By C1 Staff
BORDENTOWN, N.J. — The corrections officer who was told he was too disabled to work but not disabled enough to receive a disability pension will be back on the job later this month.
James Pieper was injured while breaking up a fight between inmates at the Juvenile Justice Commission in Bordentown in June 2010, according to NJ.com.
Pieper was left with three titanium plates fused to four cages on his spine.
Several medical professionals said he was “totally and permanently disabled,” and he was placed on a permanent 50-pound weight restriction.
Pieper lost his corrections job, but asked if there was a “light duty” position for which he could apply. JCC told him there wasn’t.
Pieper then applied for disability pay, but was denied after another state-hired doctor said he wasn’t disabled enough for the pension.
Pieper has since hired a new attorney to handle his disability appeal, and he asked to be reinstated with the JCC, but was denied.
His attorney then had both cases consolidated into one.
Pieper was then told he could be placed on a re-employment list, and he made the request. That turned into the job he’ll be starting later this month. JCC would not comment on their first decision to deny Pieper employment, and then their reversal.
This means he’ll be dropping the disability and re-employment cases.
However, he has filed another suit seeking back pay for all the time he missed going back to his termination.