Fall 2026 | 8:30 am to 4 pm | Chapel Hill | Registration Fee: TBA

Registration will close one week before the program. 

SCHEDULE:

The 2026 agenda is still to be annouced but you can view the 2025 Fall Introduction to Public Employment Law Draft Agenda for reference.

NOTE ON SCHEDULE:

• This two-week in-person fall course will meet at the School of Government from 8:30 - 4 on the specified days. There is no hybrid option.

OVERVIEW

Whether you are new to human resources, an experienced HR professional new to the public sector or looking to update your skills, or an attorney newly assigned employment issues for your agency, Introduction to Public Employment Law is the course for you! Held online via Zoom, this nine week online course provides a thorough grounding in the major legal topics relevant to human resources management. Topics include:

• Employment at will and its exceptions     
• Antidiscrimination law                                         
• Hiring                                                                   
• 1^st Amendment and Employee Free Speech        
• 4^th Amendment and Employee Drug Testing      
• Property Rights in Employment                          
• The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
• The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA)
• NC’s Personnel Privacy Laws
• Discipline and Discharge

Introduction to Public Employment Law is open to employees of North Carolina state and local governments and affiliated organizations who have responsibilities for human resource functions, and to attorneys in private practice who represent public sector clients in employment matters. The course is designed for those who are new to public employment law and human resource management but is also appropriate for those who are new to public-sector employment issues or are brushing up on recent changes to the law.

In previous years, enrollment in this course has been as diverse as the public sector itself. Participants have come from city and county government, state agencies, the staff of the General Assembly, Office of State Personnel and Administrative Office of the Courts, as well as from the community college system and the UNC system. Attorney participants have included city and county attorneys, police attorneys, social services attorneys, and attorneys representing area mental health authorities.

This course should be taken before the School of Government’s advanced offerings in employment law, including the Public Employment Law Update, Advanced FLSA course, Advanced FMLA course and Advanced ADA course and Employee Benefits Law.

CERTIFICATION AND CONTINUING EDUCATION INFORMATION:

Certification: While Introduction to Public Employment Law is not a pre-approved program for IPMA, SHRM, or HRCI recertification, we will provide you with a certificate of completion and a syllabus which you can use to apply for your credits from those organizations. The course material is consistent with the continuing education requirements of all three organizations.

Any credits earned from this program are not applicable toward an academic degree at UNC.

Continuing Education: This course is approved with the North Carolina State Bar for 30 hours of CLE credit.

For more information on certifications or continuing education credits, please see the Continuing Professional Education page.

REQUIREMENTS:

Attendance: Full participation is required to receive credit.

Pre-requisites: There are no programs required as a pre-requisite to this program. The following pathway of programs, however, is recommended

1. Advanced Fair Labor Standards Act

2. Advanced Family and Medical Leave Act

3. Intermediate Americans with Disabilities Act

4. Introduction to the Fair Labor Standards Act