Personalizationmall.com employee finger scans $4.5M class action settlement

Update:

• The Court granted final approval to this settlement July 20, 2022.
• Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.

Personalizationmall.com, or PMall, has agreed to a $4.5 million class action settlement to resolve claims it violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) with unlawful fingerprint scanners.

The settlement benefits current and former Personalizationmall.com (PMall) employees who used a fingerprint-scanning timekeeping device while working for the company in 2017, 2018 and 2019. 

PMall offers personalized gifts for a number of occasions including graduation, anniversaries, birthdays, house warmings, Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, weddings, retirement and more, according to the company’s website. Shoppers are able to customize gifts for their intended recipient to provide a “thoughtful, fun, and memorable” gift for special occasions.

According to a 2020 class action lawsuit, Personalizationmall used fingerprint scanning devices to clock employees in and out of work. Despite operating in Illinois, the company allegedly failed to follow the state’s regulations regarding biometric privacy.

In Illinois, BIPA regulates the ways companies can collect, store, and share biometric information such as fingerprints, facial scans, eye scans and more. The law requires companies to properly disclose the collection of biometrics, inform how this information will be used, and maintain a public schedule of retention and destruction so consumers know how long their information will be stored. These regulations help protect consumers from the risk of fraud and identity theft.

Former PMall employees claim the company failed to comply with any of these regulations. As a result, they sought damages under BIPA. 

The law allows consumers to collect damages of $1,000 for each negligent violation and $5,000 for each reckless violation. 

PMall hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to resolve these allegations with a $4.5 million settlement deal.

Under the terms of the settlement, class members can receive a cash payment. 

Payment amounts will vary depending on the number of class members who participate in the settlement. For example, if 10% of the 20,393 settlement participants submit valid claims, each class member would receive a payment of $1,428. Similarly, 50% participation would result in payments of $285 to each class member. Actual payments may be higher or lower than these examples. 

The deadline for exclusion and objection is June 13, 2022. 

The final approval hearing for the PMall settlement is scheduled for July 20, 2022.

In order to receive a payment from the settlement, class members must submit a valid claim form by June 13, 2022.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits current and former Personalizationmall.com (PMall) employees who used a fingerprint scanning timekeeping device while working for the company in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

Potential Award

TBD

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase applicable.

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

06/13/2022

Case Name

Williams, et al. v. Personalizationmall.com LLC, Case No. 1:20-cv-00025 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division

Final Hearing

07/20/2022

Settlement Website

PMallFingerveinScanSettlement

Claims Administrator

Analytics Consulting LLC
Williams et al. v. Personalizationmall.com, LLC.
P.O. Box 2006
Chanhassen, MN 55317-2006
855-702-3468

Class Counsel

Thomas M. Ryan
LAW OFFICE OF THOMAS M RYAN PC

James X. Bormes
Catherine P. Sons
LAW OFFICE OF JAMES X BORMES PC

Alejandro Caffarelli
Katherine Stryker
CAFFARELLI & ASSOCIATES LTD

Defense Counsel

Justin Kay and Sophie Gotlieb
FAEGRE DRINKER BIDDLE & REATH LLP