base period by all of his base period wages.
(4) The maximum amount of benefits which a seasonal worker shall be eligible to receive based on nonseasonal wages shall be an amount, adjusted to the nearest multiple of one dollar ($1.00), determined by multiplying the maximum benefits payable in his benefit year, as provided in G.S. 96-14.3, by the percentage obtained by dividing the nonseasonal wages in his base period by all of his base period wages.
(5) In no case shall a seasonal worker be eligible to receive a total amount of benefits in a benefit year in excess of the maximum benefits payable for such benefit year, as provided in G.S. 96-14.3.
(g) All benefits paid to a seasonal worker shall be charged in accordance with G.S. 96-11.2.
(h) The benefits payable to any otherwise eligible individual shall be calculated in accordance with this section for any benefit year which is established on or after the beginning date of a seasonal determination applying to a pursuit by which such individual was employed during the base period applicable to such benefit year, as if such determination had been effective in such base period.
(i) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the right of any individual whose claim for benefits is determined in accordance herewith to appeal from such determination as provided in G.S. 96-15 of this Chapter.
(1) "Pursuit" means an employer or branch of an employer.
(2) "Branch of an employer" means a part of an employer's activities which is carried on or is capable of being carried on as a separate enterprise.
(3) "Production operations" mean all the activities of a pursuit which are primarily related to the production of its characteristic goods or services.
(4) "Active period or periods" of a seasonal pursuit means the longest regularly recurring period or periods within which production operations of the pursuit are customarily carried on.
(5) "Seasonal wages" mean the wages earned in a seasonal pursuit within its active period or periods. The Division may prescribe by regulation the manner in which seasonal wages shall be reported.
(6) "Seasonal worker" means a worker at least twenty-five percent (25%) of whose base period wages are seasonal wages.
(7) "Interested party" means any individual affected by a seasonal determination.
(8) "Inactive period or periods" of a seasonal pursuit means that part of a calendar year which is not included in the active period or periods of such pursuit.
(9) "Nonseasonal wages" mean the wages earned in a seasonal pursuit within the inactive period or periods of such pursuit, or wages earned at any time in a nonseasonal pursuit.
(10) "Wages" mean remuneration for employment. (1939, c. 28; 1941, c. 108, s. 7; 1943, c. 377, s. 141/2; 1945, c. 522, s. 33; 1953, c. 401, ss. 20, 21; 1957, c. 1059, s. 14; 1959, c. 362, s. 18; 1983, c. 585, s. 19; 2011-401, s. 2.17; 2013-2, s. 9(c); 2013-224, ss. 19, 20(k), (l); 2013-391, s. 7; 2015-238, s. 2.8(d).)
§ 96-17. Protection of rights and benefits; attorney representation; prohibited fees; deductions for child support obligations.
(a) Waiver of Rights Void. - Any agreement by an individual to waive, release, or commute his rights to benefits or any other rights under this Chapter shall be void. Any agreement by any individual in the employ of any person or concern to pay all or any portion of an employer's contributions, required under this Chapter from such employer, shall be void. No employer shall directly or indirectly make or require or accept any deduction from the remuneration of individuals in his employ to finance the employer's contributions required from him, or require or accept any waiver of any right hereunder by any individual in his employ. Any employer or officer or agent of an employer who violates any provision of this subsection shall, for each offense, be fined not less than one hundred dollars ($100.00) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000) or be imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
(b) Representation. - Any claimant or employer who is a party to any proceeding before the Division may be represented by (i) an attorney; or (ii) any person who is supervised by an attorney, however, the attorney need not be present at any proceeding before the Division.
(b1) Fees Prohibited. - Except as otherwise provided in this Chapter, no individual claiming benefits in any administrative proceeding under this Chapter shall be charged fees of any kind by the Division or its representative, and in any court proceeding under this Chapter each party shall bear its own costs and legal fees.
