I.B.M. EMPLOYEES GET $320 MILLION IN PENSION SUIT.

Reports on the announcement from I.B.M. that it had agreed to pay $320 million to its employees to settle in part a class action lawsuit over its pension plan. How I.B.M.'s liability will be limited to an additional $1.4 billion if courts uphold a ruling that a new pension plan discriminates against its older workers and is deemed illegal; Ruling of G. Patrick Murphy that the company discriminated against its older workers in the 1990's when it changed its traditional pension plan to leave older workers with only a cash-balance plan; Intention of I.B.M. to appeal the claims including that which questions whether cash-balance pension plans by definition discriminate against older workers.