You got a notice because records show you work or used to work for a poultry company that was sued in this lawsuit. Some poultry companies agreed to pay $217.25 million in settlements to stop this lawsuit.

You may be part of the group of people affected, called the “Class.” The Court will hold a hearing on [Month 00, 2024] to decide if it will approve the settlements. Your rights may be affected.

Read this information to see if you are part of the lawsuit and learn more about the settlements and your choices. Then, decide if you need to take any action.

This lawsuit says that some poultry companies talked to each other about how much to pay their workers in a way that was against the law and allowed them to pay workers less money than they should have.

Several workers sued the poultry companies that they say did this. The people who sued – and the people like them - are called the “Plaintiffs.” The poultry companies they sued are called the “Defendants.” The Defendants say they did nothing wrong.

You need to decide if you want to:

This lawsuit is called Jien v. Perdue Farms, No. 1:19-cv002521.

This lawsuit is in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland.

The judge in this lawsuit is Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher.

In a class action lawsuit, one or more people sue on behalf of a larger group. The people who represent the group are called “Class Representatives.” The whole group of people is called a “Class.” Individual people in the class are called “Class Members.”

The people who represent this class are Judy Jien, Kieo Jibidi, Elaisa Clement, Glenda Robinson, and Emily Earnest.

The Defendants in this lawsuit are:

• Agri Stats
• Allen Harim
• Amick Farms
• Butterball
• Cargill Meat Solutions
• Case (Case Farms, LLC and Case Foods, Inc.)
• Fieldale Farms
• Foster Farms
• George’s (George’s, Inc. and George’s Foods, LLC)
• Jennie-O Turkey Store
• Keystone Foods
• Koch Foods
• Mountaire Farms
• O.K. Foods
• Peco Foods
• Perdue (Perdue Farms, Inc. and Perdue Foods, Inc.)
• Pilgrim’s Pride
• Sanderson Farms
• Simmons Foods
• Tyson Foods
• Wayne Farms
• Webber, Meng, Sahl and Company (“WMS”)

Click here to see if the place you worked at is on the list.

This is a list of the Defendants who have settled and the amount they are paying the classes:

• Pilgrim: $29,000,000.00
• Perdue: $60,650,000.00
• Sanderson: $38,300,000.00
• Wayne: $31,500,000.00
• Mountaire: $13,500,000.00
• Cargill: $15,000,000.00
• Simmons: $12,000,000.00
• Peco: $3,000,000.00
• George’s: $5,800,000.00
• Case: $8,500,000.00

One additional defendant, WMS, has settled without payment to the class but has provided cooperation to the benefit of the classes and named plaintiffs.

The Court has not decided who is right. Instead, both sides agreed to settle. A settlement is an agreement to stop the lawsuit. That way, it avoids the cost of a trial, and the people in the class will get money. The class representatives and the attorneys think the settlement is best.

You are in the class if you:

• Worked at any of the Defendants’ poultry processing complexes, plants, hatcheries, and feed mills,
• In the United States,
• from January 1, 2000 until July 20, 2021.

However, if you only worked for Pilgrim’s Pride, George’s, and/or George’s Foods, you are only part of the class if you worked in poultry processing plants in the United States from January 1, 2009 until July 20, 2021. Employees of these three Defendants who only worked in poultry hatcheries and feed mills are not a part of the class.

If you got a postcard or email notice, records show you are in the class.

If you did not get postcard or email notice, you may still be in the class:

• Click here to see if the records show you are a class member.
• If your name is not in the records, click here to see if your employer or the place you worked at is on the list.

The Settlement Administrator reserves the right to ask Class Members and anyone who seeks to participate in the Class to provide additional documentation. You understand participation in these settlements may be denied if you are unable to provide adequate documentation if asked to do so.

Still not sure? Get free help:

• Call 1-800-000-0000
• Email [XXXX]
• Write to [ADDRESS]

If the Court approves the settlements, you will get money. Defendants will pay $217,250,000 total. This money will be paid pro rata to class members, depending on the amount of money each class member earned during the class periods. This is why it is important that you make sure the information we have for you is correct.

This money will be used to pay:

• Money to class members (see Question 16),

• Attorneys’ fees up to 33.33% of the settlements ($72,409,425) plus interest earned on that amount, and costs up to $8.5 million,

• $XXXX Notice and administration costs, and

• An $30,000 award to each class representative.

Defendants also will cooperate with the lawsuit.

At this time, it is not known how much money you will get. Money will be paid proportionally (or pro rata) to class members. The amount of money you get will depend on:

• How many people are in the class,
• How long you worked for the Defendant(s),
• How much money you made, and
• The amount of money the Court approves for costs, fees, and awards.

This is why it is important that you make sure the information we have for you is correct.

To update or change your contact, employment, and earnings information, you can:

• Click here to search for your information in the records. When your information appears, you can update or change your contact, employment, and/or earnings information.
• Call 1-800-000-0000.
• Email XXXXX.

If you give personal information to make sure you get the correct payment, your information will be treated as confidential. The Court decided that any information you will only be used by the claims administrator and cannot be given to anyone else without a Court order.

