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Weekly Newsletter -- May 27, 2019
Press Release:
"Today on Memorial Day, we honor with deepest gratitude the service members who sacrificed their lives for our country. As our nation's most military friendly state, North Carolina is committed to taking care of our veterans, our service members and their families." - Governor Cooper
On Thursday, Gov. Cooper issued Executive Order No. 95, which will extend paid parental leave to eligible state employees and support family wellness and economic growth in North Carolina. The executive order provides 8 weeks of paid parental leave to state employees who have given birth and 4 weeks of paid parental leave to other parents to care for and bond with a newborn, adopted, or foster child.
"This new paid parental leave policy will give state employees more time to recover from childbirth and give their newborns the care and attention they need," Gov. Cooper said. "It will help reduce gender inequality in our workplaces, and it will help our state attract and retain a strong workforce."
Research shows that paid parental leave policies promote mental and physical family health, increase worker retention and reduce the demand on the social safety net by reducing the likelihood that working parents must apply for taxpayer-funded benefits. Nearly 56,000 state employees could be eligible for paid parental leave under the new policy that will be effective September 1, 2019.
Learn more on Executive Order No. 95 and the signing event that took place at the Executive Mansion.
For a fact sheet, read HERE.
On Wednesday, Governor Cooper and Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen met with early childhood educators from across the state to discuss the critical need for North Carolina to expand Medicaid. The educators stressed how many of their colleagues fall into the health care coverage gap leaving them to live with and die from preventable diseases.
"We place a lot of trust and responsibility in the hands of early childhood educators, and it's heartbreaking to hear about how many of them can't afford health care," said Governor Cooper. "Our child care and pre-K teachers should be healthy so they can focus on preparing our children for lifelong learning, and it's time we expanded Medicaid to help half a million North Carolinians access affordable health care."
Nineteen percent of early childhood educators in North Carolina do not have health insurance. A median hourly income of $9.86 coupled with the high cost of health care means that they are often unable to access the care they need.
Learn more from the educators HERE and read on the roundtable HERE.
On Tuesday, Governor Cooper announced that the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the North Carolina Department of Information Technology are teaming up with nine public libraries and four municipalities in North Carolina to improve internet access in rural communities. The agencies also partnered with Governor Cooper's Hometown Strong initiative, which aims to strengthen quality of life in rural North Carolina.
"All North Carolinians deserve access to reliable, high-speed Internet and digital technology, regardless of zip code," Gov. Cooper said. "Today's announcement is another important step toward bridging the digital divide."
Learn more about the partnership and how improved broadband access benefits rural North Carolina communities HERE and HERE.
On Thursday, Governor Cooper announced that AmniQual Aseptic, a food processing company, will expand its operations in Montgomery County. The expansion will create 76 good-paying jobs and invest $23.8 million in Troy, North Carolina.
"Today's announcement is the latest example of a manufacturer finding success doing business in North Carolina and expanding their footprint here," Gov. Cooper said. "For companies like AmeriQual, our strong economy and top-flight workforce make the decision simple."
Learn more about AmniQual Aseptic's expansion and how Governor Cooper is promoting manufacturing in North Carolina HERE and HERE.
The North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund is available for donations to support North Carolina's response to Hurricane Florence. To donate, visit governor.nc.gov or text FLORENCE to 20222.
Go Back
Happy Memorial Day!
"Today on Memorial Day, we honor with deepest gratitude the service members who sacrificed their lives for our country. As our nation's most military friendly state, North Carolina is committed to taking care of our veterans, our service members and their families." - Governor Cooper
Governor Establishes Paid Parental Leave to Support North Carolina Families
On Thursday, Gov. Cooper issued Executive Order No. 95, which will extend paid parental leave to eligible state employees and support family wellness and economic growth in North Carolina. The executive order provides 8 weeks of paid parental leave to state employees who have given birth and 4 weeks of paid parental leave to other parents to care for and bond with a newborn, adopted, or foster child.
"This new paid parental leave policy will give state employees more time to recover from childbirth and give their newborns the care and attention they need," Gov. Cooper said. "It will help reduce gender inequality in our workplaces, and it will help our state attract and retain a strong workforce."
Research shows that paid parental leave policies promote mental and physical family health, increase worker retention and reduce the demand on the social safety net by reducing the likelihood that working parents must apply for taxpayer-funded benefits. Nearly 56,000 state employees could be eligible for paid parental leave under the new policy that will be effective September 1, 2019.
Learn more on Executive Order No. 95 and the signing event that took place at the Executive Mansion.
For a fact sheet, read HERE.
Medicaid Expansion Would Support Early Childhood Educators
On Wednesday, Governor Cooper and Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen met with early childhood educators from across the state to discuss the critical need for North Carolina to expand Medicaid. The educators stressed how many of their colleagues fall into the health care coverage gap leaving them to live with and die from preventable diseases.
"We place a lot of trust and responsibility in the hands of early childhood educators, and it's heartbreaking to hear about how many of them can't afford health care," said Governor Cooper. "Our child care and pre-K teachers should be healthy so they can focus on preparing our children for lifelong learning, and it's time we expanded Medicaid to help half a million North Carolinians access affordable health care."
Nineteen percent of early childhood educators in North Carolina do not have health insurance. A median hourly income of $9.86 coupled with the high cost of health care means that they are often unable to access the care they need.
Learn more from the educators HERE and read on the roundtable HERE.
Strengthening Broadband Across the State
On Tuesday, Governor Cooper announced that the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the North Carolina Department of Information Technology are teaming up with nine public libraries and four municipalities in North Carolina to improve internet access in rural communities. The agencies also partnered with Governor Cooper's Hometown Strong initiative, which aims to strengthen quality of life in rural North Carolina.
"All North Carolinians deserve access to reliable, high-speed Internet and digital technology, regardless of zip code," Gov. Cooper said. "Today's announcement is another important step toward bridging the digital divide."
Learn more about the partnership and how improved broadband access benefits rural North Carolina communities HERE and HERE.
More Jobs for North Carolina!
On Thursday, Governor Cooper announced that AmniQual Aseptic, a food processing company, will expand its operations in Montgomery County. The expansion will create 76 good-paying jobs and invest $23.8 million in Troy, North Carolina.
"Today's announcement is the latest example of a manufacturer finding success doing business in North Carolina and expanding their footprint here," Gov. Cooper said. "For companies like AmeriQual, our strong economy and top-flight workforce make the decision simple."
Learn more about AmniQual Aseptic's expansion and how Governor Cooper is promoting manufacturing in North Carolina HERE and HERE.
Tweet of the Week
Here’s why #PaidParentalLeave is so important #EO95 pic.twitter.com/DlOIejPWCI
— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) May 23, 2019
Donate to Relief Efforts
The North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund is available for donations to support North Carolina's response to Hurricane Florence. To donate, visit governor.nc.gov or text FLORENCE to 20222.
- Contact: Ford Porter
- govpress@nc.gov
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