South Carolina

Discussion

South Carolina: Civil Air Patrol Leave Coming Soon

Effective October 1, 2026, SB 1043 requires all employers, regardless of size, to provide civil air patrol leave to eligible employees. Eligible employees are those who are a member of the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force known as the Civil Air Patrol, primarily represented within the State by the South Carolina Wing of Civil Air Patrol. Employers must provide 30 days of leave per calendar year for employees who respond to an emergency service operation of the civil air patrol and ten days of leave per calendar year for employees to engage in civil air patrol-related training. Private employers can provide paid or unpaid leave. Employers must provide leave as a lump sum at the start of each calendar year. Unused leave will be forfeited at the end of each calendar year and will not be carried over to the new calendar year. An employer may deny a request for Civil Air Patrol leave for an employee who has been designated as an essential employee. Civil Air Patrol Leave is job protected leave, and employees are also protected from retaliation and discrimination for exercising their rights under the law.

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