David J. Grycowski v. Milwaukee Employees' Retirement System/Annuity and Pension Board

# Grycowski v. Milwaukee Employees' Retirement System **What Happened** David Grycowski, a City of Milwaukee employee, applied for Duty Disability Retirement benefits. These benefits are designed to support workers who become disabled while performing their job duties. The Milwaukee Employees' Retirement System denied his application, and Grycowski challenged that decision in court. **What the Court Decided** The appeals court ruled against Grycowski and upheld the retirement board's decision to deny his benefits. The court found that Grycowski did not meet the eligibility requirements that apply to all Milwaukee city employees seeking duty disability benefits. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case confirms that disability retirement benefits have specific qualification standards, and workers must meet those established criteria to receive them. Even if someone believes their disability occurred during work, they must still satisfy the formal eligibility requirements set by their pension system. Workers facing benefit denials should understand that courts will enforce these standards consistently, and simply believing you deserve benefits isn't enough—you must actually qualify under the official rules.