Labor & Employment

HB 1602 changes North Dakota's public employee retirement system by closing the traditional defined benefit plan to new hires starting January 1, 2025. Instead, new permanent employees (excluding those in specific exception roles like teachers, law enforcement, or university staff) must join a defined contribution retirement plan. Existing members who joined before 2025 remain in the defined benefit plan, and political subdivisions (like cities or counties) may choose whether to participate in the new defined contribution plan. The bill clarifies that local governments are not required to offer either retirement plan, and no fees apply if they withdraw from the defined contribution system.

HB 1393 would have created new licensing requirements for businesses offering "earned wage access" services in North Dakota - allowing workers to access part of their earned but unpaid wages before their regular payday. The bill would have required providers (excluding banks, payroll services, and employers offering early pay directly) to obtain a license from the Financial Institutions Commissioner, maintain $25,000 net worth, post a $50,000 bond, and pass background checks for fraud convictions. Key provisions defined terms like "earned income access transaction" and set rules for fees, consumer notices, and prohibited practices. This bill would have directly affected non-exempt companies seeking to offer early wage access, not workers or employers. (Note: The bill failed to pass in April 2025.)

HB 1179 would require North Dakota's public institutions of higher education to provide faculty members with at least a 12-month appointment 24 days of paid time off annually. It mandates institutions to track accrued time off, sets a limit of 30 days to carry over into the next year, and requires payment for unused time upon termination (capped at 54 days total). Institutions failing to implement this by August 1, 2025, would need to grant 54 days of paid time off to faculty by January 1, 2026. The bill directly affects faculty at all public colleges and universities governed by the state board of higher education.

Relating to the workers' compensation disability benefits and retirement presumption; to repeal sections 65‑05‑09.4 and 65‑05‑09.5 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to workers' compensation additional benefits payable; and to provide for application.