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Published Fri, Jan 07, 2011 05:14 AM
Modified Fri, Jan 07, 2011 12:20 AM

Retirees' suit gets class-action status

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STAFF WRITER JOHN MURAWSKI

A federal judge granted class-action status this week to a lawsuit by retirees against phone companies Sprint Nextel and Embarq for canceling the retirees' health benefits and life insurance.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren in Kansas opens the retirees' lawsuit to about 14,000 phone company retirees, and thousands of spouses, in 18 states.

Previously, the suit represented 17 retirees, including 11 from North Carolina, seeking to have their health benefits restored. The case also represented 756 retirees, all in North Carolina, for age discrimination.

The retirees allege that for more than three decades, phone company representatives made promises orally and in writing that their retiree benefits were guaranteed for life.

Losing coverage has cost the retirees thousands of dollars in benefits, said the retirees' lawyer, Stewart Fisher of Durham.

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