South Carolina Adopts Civil Air Patrol Leave

S 1043 was signed by the governor on June 30, 2026. Beginning October 1, 2026, employers of all sizes will be required to provide unpaid, job-protected leave to employees who are members of the Civil Air Patrol, as follows:

• Up to 30 days per calendar year to respond to an emergency service operation

• Up to 10 days per calendar year to participate in Civil Air Patrol training

Employers can allow employees to use available leave from one category for the purpose of the other but can’t require that employees use or exhaust other available leave before taking leave under this law. Employees’ unused leave of this type doesn’t carry over to a new calendar year and doesn’t need to be paid out upon termination.

Employers can require employees to provide notice of their Civil Air Patrol membership, notice of their need for leave, the expected duration and return date, and proof of participation.

Employers can also deny leave to employees designated as essential. The law doesn’t define “essential employee,” but it does encourage employers to grant leave whenever the employee’s absence won’t disrupt operations. Be prepared to identify and document which employees are essential and communicate that designation to those employees.

ACTION ITEM:

Add a Civil Air Patrol leave policy to your Staff Handbook.

Want to make sure your policies are still compliant? Talk to a ministry HR expert one-on-one.