(c) No Assignment of Benefits; Exemptions. - Except as provided in subsection (d) of this section, any assignment, pledge, or encumbrance of any right to benefits which are or may become due or payable under this Chapter shall be void; and such rights to benefits shall be exempt from levy, execution, attachment, or any other remedy whatsoever provided for the collection of debts; and benefits received by any individual, so long as they are not mingled with other funds of the recipient, shall be exempt from any remedy whatsoever for the collection of all debts except debts incurred for necessaries furnished to such individual or his spouse or dependents during the time when such individual was unemployed. Any waiver of any exemption provided for in this subsection shall be void.
(d) (1) Definitions. - For the purpose of this subsection and when used herein:
a. "Unemployment compensation" means any compensation found by the Division to be payable to an unemployed individual under the Employment Security Law of North Carolina (including amounts payable by the Division pursuant to an agreement under any federal law providing for compensation, assistance or allowances with respect to unemployment) provided, that nothing in this subsection shall be construed to limit the Division's ability to reduce or withhold benefits, otherwise payable, under authority granted elsewhere in this Chapter including but not limited to reductions for wages or earnings while unemployed and for the recovery of previous overpayments of benefits.
b. "Child support obligation" includes only obligations which are being enforced pursuant to a plan described in section 454 of the Social Security Act which has been approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under Part D of Title IV of the Social Security Act.
c. "State or local child support enforcement agency" means any agency of this State or a political subdivision thereof operating pursuant to a plan described in subparagraph b. above.
(2) a. An individual filing a new claim for unemployment compensation shall, at the time of filing such claim, disclose whether the individual owes child support obligations, as defined under subparagraph (1)b. of this subsection. If any such individual discloses that he or she owes child support obligations and is determined by the Division to be eligible for payment of unemployment compensation, the Division shall notify the State or local child support enforcement agency enforcing such obligation that such individual has been determined to be eligible for payment of unemployment compensation.
b. Upon payment by the State or local child support enforcement agency of the processing fee provided for in paragraph (4) of this subsection and beginning with any payment of unemployment compensation that, except for the provisions of this subsection, would be made to the individual during the then current benefit year and more than five working days after the receipt of the processing fee by the Division, the Division shall deduct and withhold from any unemployment compensation otherwise payable to an individual who owes child support obligations:
1. The amount specified by the individual to the Division to be deducted and withheld under this paragraph if neither subparagraph 2. nor subparagraph 3. of this paragraph is applicable; or
2. The amount, if any, determined pursuant to an agreement submitted to the Division under section 454(20)(B)(i) of the Social Security Act by the State or local child support enforcement agency, unless subparagraph 3. of this paragraph is applicable; or
c. Any amount deducted and withheld under paragraph b. of this subdivision shall be paid by the Division to the appropriate State or local child support enforcement agency.
d. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Division are hereby authorized to enter into one or more agreements which may provide for the payment to the Division of the processing fees referred to in subparagraph b. and the payment to the Department of Health and Human Services of unemployment compensation benefits withheld, referred to in subparagraph c., on an open account basis. Where such an agreement has been entered into, the processing fee shall be deemed to have been made and received (for the purposes of fixing the date on which the Division will begin withholding unemployment compensation benefits) on the date a written authorization from the Department of Health and Human Services to charge its account is received by the Division. Such an authorization shall apply to all processing fees then or thereafter (within the then current benefit year) chargeable with respect to any individual name in the authorization. Any agreement shall provide for the reimbursement to the Division of any start-up costs and the cost of providing notice to the Department of Health and Human Services of any disclosure required by subparagraph a. Such an agreement may dispense with the notice requirements of subparagraph a. by providing for a suitable substitute procedure, reasonably calculated to discover those persons owing child support obligations who are eligible for unemployment compensation payments.
(3) Any amount deducted and withheld under paragraph (2) of this subdivision shall, for all purposes, be treated as if it were paid to the individual as unemployment compensation and then paid by such individual to the State or local child support enforcement agency in satisfaction of the individual's child support obligations.
