Emily Sortor  |  July 3, 2020

Category: Legal News

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Two lawyers shake hands.

A combined class action and individual litigation over Harvey Weinstein’s alleged sexual harassment and abuse of dozens of women has ended in a $24 million settlement.

The Weinstein settlement was reached after nearly three years of litigation. Out of the total settlement funds, $19 million will benefit Class Members with class action claims, and $5.4 million will benefit 14 accusers who filed individual claims.

The $19 million will be allocated for a victims’ fund. The proposed Weinsten settlement fund awaits court approval on July 14. It must be approved both by the district court and the bankruptcy court, as the The Weinstein Company is undergoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

Per the terms of the proposed Weinstein settlement, benefits would be offered based on claimants’ willingness to be interviewed about the alleged abuse. Tier One claimants include those who submit a form about the abuse they suffered, and how it has impacted their life. They are also encouraged to provide documentation supporting their claim. Tier One claimants will be eligible for payments between $7,500 and $150,000.

Tier Two claimants must submit documentation in support of the claim in addition to their own statements and interviews. Tier Two claimants are eligible to receive between $7,500 and $750,000 in benefits.

A court-appointed special master will administer the settlement fund, explains Yahoo Entertainment.

Weinstein Settlement Releases Women from Non-Disclosure Agreements

If the terms of the Weinstein settlement are approved, any women who has a non-disclosure agreement with The Weinstein Company regarding Harvey Weinstein’s sexual abuse will be released from that agreement.

A woman participates in a rally.Yahoo Entertainment reported that women in the Harvey Weinstein sex abuse class action lawsuit expressed approval of the settlement, noting that it provides a positive opportunity for women to seek compensation and justice for the abuse they suffered, particularly if the statute of limitations has already run out on their claims.

In a press release, actress and plaintiff Caitlin Dulaney said, “We know it’s not enough and it will never be enough for the women that were harmed. I don’t know if any amount of money is really enough. But the fact that we made it happen, hopefully, says something about preventing these kinds of situations in the future.”

Weinstein was arrested in may 2018, and was convicted of sexual assault and rape. He was acquitted of predatory sexual assault. He had been accused of using his power as a media mogul to sexually assault young women. Allegedly, the abuse began in the 1990s, and spanned two decades.

According to the women, Weinstein would “blacklist” the women if they refused to engage in sexual acts with him. The women had claimed that this blacklisting amounted to a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, but a judge threw out this claim. Other claims under state law were dismissed as untimely under the statute of limitations.

For his part, Weinstein maintained that what the young women called sexual assault was actually a consensual sexual relationship that they later regretted.

Now, Weinstein is serving his 23-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault in a New York facility, while facing other criminal charges across the country in Los Angeles.

Weinstein’s sexual abuse scandals have made one of the biggest headlines of the #MeToo era, explains NPR, in which many women came forward to expose what they say is a pervasive culture of sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual abuse in the entertainment industry and other industries.

The Harvey Weinstein Sexual Assault Class Action Lawsuit is Geiss, et al. v. The Weinstein Company Holdings LLC, et al., Case No. 1:17-cv-09554, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

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This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.

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