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Municipal Minute: Court Upholds Denial of Police Officer’s Line-of-Duty Disability Benefits

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The Municipal Minute recently posted the following article , which we have reprinted here:  A police officer filed an application for line-of-duty disability benefits after being injured during mandatory “wellness and resiliency” training, which involved classroom instruction and stretching, yoga, and other physical movements. During the stretches, the officer experienced back pain and was later diagnosed with various spinal conditions, undergoing two unsuccessful surgeries. Despite receiving treatment, the officer was unable to return to work with the police department. The Retirement Board of the Policemen’s Annuity and Benefit Fund of the City of Chicago (Pension Board) found that the officer was entitled to ordinary disability benefits, but denied her duty disability benefits because her injury did not result from an “act of police duty inherently involving special risk,” as required by the Illinois Pension Code. Ordinary disability benefits are 50% of the officer’s salary, as ...
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DEI Developments: Legal Shifts and the Impact on Employers

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In recent years, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives have become a central focus in both the public and private sectors. However, a wave of legal developments is reshaping how employers implement and defend these programs. Recent court decisions and executive actions are introducing new risks and compliance challenges, especially concerning claims of reverse discrimination and constitutional limitations. A major shift came with the Supreme Court’s June 2025 decision in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services , which eliminated the “background circumstances” requirement in Title VII cases brought by majority-group employees. Previously, courts often required white or male plaintiffs to show additional proof of bias in discrimination claims. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, writing for a unanimous Court, clarified that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies equally to all individuals, regardless of race or gender. This decision removes a legal hurdle for reverse-discriminati...
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