Social Security is announcing a new multimillion-dollar payment for Americans: Check if

Given that there are more than 100 million state trial courts and 400,000 federal cases filed annually in the United States, it is hardly unusual to have Social Security involved in judicial proceedings. Continue reading to find out more about the new multi-million-dollar payment that will be available for Americans if they meet specific requirements.

Recently, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) certified a class action lawsuit that was received by the Social Security Administration (SSA) on July 23, 2007. The lawsuit was negotiated and concluded with a settlement agreement on May 13. It resulted in a potential settlement of $22.7 million to be paid to minority employees who were harmed by the agency’s discriminatory actions regarding their rights, opportunities for advancement, and distribution of their annual bonuses.

Social Security’s new multi-million-dollar payment for Americans

The problem started with the belief that African American workers at Social Security’s headquarters were not taken into account for awards, suggesting that they were treated unfairly and differently. This was particularly true when it came to awards that were smaller in amount than those received by other employees. Testimonies from Baltimore headquarters personnel ranked G-14 and lower—a designation reserved for top-level employees—supported the case.

In addition, the impact that this could have on the Social Security Administration has been so significant that the federal agency has promised to collect, evaluate, and furnish the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) with data on how their monetary awards are divided based on demographic variables in their workforce for fiscal years 2024 and 2025. 

Lastly, the Social Security Administration (SSA) also highlighted that the objective of these metrics is to encourage transparency and inform all interested parties, beneficiaries, and overall people related to Social Security to prevent this type of fraud from occurring again. Another important objective of this settlement is to compensate employees for the injuries they have endured while working for the Social Security Administration for the last 20 years.

Who is entitled to receive this compensation from the Social Security Administration?

Thousands of African American workers could be eligible to receive this compensation from the Social Security Administration (SSA). Employees have a vested interest in raising awareness about institutional difficulties that have occurred with Social Security and how these malpractices have actual consequences and must be held accountable. To be entitled to claim this compensation in this action, citizens must first meet the following requirements:

• Work or have worked in the Social Security headquarters in Woodlawn, Baltimore, at any time between April 7, 2003, and the present.
• Have or have had a position in the GS-14 level and below, excluding review and field employees and employees in the Office of Disability Adjudication.

Moreover, after the Social Security Administration notifies all selected candidates to submit a request for settlement, the next step will be to complete a claim form to get the percentage owed to you as compensation. It is estimated that there are over 2,800 current and former employees. However, it is vital to note that, as with any other judicial process, a portion of the settlement amount will be used to cover attorneys’ fees, litigation costs, and other administrative expenses related to the lawsuit’s processing.

As a result, such outcomes are anticipated to reinforce not only Social Security but also the corporate culture of the United States, fostering equal employment opportunities irrespective of race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability status, religion, sexual orientation, or any other factor associated with the merit and capabilities of each employee. In the end, this move looks forward to rewarding job performance as fairly and efficiently as possible.