Case Information
Ramos v. Puma North America, Inc.
In The United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois Eastern Division
Case No. 21-cv-03192
About This Case
UPDATE: Settlement Payments via checks were issued and sent to Class Members on October 16, 2023 by U.S. Mail. It will take a few days, or potentially weeks, for checks to arrive by mail. Settlement Payments via electronic payment methods (Venmo, PayPal, or Zelle) will be issued and sent to Class Members on October 23, 2023.
IF YOU USED A FINGER-SCANNING TIME CLOCK AT A PUMA STORE IN ILLINOIS BETWEEN MARCH 1, 2016 AND MAY 3, 2023, A CLASS ACTION SETTLEMENT MAY AFFECT YOUR RIGHTS.
This is an official court notice. You are not being sued. This is not an ad for a lawyer.
A Settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit between PUMA North America, Inc. (“Defendant” or “PUMA”) and some of its current and former Illinois employees. The suit claims that PUMA violated an Illinois law called the Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) by collecting employees’ biometric data through finger-scanning time clocks in Illinois without obtaining their informed written consent. PUMA strongly denies any wrongdoing or that it violated any laws. The Court has not made any findings of wrongdoing against PUMA. The Settlement does not establish who is right or wrong, but rather is a compromise to end the lawsuit and avoid the uncertainties and expenses that come with continuing on in Court.
You are included in the Settlement if you are a current or former employee of PUMA who used a finger scanner at a PUMA facility in the State of Illinois between March 1, 2016 and May 3, 2023. Some exceptions to participating apply. If you received a notice of this Settlement in the mail or by e-mail, our records indicate that you are a Settlement Class member and are included in the Settlement.
If you’re eligible and the Court approves the Settlement, a settlement payment will automatically be sent to you for approximately $740.00, which is an equal share of the $179,200.00 Settlement Fund that PUMA agreed to create, after any Court-approved payment of settlement expenses, attorneys’ fees, and any incentive award. If you do nothing, a check will be mailed to you at your last known address. You can request to update your address here. If instead of a check you would prefer to receive your payment through Venmo, Zelle, or PayPal, click here, where you may select your preferred payment method. In addition to the settlement payments PUMA has also agreed to comply with BIPA in the future.
Please read this notice carefully. Your legal rights are affected whether you act, or don’t act.
CLASS MEMBERS’ LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS IN THIS SETTLEMENT
DO NOTHING | You will receive a payment under the Settlement and give up your rights to sue Defendant about the issues in this case. |
EXCLUDE YOURSELF | You will receive no payment, but you will retain any rights you currently have to sue Defendant about the issues in this case. |
OBJECT | Write to the Court explaining why you don’t like the Settlement. |
ATTEND A HEARING | Ask to speak in Court about the fairness of the Settlement. |
These rights and options—and the deadlines to exercise them—are explained in this notice.
The Court in charge of this case still has to decide whether to approve the Settlement. Payments will be provided only after any issues with the Settlement are resolved. Please be patient.
Important Dates