Mid-America Taping & Reeling fingerprint timeclocks $151K class action settlement

Mid-America Taping & Reeling agreed to pay $151,000 to resolve claims that it violated biometric privacy laws with fingerprint time clocks.

The settlement benefits individuals who used a Mid-America Taping & Reeling fingerprint-scan timekeeping system in Illinois on or after Oct. 23, 2013.

Mid-America Taping & Reeling manufactures and distributes tape and reel services to the electronic industry. According to the company’s website, Mid-America has been providing these services since 1983.

According to a class action lawsuit against the tape and reel manufacturer, Mid-America violated the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) with fingerprint timekeeping systems. The company allegedly gathered and stored this sensitive information without getting proper consent and without providing the disclosures required by Illinois state law.

BIPA is an Illinois privacy law that provides protection for biometric information such as fingerprints, facial geometry scans and more. Under BIPA, businesses are required to make clear disclosures when gathering, storing and sharing biometric information. The law also requires businesses to make their information retention schedule public so consumers know how long their biometric data is being held.

Mid-America Taping & Reeling allegedly failed to follow these guidelines when using fingerprint timekeeping devices. Employees of the company say their privacy rights were violated and argued that the company should provide damages for these alleged violations.

The company hasn’t admitted any wrongdoing but agreed to a $151,000 class action settlement to resolve these claims.

Under the terms of the Mid-America Taping & Reeling settlement, class members can receive a cash payment. Payments will vary depending on the number of participating class members. Each class member will receive an equal share of the net settlement fund, with payments estimated to be between $400 and $500. Exact payments may be higher or lower than this range.

Mid-America Taping & Reeling has agreed to provide prospective relief as part of the settlement. The company no longer uses fingerprint scans for timekeeping purposes, meaning that BIPA violations are no longer a concern for employees.

The deadline for exclusion and objection is Nov. 18, 2022. 

The final approval hearing for the Mid-America Taping & Reeling settlement is scheduled for Dec. 1, 2022.

No claim form is required to benefit from the settlement. Class members who do not exclude themselves will automatically receive settlement benefits.

Who’s Eligible

Individuals who used a Mid-America Taping & Reeling fingerprint scan timekeeping system in Illinois on or after Oct. 23, 2013.

Potential Award

$400 – $500

Proof of Purchase

No proof of purchase applicable

Exclusion Request 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

No claim form applicable

Case Name

Vega v. Mid-America Taping & Reeling Inc., Case No. 2019-CH-1136 in the Circuit Court of DuPage County, Illinois

Final Hearing

12/01/2022

Settlement Website

MidAmericaBIPASettlement.com

Claims Administrator

Mid-America BIPA Settlement
P.O. Box 2002
Chanhassen, MN 55317-2002
info@MidAmericaBIPASettlement.com
866-499-3237

Class Counsel

Timothy P Kingsbury
MCGUIRE LAW PC

Kasif Khowaja
THE KHOWAJA LAW FIRM LLC

James X Bormes
LAW OFFICE OF JAMES X BORMES PC

Defense Counsel

Jamie Filipovic
O’HAGEN MEYER LLC