---
title: "COVID-19 Legal Update: North Carolina"
---

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# COVID-19 Legal Update: North Carolina

## COVID-19 Legal Update: North Carolina

[<<Back to Regulatory Map](https://links.gallagherbassett.com/covid-19-legal-update-map?hsLang=en-us)

### Workers' Compensation Administrative board/ commission

[Industrial Commission](https://www.ic.nc.gov/)

 

### How does the state define an occupational disease?

"The following diseases and conditions only shall be deemed to be occupational diseases within the meaning of this Article:... Any disease... which is proven to be due to causes and conditions which are characteristic of and peculiar to a particular trade, occupation or employment, but excluding all ordinary diseases of life to which the general public is equally exposed outside of the employment."" NC WC Act §97-53  
Higgs v. Southeastern Cleaning Service, 122 N.C. App. 456, 470 S.E.2d 337 (1996) Carroll v. Town of Ayden, 160 N.C. App. 637, 586 S.E.2d 822 (2003)."

 

### COVid-19 Specific Laws, agency declarations/ press releases, or enacted regulation?

[NC Industry Commission Updates (includes Telemedicine, Hearings, Deadlines, Filing Requirements, etc)](https://www.ic.nc.gov/)

[NC DOI Updates (insurers, businesses, bulletins, advisories, etc)](https://www.ncdoi.gov/consumers/coronavirus-covid-19-news-information-bulletins-and-advisories)

[NC DHHS Updates](https://www.ncdhhs.gov/covid-19-case-count-nc)

[DOI Advisory to Insurance Companies Relaxing Premium Due Dates](https://files.nc.gov/doi/documents/life-and-health/advisory-re-premiums-and-cancellations.pdf)  
     March 24, 2020

[DOI Memo on Licensing & CE for Producers & Adjusters](https://files.nc.gov/doi/documents/agent-services/licensing-and-education-of-north-carolina-resident-producers-and-adjusters-covid-19-memo-04.03.2020.pdf)  
     April 3, 2020

[Insurance Commissioner Letter Regarding Business Interruption](https://files.nc.gov/doi/documents/mike-causey-letter-to-business-owners-covid-19.pdf)  
     April 9, 2020

[DOI Guidelines for Submitting COVID-19 Filings ](https://files.nc.gov/doi/documents/property-and-casualty/property-and-casualty-guidelines-for-submitting-covid-19-filings-for-benefits-to-north-carolina-consumers.pdf)  
     April 14, 2020

[DOI Temporary Licensing Instructions](https://files.nc.gov/doi/documents/agent-services/temporary-licensing-with-pearson-vue-initiatives.pdf)  
     April 17, 2020

[Insurance Commissioner Extends Order on Premiums & Dept Referrals](https://files.nc.gov/doi/documents/legislative-services/extended-coi-order-covid-19.pdf)  
     April 21, 2020

[FAQs on DOI Extended Order](https://www.ncdoi.gov/documents/north-carolina-department-insurance-frequently-asked-questions-faqs-associated)  
     April 23, 2020

[Insurance Commissioner Extends Reporting Deadline to 5/30/20](https://files.nc.gov/doi/documents/self-insured-workers-compensation/order-extension-of-deadlines-58-2-47-self-insured-wc-4-17-2020.pdf)  
     April 21, 2020

[Enacted Legislation: Civil Liability Immunity Provision to Any Essential Business During Emergency Order](https://www.ncleg.gov/BillLookup/2019/S704)  
     May 4, 2020

[Insurance Commissioner Mediation Policy Effective 6/16/20](http://www.ic.nc.gov/11%20NCAC%2023G%20.0104-%20Emergency%20Rule%20Amendment%20Eff.%206-16-20.pdf)  
     June 8, 2020

[Industrial Commission: August 2020 Deputy Commissioner Docket Update](http://www.ic.nc.gov/)  
     July 1, 2020

[NCRB Memo to Member Companies Regarding Workers' Compensation Insurance  
](http://www.ncrb.org/Portals/0/ncrb/circular%20letters/workers%20comp/2020/C-20-31%20NCCI%20Item%20B-1443%20%20Revisions%20to%20NCCI%20Manual%20Rules%20Related%20to%20the%20COVID-19%20(Coronavirus)%20Pandemic%20%20Removal%20of%20Expiration%20Date.pdf?ver=2020-10-22-153147-867)     Oct. 22, 2020

[Industrial Commission Postpones In-Person Hearings for 30 Days  
](http://www.ic.nc.gov/)     Oct. 22, 2020

### Court Closures & Modified Call

[Procedural Rules Revisions](https://www.ic.nc.gov/)

 

### Is the administrative court system closed or open?

Open.   [Policies](http://www.ic.nc.gov/) <http://www.ic.nc.gov/>for full hearings starting 6/1/20.  Deputy Commissioner Hearings are resume in June 2020 via Webex. Full Commission Hearings will be telephonic.

 

### Does this state have a shelter-in-place in order?

No - <https://files.nc.gov/governor/documents/files/200327_FAQ-SAH-Order_FINAL.pdf>[order](https://files.nc.gov/governor/documents/files/200327_FAQ-SAH-Order_FINAL.pdf) was 3/30/20 to 5/8/20; phased [re-opening](https://files.nc.gov/governor/documents/files/NC-3-PHASE-PLAN.pdf) began 5/8/20.

 

### ANY STATE-SPECIFIC GUIDANCE ON DISABILITY, UNEMPLOYMENT, OR HEALTH BENEFITS FOR COVID-19? 

[Unemployment](https://des.nc.gov/need-help/covid-19-information).

 

Last Updated: 2/1/2021

|          | [<< Gallagher Bassett COVID-19 Resource Center](https://links.gallagherbassett.com/en-us/covid-19-resource-center?hsLang=en-us) [<< Contact us with your COVID-19 Questions](http://news.gallagherbassett.com/breakingnews-covid-19) This document compiles certain state laws and websites relevant to the COVID-19 pandemic. State guidance and other government instruction have changed frequently. We thus may update this document over time. Please do not hesitate to contact your account manager, resolution manager, or your other preferred contact at Gallagher Bassett with any questions. Although we have gathered information relevant to COVID-19 and its impact on workers' compensation claims and your businesses, this is not legal advice, it does not include all pertinent information, nor should it be the basis for legal, claim, benefit, safety, or human resource-related decisions. If you would like guidance on legal issues arising from COVID-19, including whether a COVID-19 related claim is compensable under a specific state’s laws, please seek advice from legal counsel with expertise in the relevant subject areas and state laws. For Gallagher Bassett clients, if you have reported a workers’ compensation claim, then your resolution manager can assist. A Further Note on the Statutes, Definitions, Cases, and Websites Cited in this Document. State law controls if a worker is entitled or not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Each state can approach this question differently, and the relevant statutes, standards of proof, regulating agencies, court precedent, and other aspects of a workers’ compensation claim vary between jurisdictions. As a general principle, state workers’ compensation laws provide medical and wage loss benefits to workers who suffer bodily injury due to an accident, or bodily injury due to an occupational disease. The relevant bodily injury must arise out of and occur in the course of employment. This document primarily compiles state definitions of “occupational disease.” With respect to diseases for which the employee may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, the disease typically must arise from particular conditions of employment that make contracting the disease more likely than in the general population, or otherwise there must be a sufficient connection between a disease and workplace. Please consult the relevant state’s workers’ compensation act for the specific language applicable to an “occupational disease” claim. |          |
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