(4) a. On or before April 1 of 1983 and each calendar year thereafter, the Division shall set and forward to the Secretary of Health and Human Services for use in the next fiscal year, a schedule of processing fees for the withholding and payment of unemployment compensation as provided for in this subsection, which fees shall reflect its best estimate of the administrative cost to the Division generated thereby.
b. At least 20 days prior to September 25, 1982, the Division shall set and forward to the Secretary of Health and Human Services an interim schedule of fees which will be in effect until July 1, 1983.
c. The provisions of this subsection apply only if arrangements are made for reimbursement by the State or local child support agency for all administrative costs incurred by the Division under this subsection attributable to child support obligations enforced by the agency. (Ex. Sess. 1936, c. 1, s. 15; 1937, c. 150; 1979, c. 660, s. 22; 1981, c. 762, ss. 1, 2; 1981 (Reg. Sess., 1982), c. 1178, ss. 1, 2; 1985, c. 552, s. 21; 1997-443, s. 11A.118(a); 1997-456, s. 27; 2011-401, s. 2.18.)
§ 96-18. Penalties.
§ 96-18.1. Attachment and garnishment of fraudulent overpayment.
(a) Applicability. - This section applies to an individual who has been provided notice of a determination or an appeals decision finding that the individual, or another individual acting in the individual's behalf and with the individual's knowledge, has knowingly done one or more of the following to obtain or increase a benefit or other payment under this Chapter:
(1) Made a false statement or misrepresentation.
(2) Failed to disclose a material fact.
(b) Attachment and Garnishment. - Intangible property that belongs to an individual, is owed to an individual, or has been transferred by an individual under circumstances that would permit it to be levied upon if it were tangible property is subject to attachment and garnishment in payment of a fraudulent overpayment that is due from the individual and is collectible under this Article. Intangible personal property includes bank deposits, rent, salaries, wages, property held in the Escheat Fund, and any other property incapable of manual levy or delivery.
A person who is in possession of intangible property that is subject to attachment and garnishment is the garnishee and is liable for the amount the individual owes. The liability applies only to the amount of the individual's property in the garnishee's possession, reduced by any amount the individual owes the garnishee.
The Secretary may submit to a financial institution, as defined in G.S. 53B-2, information that identifies an individual who owes a fraudulent overpayment that is collectible under this section and the amount of the overpayment. The Secretary may submit the information on a quarterly basis or, with the agreement of the financial institution, on a more frequent basis. A financial institution that receives the information must determine the amount, if any, of intangible property it holds that belongs to the individual and must inform the Secretary of its determination. The Secretary must reimburse a financial institution for its costs in providing the information, not to exceed the amount payable to the financial institution under G.S. 110-139 for providing information for use in locating a noncustodial parent.
No more than ten percent (10%) of an individual's wages or salary is subject to attachment and garnishment. The wages or salary of an employee of the United States, the State, or a political subdivision of the State are subject to attachment and garnishment.
(c) Notice. - Before the Secretary attaches and garnishes intangible property in payment of a fraudulent overpayment, the Secretary must send the garnishee a notice of garnishment. The notice must be sent either in person, by certified mail with a return receipt requested, or with the agreement of the garnishee, by electronic means. The notice must contain all of the following information:
(2) The individual's social security number or federal identification number.
(3) The amount of fraudulent overpaid benefits the individual owes.
(4) An explanation of the liability of a garnishee for fraudulent overpayment of unemployment insurance benefits owed by an overpaid individual.
(5) An explanation of the garnishee's responsibility concerning the notice.
(d) Action. - A garnishee must comply with a notice of garnishment or file a written response to the notice within the time set in this subsection. A garnishee that is a financial institution must comply or file a response within 20 days after receiving a notice of garnishment. All other garnishees must comply or file a response within 30 days after receiving a notice of garnishment. A written response must explain why the garnishee is not subject to garnishment and attachment.
