Seafood City Supermarket $300K BIPA Class Action Settlement

Current and former Seafood City Supermarket employees in Illinois who scanned their hand or handprint for timekeeping purposes between Jan. 22, 2019, and May 22, 2024, may be eligible to receive approximately $417 from a class action settlement.

SFC Foods Chicago Inc., d/b/a Seafood City Supermarkets, agreed to pay $300,000 to settle a class action lawsuit. The plaintiff claimed the company collected and used employees’ hand or handprint data for timekeeping without first providing legally required written disclosures or obtaining written consent in violation of the Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act.

Who are the class members?

Class members must meet the following criteria:

• A Seafood City location in Illinois employed them at any time between Jan. 22, 2019, and May 22, 2024.
• Seafood City used their hand, palm, handprint or other biometric identifier to record their time worked.

How much are settlement payments

Cash payment: Eligible class members will receive a cash payment from the net settlement fund estimated at $417.

No claim form required

Class members do not need to file a claim to receive a settlement payment.

Payout options

• Paper check mailed to the address on file

$300,000 BIPA settlement fund

The $300,000 settlement fund will include:

• Settlement administration costs: Up to $10,000
• Attorneys’ fees: Up to $112,500
• Attorneys’ expenses: Up to $3,500
• Service award to class representative: Up to $7,500
• Payments to eligible class members: Remaining settlement funds

Important dates

• Opt-out deadline: June 1, 2026
• Final approval hearing: June 17, 2026

When is the Seafood City BIPA settlement payout date?

The settlement administrator will issue payments to eligible class members approximately 60 days after the court grants final approval of the settlement.

Why did this class action settlement happen?

The class action lawsuit alleged Seafood City collected and used employees’ hand or handprint data for timekeeping without providing required written disclosures or obtaining written consent as mandated by Illinois’ Biometric Information Privacy Act.

Seafood City denies the allegations but agreed to settle to avoid the expense and uncertainty of continued litigation.

Sources

1. Class notice
2. Settlement website
3. Settlement agreement