Sean M. O'Connell v. Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island

Summary

The Supreme Court held that the Rhode Island Workers’ Compensation Court lacks subject‑matter jurisdiction to hear Mr. O’Connell’s appeal of the state retirement board’s denial of an accidental‑disability pension, quashing the lower court’s order and remanding with instructions to dismiss the appeal. The Court based its decision on a statutory scheme that limits the WCC’s jurisdiction to appeals under the Optional Plan for municipal employees, not to state employees governed by G.L. 1956 § 36‑10‑14.