The Lawsuit is about whether Walmart Inc. violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). BIPA prohibits private companies from capturing, obtaining, storing, transferring, and/or using an individual’s biometric identifiers and/or biometric information, including fingerprint or hand geometry scan data, without first providing an individual with certain written disclosures and obtaining written consent. The Lawsuit alleges that Walmart violated BIPA by collecting palm scan data from Walmart employees in Illinois through its cash recycler system without first providing written notice or obtaining written consent.  Walmart denies the allegations in the Lawsuit and denies any violation of the law. Both sides agreed to the settlement to resolve the case. The Court did not decide whether Walmart violated the law.

The Settlement includes all current and former associates who worked at a Walmart Store, Supercenter, Neighborhood Market or Sam’s Club in Illinois and who without first providing written consent used a palm scanner to access the at-issue cash recycler system in Illinois during the time period between January 28, 2014 and February 28, 2018 for a Walmart location and between January 28, 2014 and April 24, 2019 for a Sam’s Club location.

The class action settlement provides for a total payment of $10 million that Walmart has agreed to pay to settle the claims of Settlement Class Members.  Subject to Court approval, the gross settlement fund shall be reduced by an award of up to one third of the total settlement for Settlement Class Counsel’s attorney fees and litigation costs, an Incentive Award of $10,000 to the Settlement Class Representative, and the Settlement Administrator’s costs of up to $100,000.

 The amount remaining after these reductions shall be distributed pro rata to Settlement Class Members who timely return valid claim forms.  The amount of money each Settlement Class Participant will receive will depend on the number of Settlement Class Members who timely return valid claim forms.

Settlement Class Members give up all claims arising out of the allegations in the lawsuit, or that could have been asserted but were not asserted in the lawsuit, unless they exclude themselves from the Settlement.

More details are provided in the Settlement Agreement, which is available here.

To receive a settlement payment, you must be a Settlement Class Member and complete and submit a timely and valid Claim Form.  Read the instructions carefully to submit a Claim Form online, or fill it out and mail it in the postage pre-paid envelope included with your notice, no later than May 4, 2021 to:

Walmart Palm Scan Settlement
P.O. Box 2006
Chanhassen MN 55317-2006

To file a claim online, you will need your claim number and PIN, which you can find on the claim form you received in the mail, or in the email you received. If you do not have your claim number and PIN, please contact the Settlement Administrator.

If you do not want to be legally bound by the settlement, you must exclude yourself from the settlement by May 4, 2021. To do so, you must mail or email your written request for exclusion to the Settlement Administrator (contact information below):

Walmart Palm Scan Settlement
P.O. Box 2006
Chanhassen, MN, 55317-2006

Your written request for exclusion must include your full name, address, telephone number, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, a statement that you wish to be excluded from the settlement, and it must be personally signed by you. If you exclude yourself, you will not receive money from this settlement, but you will keep your legal rights regarding any claims that you may have against Walmart and the other Released Parties.

You may object to the settlement by May 4, 2021. If you want to object to the settlement, you must mail or email a written objection to the Settlement Administrator (contact information below), which includes your full name, address, telephone number, the last four digits of your Social Security Number, the grounds for the objection, and copies of any other documents that you wish to submit in support your objection. Any objection must also be personally signed by you. If you exclude yourself from the settlement, you cannot file an objection.

Settlement Administrator:
Walmart Palm Scan Settlement
P.O. Box 2006
Chanhassen, MN, 55317-2006
Email: info@WalmartPalmScanSettlement.com

You may choose to do nothing. If you do nothing, you will receive no money from the settlement, but you will still be bound by all orders and judgments of the Court. You will not be able to file or continue a lawsuit against the Released Parties regarding any legal claims arising out of allegations in the Class Action Complaint.

You can update your address on your paper claim form or when you file an online claim.  If your address changes after you file your claim form, you must write to the Settlement Administrator at this address, providing your name, claim number, old address and new address.

Walmart Palm Scan Settlement
P.O. Box 2006
Chanhassen, MN, 55317-2006

You may also email the Settlement Administrator at info@WalmartPalmScanSettlement.com to update your address.

If you are a Settlement Class Member, you can participate in the Settlement even if you did not receive claim number and PIN by mail or email. To confirm whether you are a Settlement Class Member and eligible to participate, please contact the Settlement Administrator by phone or email (contact information below):

By Phone:

877-821-0124

By E-Mail:

info@walmartpalmscansettlement.com

If you still have questions, you may call the Settlement Administrator toll-free at 877-821-0124, or email the Settlement Administrator at info@WalmartPalmScanSettlement.com.

More details are in the Settlement Agreement.  You can also write with questions to:

Walmart Palm Scan Settlement
P.O. Box 2006
Chanhassen, MN, 55317-2006

Finally, you can contact the lawyers representing class members at 312-419-1008 or by emailing them at WalmartPalmScanSettlement@flsalaw.com.