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Judge OKs $6.6M Settlement For Social Security Workers

BALTIMORE (AP) -- A federal administrative law judge in Baltimore has given preliminary approval to a $6.6 million settlement for more than 570 current and former Social Security Administration employees with disabilities.

The deal, preliminarily approved Oct. 30, would resolve a dispute over promotions and accommodations that goes back nearly a decade. A final approval hearing is set for March.

The action, filed in 2005 with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, accuses the Social Security Administration of denying employees advancement because of disabilities.

An agency spokeswoman says the settlement, which isn't an admission of wrongdoing, "reaffirms our steadfast commitment to a talented diverse workforce."

The Daily Record reports that as part of the settlement, the agency will create a centralized office that must sign off on denials of requests for accommodations.
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(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

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