PHP – Charset – SQLServer – Convert caracteres para UTF-8

$ferias = utf8_decode(“Férias”);

exemplo:
$ferias = utf8_decode(“Férias”);

$sql = “select USERNAME, RE, STATUS FROM TB_FUNCIONARIO_LOCAL where
STATUS != ‘Ativo’ and
STATUS != ‘$ferias’
order by newid() OFFSET 0 ROWS FETCH NEXT 500 ROWS ONLY”;