Minn. prisons agency to pay $724K in age bias case

A federal judge has ordered the state Department of Corrections to pay 35 employees $724,000 in an age discrimination case.

U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson had ruled in April that the department's retirement incentive plan discriminated against workers older than age 55.

The plan rewarded corrections employees who retired at age 55 with employer contributions for health and dental insurance until they turned 65. But employees who retired after age 55 did not receive the employer contributions.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced Tuesday that Magnuson ruled the Department of Corrections would have to pay to settle the claims.

Corrections officials said in a written statement that they anticipated the judge's ruling on damages and are reviewing the department's legal options with help from the Minnesota Attorney General and Minnesota Management and Budget.