A human resource of a company or organization is generally an employee, and the department that communicates with employees and manages employee-related issues—including job applications, job interviews, drug tests, employment offers, wages, benefits, paid time off (PTO), unpaid leave, employee reviews, termination of employment, and unemployment insurance claims—is often known as the human resources department, or human resources, or simply HR. An employer’s human resources department may consist of one person in a smaller organization or many persons in a larger organization, and is often headed by a human resources manager or human resources director.

In North Carolina, the human resources (HR) department of a company is responsible for managing a wide range of employee-related functions. These functions include handling job applications, conducting job interviews, administering drug tests, making employment offers, and managing wages, benefits, paid time off (PTO), and unpaid leave. HR also oversees employee reviews, the termination of employment processes, and unemployment insurance claims. The size of an HR department can vary from a single individual in smaller organizations to multiple staff members in larger ones, typically led by an HR manager or director. North Carolina state statutes and federal laws regulate many aspects of employment managed by HR, such as compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for wages and hours, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for leave entitlements, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for accommodations. Additionally, the North Carolina Department of Labor enforces state-specific employment laws, including those related to wage and hour regulations, workplace safety, and youth employment.