The Public Employment Law Update is an annual program providing in-depth analysis of current issues in public employment law and an overview of the previous year’s developments. This program assumes that participants have a good working knowledge of the principles of public employment law; it is not an introduction to public employment law.

For 2025, topics include:

• an overview of President Trump’s Executive Orders and the change in leadership at the EEOC and how these affect North Carolina state and local government employment practices;
• the use of artificial intelligence in human resources;
• the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act;
• religious discrimination law after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Groff v. DeJoy; and
• what the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton School Dist. teaches us about free speech and public employment.

[Link to agenda.] Note that the topics and agenda are subject to change pending new developments.

The course fee is $375.

Who should attend: Employees of North Carolina state and local governments and affiliated organizations who have responsibility for human resources functions as well as attorneys in private practice who represent public sector clients.

Prerequisite: There is no formal pre-requisite, but this is not an introduction to the field of public employment law. Those who will benefit most will have completed the School of Government's Introduction to Public Employment Law or have experience in employment law or human resources management.

Note: The Public Employment Law Update does not serve as a pre-requisite for any of the School of Government's more advanced employment law classes. 

Lead Faculty: Diane Juffras, Professor of Public Law and Government

Program Manager: Charmain Cale