Ware v. DeKalb County Employee Retirement System Pension Board

**What Happened** This case involved a dispute over pension benefits for a DeKalb County employee named Ware. The issue centered on whether the county could reduce Ware's pension payments because he was also receiving workers' compensation benefits from the same employer. The county's 1971 pension plan included language that appeared to allow this reduction, but Ware challenged this interpretation. **What the Court Decided** The court sided with DeKalb County and its pension board. The judge upheld the county's interpretation of the 1971 pension plan amendment, ruling that the plan does indeed require pension benefits to be reduced by the amount of workers' compensation benefits an employee receives from the same employer. This means Ware could not collect his full pension while also receiving workers' compensation from the county. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling is significant because it shows that employers can legally structure pension plans to prevent "double-dipping" from multiple benefit programs. Workers should carefully review their pension plan documents to understand how other benefits might affect their retirement income. If you're injured on the job and receive workers' compensation, your pension benefits could be reduced accordingly, depending on your specific plan's terms.