For some North Carolina residents, the road to retirement is anything but even.

In 2020, nearly half (48%) of the state’s private-sector employees — roughly 1,823,000 people — worked for businesses that did not offer any type of retirement plan, according to an AARP Policy Institute report.

Now a proposal before the General Assembly could help bridge that gap.

Under House Bill 79, hundreds of thousands of uncovered workers would be allowed to opt into a “Work and Save” program through payroll deduction, before they even see their paychecks. Participation would be optional and free for small businesses, employees and even self-employed workers.

“It is a great way to not only save the state money, but really push for a kind of self-reliance, and encourage folks to create that culture of

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