Additional Updates from the Industrial Commission: Secure Leave / Document Signing
By Eleasa Allen
The Industrial Commission continues to review and evaluate its various policies in light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Below are the most recent updates from the Commission concerning its Secure Leave Policy and accepting agreements signed through DocuSign.
COVID-19 Response: Industrial Commission Secure Leave Policy
The Industrial Commission recognizes that the COVID-19 pandemic will result in attorneys having to reschedule vacations, non-emergency medical procedures, and other plans for which secure leave was obtained. The rescheduled plans may then fall within the same calendar year for which three weeks of secure leave already has been granted and/or may not be known until less than 90 days before the requested secure leave period. Any attorney faced with this situation may file a motion under 11 NCAC 23E .0301 (Waiver of Rules) asking for a waiver or variance of the requirements or provisions of 11 NCAC 23E .0104 (Secure Leave Period for Attorneys). This motion should be filed in conjunction with the new secure leave written request.
Industrial Commission Accepting Agreements Signed Via DocuSign
The Industrial Commission has received inquiries about allowing employees to sign agreements via DocuSign in order to encourage social distancing. Because DocuSign is widely used in the North Carolina legal community for agreements and other transactions, the Industrial Commission is accepting all agreements that have been signed by one or more parties via DocuSign. This includes, but is not limited to, Compromise Settlement Agreements, Form 26As and other Form agreements, and Consent Agreements. An employee himself or herself must sign via DocuSign; an employee’s attorney cannot sign via DocuSign on behalf of an employee.
If you have any questions or concerns that have not been addressed by the Commission’s policy updates to date, please email me at [email protected], and I will be happy to pass along your inquiry and seek input/guidance from the Commission.
Stay well,
Eleasa Allen