Tobben Argues Duty Disability Case on Behalf of Joplin Firefighters

Attorneys on the two sides agreed that there are no facts in dispute. Instead, interpretation of the rules of the plan and its supporting documents has created the disagreement.

Disabled firefighter Tom Robertson filed a lawsuit last June after he had asked the pension board to overrule the city’s calculation on disability pay and his attorney had met with the board asking for reconsideration.

Tobben told the court that before the 1993 election, employees were allowed to retire at age 60 with 20 years of service. In 1993, an election was held in which plan members approved allowing people who went to work over age 45 to receive a prorated retirement benefit at age 60. That election did not change the ratio of duty disability or death pay, Tobben contends. He said the change was made to apply to a police chief who went to work for the city at age 45.

Read the full article… The Joplin Globe