You will get paid after the settlements are approved and any appeals end. This process can take time. Please check this website for updates.

If you stay in the class (and if you do nothing), you may get money. But, you will also “release” or give up all the claims made in this lawsuit. That means you cannot sue the Defendants on your own for these same claims.

These claims you are giving up are described in documents called “Settlement Agreements.” They are available here.

Opting out means to leave the class. You can opt out of the class if you want to sue the Defendants on your own about the claims in this lawsuit with your own lawyer. You will not get money from the settlements, and you will not be able to object to the settlements. This lawsuit will not affect you if you opt out.

To opt out, you must mail a letter to the Settlement Administrator by [Month 00, 2024]. You may opt out of one, more than one, or all the settlements.

Your letter must include:

• Your name,
• Your address,
• Your notice ID number (if you have one),
• A sentence saying, “I want to opt out from the class in Jien v. Perdue Farms.” If you only want to opt-out of some settlements, write the name(s) of those Defendant(s), and
• Your signature (you must sign the letter).

You must mail your opt out request postmarked no later than [Month 00, 2024], to:

No. If you opt out, you will not get money from the settlements.

Objecting is when you tell the Court that you don’t like something about the settlements. You give reasons why you think the Court should not approve it. The Court will consider your views. You can hire your own lawyer to help you, but you don’t have to.

To object, you must mail a letter to the Court. Your letter must include:

• Your name,
• Your address,
• Your telephone number,
• Your notice ID number (if you have one),
• The reason(s) you object to the settlements,
• Your lawyer’s name (if you have one),
• A statement saying that you object to Jien v. Perdue Farms,
• A statement saying if you (or your lawyer) want to speak at the hearing, and
• Your signature (you must sign the letter).

You must mail your objection postmarked no later than [Month 00, 2024] to these two addresses:

No. The judge cannot change the settlement terms. She can only approve or not approve the settlements as they are. If the judge agrees with your objection, she may not approve the settlements.

No. You cannot object if you opt out. Only class members can object to the settlements. If you opt out, you will no longer be in the class.

Yes. The judge assigned lawyers from three law firms to represent you and the other class members in this lawsuit. The law firms are Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro LLP; Handley Farah & Anderson PLLC; and Cohen Milstein Sellers & Toll PLLC. These lawyers are called “Class Counsel.”

You will not be charged for these lawyers, and you can contact them for free. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you can hire one, but you may have to pay them.

No. Class Counsel will ask the judge for attorneys’ fees up to 33.33% of the settlements ($72,409,425) plus interest earned on that amount and costs up to $8.5 million. They have not been paid yet for their work on this lawsuit.

Class Counsel will also ask the judge for a $30,000 award for each of the class representatives. Awards are given to the class representatives for their help. If the judge approves any attorneys’ fees and costs or service awards, the settlements will pay them.

The judge will hold a hearing to decide if it will approve these settlements. The judge’s decision after the hearing will affect the rights of all class members. The settlements will only go into effect if the judge approves them. If you wish, you may attend the hearing.

The hearing is scheduled for [Month 00, 2024] at X:00 x.m., at:

At the hearing, the Court will consider if it will approve the settlements. The Court may consider any objections at that time. The judge will listen to people who have asked to speak at the hearing. The Court may decide how much it wants to pay Class Counsel and the class representatives.

After the hearing, the Court will decide whether to approve the settlements. We do not know how long this decision will take.

No. You do not have to come to the hearing, but you are welcome to come at your own cost.

If you mail a written objection to the Court on time, the judge will consider it. This is true even if you do not come to Court to talk about it.

You may also pay your own lawyer to attend, but you do not have to.

Yes. You may ask for permission to talk at the hearing. To ask to speak, you must mail a letter to the Court by [Month 00, 2024].

Your letter must include:

• Your name,
• Your address,
• Your telephone number,
• A statement saying that you (or your lawyer) want to speak in Jien v. Perdue Farms, and
• Your signature (you must sign the letter).

You must mail your letter postmarked no later than [Month 00, 2024] to these two addresses:

Your choices are to:

• Stay in the class and get money.

• If you got a notice in the mail or by email: Do nothing. You will get money. You can update and add your contact, employment and earnings information here to make sure your money gets to you.

• If you did not get a notice by mail or email: Fill out the participation form here to ask for money.

• Stay in the class and object to the settlements and/or ask to speak at the hearing.

• Opt out of the class.

This chart shows the effects of each choice:

This notice is a summary. More details and documents about the settlements can be found here.

You can also get court documents online on the Court Electronic Records (PACER) system or by visiting the Clerk’s office of the Court (address below). If you have more questions:

• Call: 1-800-000-0000
• Email: XXXX
• Write to: Poultry Wages Settlement, c/o A.B. Data, Ltd., PO Box 0000, Milwaukee, WI 53217

What else can I find on this website?

• A tool to check if you are in the class.
• A tool to check and update your contact information.
• A tool to see if the place you worked at is on the list.
• A participation form (if you aren’t sure if you need one, click here for more information).
• Important case documents.
• Contact information.

Resource List