135-48.54. Optional participation for charter schools operated by private nonprofit corporations or municipalities.

(a) Repealed by Session Laws 2018-84, s. 11(a), effective June 25, 2018.

(b) No later than two years after both parties have signed the written charter under G.S. 115C-218.15, the board of directors of a charter school operated by a private nonprofit corporation or a charter school operated by a municipality shall elect whether to become a participating employer in the Plan in accordance with this Article. This election shall be in writing and filed with the Plan and the State Board of Education. This election is effective for each charter school employee as of the date of that employee's entry into eligible service.

(b1) A charter school making an election to become a participating employing unit in the Plan under this section shall provide notice of the intent to make that election six months prior to making the election; provided that the Plan shall not prohibit a charter school from becoming a participating employing unit solely because that charter school did not provide this notice.

(c) A board's election to become a participating employer in the Plan under this section is irrevocable and shall require all eligible employees of the charter school to participate.

(d) If a charter school's board of directors does not elect to become a participating employer in the Plan under this section, that school's employees and the dependents of those employees are not eligible for any benefits under the Plan on account of employment with a charter school.

(e) The board of directors of each charter school shall notify each of its employees as to whether the board elected to become a participating employer in the Plan under this section. This notification shall be in writing and shall be provided within 30 days of the board's election or at the time an initial offer for employment is made, whichever occurs last. If the board did not elect to become a participating employer in the Plan, the notice shall include a statement that the employee shall have no legal recourse against the board or the State for any possible benefit under the Plan. The employee shall provide written acknowledgment of the employee's receipt of the notification under this subsection.