21.   Workers did tend to emergencies, however, such as replacing monthly benefit checks that never arrived.

22.   Passage could mean bigger benefit checks for older employees who continue to hold down a job.

23.   Passage could mean bigger benefit checks for older employees who stay on the job after they pass retirement age.

24.   Police are investigating whether the motive may have been fraud, as welfare and other benefit checks still going to some of the victims were being cashed.

25.   Police are investigating whether the motive may have been fraud, as welfare and other benefit checks were still being sent to some of the victims and cashed.

26.   But many of them claim they were never told they forfeited their right to sue for damages by cashing their benefit checks.

27.   They rely on a monthly benefit check to pay the rent and buy their groceries.