Beneficiary Denied
Deceased Librarian’s Pension
The beneficiary of a librarian who died before using up all of her accumulated time off has been denied a pension earned over 32 years of service to the Milwaukee Public Library. According to the October 23 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Donna Utke, 68, died on May 19 from a cerebral hemorrhage. She had left the library staff in April—before her final 28 hours of compensatory time that would have made her eligible for retirement on May 25 had been paid. Because she was still on the payroll, her beneficiary Tanya Smith will receive a one-time death benefit of $90,400 instead of a monthly $1,328 pension for life, or 75% of what Utke would have received.
“I think it’s awful for 28 hours to nullify nearly 32 years of work for the city,” Smith said. An added irony, according to Smith, is that Utke had arranged to volunteer at the library even after her retirement. “She just loved her job.”
“Employees who retire cannot retire until their last day on the payroll,” said Anne M. Bahr, executive director of the Milwaukee Employes’ Retirement System. According to Bahr, longer service usually improves benefits for retirees, but employees may opt for immediate lump sums as payment for compensation time.
According to the Journal Sentinel, Smith has hired legal representation to file a claim for the pension, and if denied, a lawsuit. City Attorney Grant C. Langley said that he anticipated litigation and would not comment on the case.
Posted October 29, 2001.
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