Kronos fingerprint time clocks $15M class action settlement

UPDATE 3:

• This class action settlement is paying out $47.23 in a third round of payments.

UPDATE 2:

• This class action settlement is paying out $140.
• Congratulations to everyone who filed a claim and got paid!

UPDATE: 

• Final approval was granted for this class action settlement on Dec. 20, 2022.

• Let Top Class Actions know when you receive a check in the comments section below or on our Facebook page.

Kronos agreed to pay over $15 million as part of a class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims its fingerprint time clocks violated Illinois privacy laws.

The settlement benefits individuals who scanned their fingers on a Kronos-brand time clock at their job in Illinois between Jan. 18, 2014, and March 20, 2022. Eligible workers may have received a settlement notice in the mail or via email. Class members who are uncertain if their job uses a Kronos-brand system can contact the settlement administrator. 

Kronos is a timekeeping company that offers solutions to employers around the country. In 2020, Kronos merged with Ultimate Software to form UKG, Ultimate Kronos Group, according to NetNetWeb.

According to a 2019 class action lawsuit, Kronos failed to comply with Illinois laws while providing fingerprint time clocks to employers in the state. Kronos allegedly provides services to thousands of employers in Illinois including Mariano’s, Chicago Lakeshore Hospital, Smith Senior Living, Southwest Airlines, Speedway and more.

Plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit claim that, while providing services to these and other employers, Kronos failed to comply with regulations under the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). BIPA requires companies to get written consent, provide strict disclosures and provide other information when collecting and storing biometrics such as fingerprints. 

Kronos allegedly fails on all these counts.

“[Kronos] disregards these obligations and Illinois employees’ statutory rights and instead unlawfully collects, stores, uses, and disseminates employees’ biometric identifiers and information without ever receiving the individual’s informed written consent required by BIPA,” the biometric privacy class action lawsuit contends.

Kronos hasn’t admitted to any wrongdoing under BIPA but agreed to pay $15,276,227 to resolve these allegations.

Under the terms of the Kronos fingerprint time clocks settlement, class members can receive an equal share of the settlement fund. Exact payments will vary depending on the number of claims filed with the settlement, but each class member is estimated to receive payments between $290 and $580.

If any funds remain in the settlement after the first round of distribution, remaining money will be donated to Legal Aid Chicago and the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois to represent workers’ rights and protect Illinoisians’ privacy rights. No residual funds will revert to Kronos.

In addition to providing cash payments, Kronos has agreed to notify its clients they must obtain written consent from employees before using their fingerprints for timekeeping through Kronos’ biometric time clocks. These notifications will help Kronos and its clients avoid further BIPA violations.

The deadline for exclusion or objection is Dec. 8, 2022. 

The final approval hearing for the Kronos fingerprint time clocks lawsuit settlement is scheduled for Dec. 20, 2022.

In order to receive settlement benefits, class members must submit a valid claim form by Dec. 6, 2022.

Who’s Eligible

The settlement benefits individuals who scanned their fingers on a Kronos-brand time clock at their job in Illinois between Jan. 18, 2014, and March 20, 2022. Eligible workers may have received a settlement notice in the mail or via email. Class members who are uncertain if their job uses a Kronos-brand system can contact the settlement administrator.

Potential Award

TBD

Proof of Purchase

Proof of purchase not 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

12/06/2022

Case Name

Figueroa v. Kronos Inc, Case No. 1:19-CV-01306, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division

Final Hearing

12/20/2022

Settlement Website

KronosBIPASettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Kroll Settlement Administration LLC
PO Box 5324
New York, NY 10150-5324
info@kronosbipasettlement.com
833-620-3585

Class Counsel

Jay Edelson
J Eli Wade-Scott
EDELSON PC

Ryan F Stephan
James B Zouras
STEPHAN ZOURAS LLP

Defense Counsel

Melissa A Siebert
Erin Bolan Hines
Maveric Ray Searle
SHOOK HARDY & BACON LLP

Debra Bernard
PERKINS COIE LLP