A teacher or employee who has agreed to the deferral of income pursuant to the Plan shall have the right to receive the income so deferred only in accordance with the provisions of the Plan. Funds so deferred shall not be in lieu of any amount earned by the teacher or employee before his or her election to defer compensation became effective. The agreement to defer income referred to herein shall be effective under such necessary regulations and procedures as are adopted by the Board, and on forms prepared or approved by it. A teacher or employee who agrees to defer income as provided in this section may authorize payroll deductions for deferral of the income. An employer shall make payroll deduction available for a teacher or employee who authorizes payroll deduction. Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the amount by which the salary of a teacher or employee is deferred pursuant to the Plan shall not be excluded, but shall be included, in computing and making payroll deductions for social security and retirement system purposes, if any, and in computing and providing matching funds for retirement system purposes, if any.
Except for the applications of the provisions of G.S.110-136, and in connection with a court-ordered equitable distribution under G.S.50-20, the right of a teacher or employee, who elects to defer income pursuant to the North Carolina Public Employee Deferred Compensation Plan under G.S.143B-426.24, to benefits that have vested under the Plan, is nonforfeitable. These benefits are exempt from levy, sale, and garnishment, except as provided by this section.
N.C. Gen. Stat. § 147-9.4