Waste Management data breach class action settlement

Waste Management agreed to a class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims that it failed to prevent a 2021 data breach that compromised employee information.

The settlement benefits individuals who received a notice of the January 2021 data breach from Waste Management. 

According to the class action lawsuit, Waste Management failed to adequately protect the information of its current and former employees. Due to this failure, hackers allegedly gained access to employees’ Social Security numbers and other sensitive employee information in a cyberattack between Jan. 21 and 23, 2021.

Waste Management is a garbage and recycling company that services communities nationwide.

Waste Management hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to pay an undisclosed sum to resolve the data breach class action lawsuit.

Under the terms of the settlement, class members can receive up to $750 for ordinary data breach losses such as credit expenses, communication charges and up to three hours of lost time compensated at a rate of $20 per hour. 

Class members who experienced more significant data breach losses resulting from identity theft, identity fraud, falsified tax returns or other misuse of their information can receive a larger payment of up to $3,000.

All class members who submit a valid claim form will be eligible for two years of free three-bureau credit-monitoring services and up to $1 million in identity theft insurance coverage for certain out-of-pocket expenses related to identity theft.

In addition, the defendant has agreed to implement or maintain “enhanced data security measures,” such as maintaining a policy to encrypt employee and third-party personally identifiable information (PII) and using a third party to conduct a cybersecurity penetration test each year.

The deadline for exclusion and objection was Jan. 29, 2024.

The final approval hearing for the class action lawsuit settlement is scheduled for March 15, 2024.

In order to receive settlement benefits, class members must submit a valid claim form by March 14, 2024.

Who’s Eligible

Individuals who received a notice of the January 2021 data breach from Waste Management.

Potential Award

$3,750

Proof of Purchase

Bank statements, travel records, invoices, account statements, time off requests, tax documents and other documentation. Self-prepared documents on their own are not sufficient proof.

Claim Form

NOTE: If you do not qualify for this settlement do NOT file a claim.

Remember: you are submitting your claim under penalty of perjury. You are also harming other eligible Class Members by submitting a fraudulent claim. If you’re unsure if you qualify, please read the FAQ section of the Settlement Administrator’s website to ensure you meet all standards (Top Class Actions is not a Settlement Administrator). If you don’t qualify for this settlement, check out our database of other open class action settlements you may be eligible for.

Claim Form Deadline

03/14/2024

Case Name

In re: Waste Management Data Breach Litigation, Case No. 1:21-cv-06199-DLC, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

Final Hearing

03/15/2024

Settlement Website

WMDataBreachSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

In re: Waste Management Data Breach Litigation
Settlement Administrator
PO Box 2078
Portland, OR 97208-2078
877-793-4157

Class Counsel

Gayle M Blatt 
CASEY GERRY SCHENK FRANCAVILLA BLATT & PENFIELD LLP

Rachele R Byrd
WOLF HALDENSTEIN ADLER FREEMAN & HERZ LLP

Michael Anderson Berry 
ARNOLD LAW FIRM

Terence Richard Coates
MARKOVITS STOCK & DEMARCO LLC

Defense Counsel

Michelle A Reed
Elizabeth D Scott
Stephanie Lindemuth
AKIN GUMP STRAUSS HAUER & FELD LLP