A Delaware bankruptcy judge on Tuesday approved a request by failed steelmaker RG Steel to pay $767,000 under a retention program to keep about 20 key employees on the job through the end of the year as the company finishes liquidating its assets.

Judge Kevin Carey approved the retention plan following a hearing Tuesday, overruling an objection by United Steelworkers union attorneys, who said the payments were unjustified and amounted to a gift for employees who will soon be out of jobs anyway.

RG Steel argued that the workers were essential to the company’s wind-down and suggested that without the payments, they may leave early or focus on job searches rather than finishing up RG’s business.

"These people in many ways are no different than the steelworkers," said RG attorney Brian O’Connor.

O’Connor told Carey that most of the employees are in accounting and finance posts, with salaries ranging from $40,000 to $177,000...

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