Upon receipt of a written response, the Department must contact the garnishee and schedule a conference to discuss the response or inform the garnishee of the Department's position concerning the response. If the Department does not agree with the garnishee on the garnishee's liability, the Department may proceed to enforce the garnishee's liability for the fraudulent overpayment of unemployment benefits by civil action. (2013-2, s. 7(b); 2013-224, s. 19.)
§ 96-19. Enforcement of Employment Security Law discontinued upon repeal or invalidation of federal acts; suspension of enforcement provisions contested.
(a) It is the purpose of this Chapter to secure for employers and employees the benefits of Title III and Title IX of the Federal Social Security Act, approved August 14, 1935, as to credit on payment of federal taxes, of State contributions, the receipt of federal grants for administrative purposes, and all other provisions of the said Federal Social Security Act; and it is intended as a policy of the State that this Chapter and its requirements for contributions by employers shall continue in force only so long as such employers are required to pay the federal taxes imposed in said Federal Social Security Act by a valid act of Congress. Therefore, if Title III and Title IX of the said Federal Social Security Act shall be declared invalid by the United States Supreme Court, or if such law be repealed by congressional action so that the federal tax cannot be further levied, from and after the declaration of such invalidity by the United States Supreme Court, or the repeal of said law by congressional action, as the case may be, no further levy or collection of contributions shall be made hereunder. The enactment by the Congress of the United States of the Railroad Retirement Act and the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act shall in no way affect the administration of this law except as herein expressly provided.
All federal grants and all contributions theretofore collected, and all funds in the treasury by virtue of this Chapter, shall, nevertheless, be disbursed and expended, as far as may be possible, under the terms of this Chapter: Provided, however, that contributions already due from any employer shall be collected and paid into the said fund, subject to such distribution; and provided further, that the personnel of the Division of Employment Security shall be reduced as rapidly as possible.
The funds remaining available for use by the Division of Employment Security shall be expended, as necessary, in making payment of all such awards as have been made and are fully approved at the date aforesaid, and the payment of the necessary costs for the further administration of this Chapter, and the final settlement of all affairs connected with same. After complete payment of all administrative costs and full payment of all awards made as aforesaid, any and all moneys remaining to the credit of any employer shall be refunded to such employer, or his duly authorized assignee: Provided, that the State employment service, created by Chapter 106, Public Laws of 1935, and transferred by Chapter 1, Public Laws of 1936, Extra Session, and made a part of the former Employment Security Commission of North Carolina, and that is now part of the Division of Employment Security of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, shall in such event return to and have the same status as it had prior to enactment of Chapter 1, Public Laws of 1936, Extra Session, and under authority of Chapter 106, Public Laws of 1935, shall carry on the duties therein prescribed; but, pending a final settlement of the affairs of the Division, the said State employment service shall render such service in connection therewith as shall be demanded or required under the provisions of this Chapter or the provisions of Chapter 1, Public Laws of 1936, Extra Session.
(b) The Division of Employment Security may, upon receiving notification from the U.S. Department of Labor that any provision of this Chapter is out of conformity with the requirements of the federal law or of the U.S. Department of Labor, suspend the enforcement of the contested section or provision until the North Carolina Legislature next has an opportunity to make changes in the North Carolina law. The Division shall, in order to implement the above suspension:
(1) Notify the Governor's office and provide that office with a copy of the determination or notification of the U.S. Department of Labor;
(2) Advise the Governor's office as to whether the contested portion or provision of the law would, if not enforced, so seriously hamper the operations of the agency as to make it advisable that a special session of the legislature be called;
(3) Take all reasonable steps available to obtain a reprieval from the implementation of any federal conformity failure sanctions until the State legislature has been afforded an opportunity to consider the existing conflict. (1937, c. 363; 1939, c. 52, s. 8; 1947, c. 598, s. 1; 1977, c. 727, s. 56; 2011-401, s. 2.20.)