North Carolina State University

Whether State employees are entitled to sovereign immunity against claims of negligence, gross negligence, and wrongful death brought against them in their individual capacities, and whether complaint stated cause of action.

<bold>Public Officers and Employees — rehiring after</bold> <bold>reduction in force — priority — years of</bold> <bold>service</bold> <block_quote> A state employee with more than ten years of general service with the State who was subjected to a reduction in force did not have a priority under N.C.G.S. § <cross_reference>126-7.1</cross_reference>(c2) over another employee who had also been reduced in force with approximately four years of state service. The trial erroneously held that the statutory phrase "in the same or related position classification" applies to employees with less than ten years of service but not to employees with more than ten years of service.</block_quote>