Article 23.

Workplace Violence Prevention.

§ 95-260.  Definitions.

The following definitions apply in this Article:

(1) Civil no-contact order. - An order granted under this Article, which includes a remedy authorized by G.S. 95-264.

(2) Employer. - Any person or entity that employs one or more employees. Employer also includes the State of North Carolina and its political subdivisions.

(2a) Mass picketing. - Picketing, with or without signs, that constitutes an obstacle to the ingress and egress to and from the premises being picketed or any other premises, or upon the public roads, streets, highways, or other ways of travel or conveyance, either by obstructing by their persons or by placing of vehicles or other physical obstructions.

(2b) Obstruction. - A sustained or deliberate physical blockage that substantially and materially prevents ingress or egress and causes demonstrable disruption to operations or public safety.

(2c) Place of employment. - A building or conveyance of any kind, whether the building or conveyance is temporary or permanent, mobile or immobile.

(3) Unlawful conduct. - Unlawful conduct means the commission of one or more of the following acts upon an employer or employee, but does not include acts of self-defense or defense of others:

a. Attempting to cause bodily injury or intentionally causing bodily injury.

b. Willfully, and on more than one occasion, following, being in the presence of, or otherwise harassing, as defined in G.S. 14-277.3A, without legal purpose and with the intent to place the employee or employer in reasonable fear for the employee's or employer's safety.

c. Willfully threatening, orally, in writing, or by any other means, to physically injure the employee or employer in a manner and under circumstances that would cause a reasonable person to believe that the threat is likely to be carried out and that actually causes the employee or employer to believe that the threat will be carried out.

d. Hindering or preventing, by mass picketing, unlawful threats, or force, the pursuit of any lawful work or employment.

e. Obstructing or interfering with the entrance to or egress from any place of employment by mass picketing.

f. Obstructing or interfering with free and uninterrupted use of public roads, streets, highways, railways, airports, or other ways of travel or conveyance by mass picketing.  (2004-165, s. 1; 2009-58, s. 7; 2025-71, s. 3(a).)