Apple Employee Bag Security Check $30M Class Action Settlement

Update:

• Final approval of this settlement was granted Aug. 13, 2022.
• Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.

Apple will pay nearly $30 million as part of a class action lawsuit settlement resolving claims it violated California law with its employee security bag check policy.

The settlement benefits non-exempt employees who worked at an Apple retail store in California between July 25, 2009, and Dec. 26, 2015. 

Court documents indicate 14,683 workers are included in this settlement Class.

Apple is a massive tech company responsible for popular products such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs. Consumers can buy these products in-store at locations across the country, including 54 stores in the company’s home state of California. 

These locations may provide more than Apple products for customers — they may also generate labor law violations for employees.

Apple employees filed a class action lawsuit against the tech giant in 2013, alleging violations of California labor law. According to the workers, Apple required them to undergo unpaid security bag checks before leaving the workplace. The Apple employees argued that they should have been paid for these checks since they were required as a part of their job. The company reportedly put an end to its security bag checks in December 2015.

The road hasn’t been easy for the Apple employee-plaintiffs. In 2015, the Northern District of California dismissed the case. However, after appealing the decision, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals revived the Apple bag check class action lawsuit. At the same time, the court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs when it found that Apple must pay employees for bag checks.

Apple hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to resolve these class action claims with a $29.9 million settlement.

Under the terms of the settlement, Class Members will be able to recover a cash payment. Settlement documents note that members of the Class are owed an average of $800 in unpaid wages based on the assumption that security bag checks took five minutes every day. 

According to the settlement agreement, average settlement payments are estimated to be $1,286.96. Payments will vary depending on the number of shifts worked during the Class Period.

The deadline for exclusion from and objection to the proposed Apple employee security bag check settlement is April 26, 2022. 

The final approval hearing for the settlement is scheduled for July 7, 2022. The deadline for objection to final approval is July 5, 2022.

No claim form is required to benefit from the settlement. Payments will be automatically distributed to Class Members who do not opt out.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits non-exempt employees who worked at an Apple retail store in California between July 25, 2009, and Dec. 26, 2015.

Potential Award

Varies

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase applicable.

Claim Form

No claim form required.

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.

Exclusion/Objection Deadline

04/25/2022

Case Name

Amanda Frlekin, et al. v. Apple Inc., Case No. 13-cv-03451-WHA, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California

Final Hearing

07/07/2022

Settlement Website

AppleBagCheckSettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Angeion Group, Inc.
1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Info@AppleBagCheckSettlement.com
844-844-3203

Class Counsel

Lee Shalov
Brett Gallaway
Jason Scott Giaimo
McLAUGHLIN & STERN LLP

Kimberly A. Kralowec
Kathleen Styles Rogers
KRALOWEC LAW PC

Defense Counsel

Julie Dunne
Matthew Riley
Vani Parti
DLA PIPER LLP

Mandy Chan
Andrea Ortega
DLA PIPER LLP