In a landmark decision on Tuesday, the North Carolina Supreme Court ruled Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS) will now be required to provide retirement benefits to their retired police officers, overturning a 2021 lower court verdict.
CMS argued it didn’t meet the state’s criteria for a political subdivision required to dispense these benefits – that the officers were ineligible as they were not participants in the Local Government Employees Retirement System (LGERS).
The 2021 ruling in the appellate court sided with CMS, but the state’s highest court this week refuted that decision, saying all school districts are indeed recognized as political subdivisions under state law, and that eligibility for retirement benefits extends beyond those enrolled in LGERS.
What do you think about the decision?
