Iselin v. Retirement Board of the Employees' Retirement System

What Happened
Iselin, a Rhode Island public employee, applied for an accidental disability pension from the state retirement system. However, Iselin filed the application more than five years after the incident that caused the disability. The Retirement Board denied the claim, saying it was filed too late under state law, which requires disability pension applications to be submitted within five years. Iselin argued that the time limit should be extended because of mental health issues that prevented timely filing.

What the Court Decided
The Rhode Island Supreme Court sided with the Retirement Board. The court ruled that the five-year deadline for filing disability pension claims is absolute and cannot be extended, even when an employee has mental health problems that might have prevented them from filing on time. The court found the law's language was clear and left no room for exceptions.

Why This Matters for Workers
This decision is important for public employees in Rhode Island because it shows that disability pension deadlines are strictly enforced. Workers who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses must file their claims within five years, regardless of their mental state or other circumstances that might delay filing. Missing this deadline means losing the right to these benefits permanently.