Cape May County lifeguards file lawsuit against Avalon to get pension

A group of six lifeguards in Avalon are taking the borough to court after filing a lawsuit claiming they're entitled to pensions.

New Jersey law requires cities bordering the Atlantic Ocean to provide a pension plan to its lifeguards as long as they've completed 20 years of service and are at least 45 years old.

However, Avalon is a borough not a city.

The lifeguards filed their lawsuit in Cape May County superior court. The lawsuit states when the lifeguards approached the borough and requested this benefit, the borough “balked.”

Rather than recognize the lifeguards' right to a pension, the lawsuit states that the borough responded by telling them they would not be entitled to a pension and that the statute did not apply to the borough or its beach patrol.