MVP, Gold Standard Baking, Vee Pak racial discrimination $3.4M class action settlement

UPDATE:

• This class action settlement is paying out up to $350 as of May 2023.
• Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got paid!

MVP Staffing and Gold Standard Baking agreed to pay over $3.4 million as part of a lawsuit settlement to resolve claims they subjected African Americans to racial discrimination.

The settlement benefits African American laborers who sought work assignments through MVP to work at Gold Standard Baking but were not assigned work at this location when a position was available between Feb. 27, 2011, and Dec. 31, 2014.

The settlement includes a subclass of African American laborers who sought work assignments through MVP to work at Vee Pak but were not assigned work at this location when a position was available between Jan. 1, 2011, and Oct. 21, 2013.

According to the class action lawsuits against MVP Staffing, Gold Standard Baking and Vee Pak, the companies discriminated against African American workers by not assigning them to work at GSB or Vee Pak.

MVP Staffing is a work placement company that helps its clients by directing workers to their open positions.

Gold Standard Baking and MVP agreed to pay $2.365 million to resolve the GSB claims against them. MVP agreed to pay an additional $135,000 to resolve the Vee Pak allegations.

Under the terms of the racial discrimination lawsuit settlement, class members can receive a cash payment of up to $5,000. Exact payments will vary depending on the number of claims filed. The more claims filed with the settlement, the smaller each payment will be.

Although MVP has set aside funds for the Vee Pak discrimination lawsuit settlement, these claims are still pending and will not result in payments until either the remaining defendants settle these allegations or a verdict is reached at trial. However, class members who wish to benefit from MVP’s partial settlement must still submit a claim with the settlement administrator and answer “Yes” to questions 1 and 2(b).

The deadline for exclusion and objection is March 6, 2023.

The final approval hearings for the settlement are scheduled for April 4, 2023, and April 7, 2023. Each hearing will grant final approval to a resolved class action lawsuit.

In order to receive a settlement payment, class members must submit a valid claim form by March 6, 2023.

Who’s Eligible

African American laborers who sought work assignments through MVP to work at Gold Standard Baking but were not assigned work at this location when a position was available between Feb. 27, 2011, and Dec. 31, 2014.

MVP Subclass: African American laborers who sought work assignments through MVP to work at Vee Pak but were not assigned work at this location when a position was available between Jan. 1, 2011, and Oct. 21, 2013.

Potential Award

$5,000

Proof of Purchase

N/A

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

03/06/2023

Case Name

Zollicoffer, et al. v. Gold Standard Baking Inc., et al., Case No. 1:13-cv-01524, and Eagle, et al. v. Vee Pak Inc., et al., Case No. 12-cv-09672, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Final Hearing

04/04/2023 (GSB Case)
04/07/2023 (Vee Pak Case)

Settlement Website

mvpsettlement.com

Claims Administrator

MVP/Gold Standard Baking Class
c/o Atticus Administration
PO Box 64053
St. Paul, MN 55164
MVPSettlement@atticusadmin.com
888-212-3832

Class Counsel

Christopher J. Williams
NATIONAL LEGAL ADVOCACY NETWORK

Joseph Sellers
Harini Srinivasan
COHEN MILSTEIN SELLERS & TOLL PLLC

Christopher Wilmes
Caryn Lederer
HUGHES SOCOL PIERS RESNICK & DYM LTD

Defense Counsel

PAUL HASTINGS LLP

HANNAFAN & HANNAFAN LTD

LANER MUCHIN LTD