Wiebenson v. Board of Trustees, Teachers' & State Employees' Retirement System

# Wiebenson v. Board of Trustees Case Summary ## What Happened Wiebenson, a public school employee in North Carolina, shared her job with another teacher. When she became eligible for retirement, the Retirement System denied her benefits, claiming her job-sharing arrangement made her part-time rather than full-time. ## What the Court Decided The North Carolina Supreme Court ruled in Wiebenson's favor, determining she was actually a full-time employee entitled to retirement benefits despite the job-sharing setup. The court found the Retirement System wrongfully denied her benefits without good reason and ordered them to pay her $19,623.02 to cover her attorney's fees and costs. ## Why This Matters for Workers This case protects employees in job-sharing situations. It establishes that employers cannot automatically classify job-sharers as part-time to avoid providing benefits like retirement plans. Even if you split a position with someone else, you may still qualify as full-time for benefits purposes. The ruling also holds employers accountable when they wrongfully deny benefits without justification.