N.C. Gen. Stat. » Chapter 126
NC General Statutes

N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-16 (2026)

Equal opportunity for employment and compensation by State departments and agencies and local political subdivisions

✓ current as of July 2026
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All State agencies, departments, and institutions and all local political subdivisions of North Carolina shall give equal opportunity for employment and compensation, without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, or genetic information to all persons otherwise qualified. (1971, c. 823; 1975, c. 158; 1977, c. 866, s. 7; 1979, c. 862, s. 3; 1983 (Reg. Sess., 1984), c. 1116, s. 111; 1985, c. 571, s. 2; 1991, c. 65, s. 6; 2013-382, s. 7.1.)

 

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 29 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1980–2021 · leading case: Woodburn v. North Carolina State Univ., 577 S.E.2d 154 (N.C. Ct. App. 2003).
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Woodburn v. North Carolina State Univ., 577 S.E.2d 154 (N.C. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 17× “Petitioner’s claim alleges a violation of a provision of Article 6, N.C.G.S. § 126-16 (2001), which provides in relevant part that “[a]ll State departments and agencies .”
Kimel v. Florida Bd. of Regents, 528 U.S. 62 (2000). · cites it 2× “1999); N. C. Gen. Stat. § 126-16 et seq. (1999); N.”
Enoch v. Alamance Cnty. Dep't of Soc. Servs., 595 S.E.2d 744 (N.C. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 8× “Enoch alleges the ALJ's application of North Carolina race discrimination law was in error pursuant to N.C. Gen.Stat. §§ 126-16 and 126-36 (2003) and Dept.”
Hillis v. Winston-Salem State Univ., 549 S.E.2d 556 (N.C. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 13× “Because he is a white male, and because he had been informed that the individual hired by respondent as permanent coordinator of *443 the OTP is a black female, petitioner petitioned for a contested case hearing with the OAH on 2 April 1998 asserting that respondent had…”
Conran v. New Bern Police Dep't, 468 S.E.2d 258 (N.C. Ct. App. 1996). · cites it 20× “Conran contends that N.C. Gen. Stat. § 126-16 (1995) and N.C. Gen.”
Vanderburg v. N.C. Dep't of Revenue, 608 S.E.2d 831 (N.C. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 6× “The petitioner filed a contested case with the Commission alleging gender discrimination under N.C. Gen.Stat. § 126-16 (2001) and § 126.”
Jarman v. Deason, 618 S.E.2d 776 (N.C. Ct. App. 2005). · cites it 4× “§ 115D-77 (2003) (stating that the policy of the community college system is not to discriminate in employment based on race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, or disability except where age, sex, or physical or mental impairment is a bona fide occupational…”
Greene v. Swain Cnty. P'ship for Health, 342 F. Supp. 2d 442 (W.D.N.C. 2004). · cites it 3× “Therefore, the Court finds that the Plaintiff, as a employee of the Swain County Health Department, was covered under Chapter 126 of the North Carolina General Statutes and, therefore, had a right under state law to pursue her discrimination claims through the OAH pursuant to…”
Clay v. Emp. Sec. Comm'n, 457 S.E.2d 725 (N.C. 1995). · cites it 4× “” N.C.G.S. § 126-16 provides: All State departments and agencies and all local political subdivisions of North Carolina shall give equal opportunity for employment and compensation, without regard to race, religion, color, creed, national origin, sex, age, or handicapping…”
North Carolina Dep't of Health & Human Servs. v. Maxwell, 576 S.E.2d 688 (N.C. Ct. App. 2003). · cites it 3× “[Respondent], therefore, has been discriminated against in violation of the provisions of N.C.G.S. § 126-16, in that he was discriminated against on the basis of his disability.”
Lee v. N.C. Dept. of Transp., 625 S.E.2d 567 (N.C. Ct. App. 2006). · cites it 2× “We find no other section of Chapter 126 providing a direct right of appeal to an employee *571 asserting retaliation based upon the employee's protest of an alleged violation of the right to equal opportunity for employment and compensation.”
Heckman v. Univ. of North Carolina, 19 F. Supp. 2d 468 (M.D.N.C. 1998). · cites it 6× “In the instant matter, Plaintiff was required to commence state proceedings prior to filing his ADEA claim in federal court because (1) North Carolina has a law which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of age, see N.C.Gen.Stat. § 126-16 (1995), 7 and (2) North…”
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