William D. Layton v. City of Fort Worth, City of Fort Worth Employees' Retirement Fund, and Board of City of Fort Worth Employees' Retirement Fund

**Court Rules Against City Worker Who Lost Disability Benefits** William Layton, a Fort Worth city employee, sued the city and its retirement fund after they stopped his disability benefits. Layton claimed this violated his contract and amounted to wrongful termination. He wanted the courts to overturn the retirement board's decision to end his benefits. The court dismissed Layton's case entirely. The judges ruled that no law gives workers the right to challenge the retirement board's disability benefit decisions in court. Additionally, the court found that governmental immunity protected the city from being sued over this issue. This means government employers have special legal protections that private employers don't have. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling highlights an important limitation for government employees. Unlike disputes with private employers, workers may have fewer options to challenge government decisions about benefits through the courts. Government immunity can block lawsuits even when workers believe their rights were violated. Public employees should carefully review their benefit policies and appeal procedures, as internal appeals may be their only option. Workers facing similar situations should understand that court challenges against government employers face additional legal hurdles that don't exist with private companies.