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Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System for State Law Enforcement Officers (LEORS)

1. ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES

Employees become a member of the System on the date of hire if they are a permanent, full-time, paid by the State (or any of its agencies, departments, bureaus, or educational institutions) and are actively serving in a position with assigned primary duties and responsibilities for the prevention and detection of crime or the general enforcement of the criminal laws of the State or serving civil processes, and possess the power of arrest by virtue of an oath administered under the authority of the State. Employee who work at least 30 hours per week and nine months per year, but less than full-time, are entitled to the benefits described in the booklet "Your Retirement Benefits" for general employees.

2. POLICY/PROCEDURES
   
   
1. Enrollment: Upon hire, employees complete a Notice of Enrollment (form 2) and name beneficiaries to receive refund of contributions and death benefit if employee dies before retirement. Beneficiaries can be changed at any time by completing a Notice of Change of Beneficiary (form 2C).
   
   
2. Contributions: Employees share in the cost of providing retirement benefits. The employee's share is a set percent of salary and is automatically deducted from each paycheck. Salary includes all wages paid, from public funds, which are earned on the covered job while working for the State. On and after July 1, 1982 (January 1, 1984 if a employee was a member of the former Law Enforcement Officers' Retirement System), your contributions to the Retirement System are tax-sheltered for federal and State income tax purposes. The State bases its contributions on calculations prepared by an actuary. The total contributions and investment earnings provide retirement benefits.
   
   
3. Applying for Benefits: To begin retirement benefits, employees must sign and file a Application for Retirement (form 6) by no earlier than 90 days or no later than one day before the effective date of your retirement. The effective retirement date is always the first day of the month and is not the date that you quit work. If the retirement application is not executed at least one day before the effective retirement date, the Retirement Systems Division must change the effective date to the first of the following month.
   
   
4. Calculation of Benefits: As a "defined benefit plan", the benefit received at retirement is determined by a formula. The formula used in calculating the maximum annual retirement benefit is the average of the employee's salary during the four highest paid years in a row times a retirement factor set by the N. C. General Assembly times the total number of years of membership service. For an early retirement the annual retirement benefit is multiplied by a reduction factor. Retirement eligibility is based on age and/or years of creditable service. Creditable service means any period during which the employee makes contributions to the System, provided the funds were not withdrawn. In addition, military service, out-of-state service in related governmental employment, or have unused sick leave may apply in determining creditable service. If an employee leaves the System and withdraws their contributions, he/she may restore your creditable service by making a lump sum payment as outline in the provisions.
   
   
5. Options for Retirement Benefits: Several options for lifetime benefits are available to the member and beneficiary in the event of the retiree's death. All retirement options provided for a return of any unused retirement contributions to designated beneficiaries. Benefits may be increased periodically after retirement to keep abreast of the cost of living.
   
   
6. Additional benefits that LEORS provides:
   
   
7. Eligibility to LEORS provides automatic membership into the Supplemental Retirement Income Plan (401k). The University pays an amount equal to 5% of the employee's salary into an account in the Plan, and the employee may elect to make additional contributions on a tax-deferred basis. Employees decide how the contributions in the account are invested and also how they want to receive the contributions when they separate from employment.
   
   
8. A death benefit after one year of contributing membership service and two additional line of duty death benefits
   
   
9. The Separate Insurance Benefits Plan provides certain temporary disability and death benefits to qualified active and retired participants;
   
   
10. Participation in the Disability Income Plan of North Carolina; and
    
    
11. An employee who retires under a service retirement under this Plan may also be eligible to receive a Special Separation Allowance.