GOODWILL shoppers are in line to receive one-time payments worth up to $5,500 from a data breach settlement.
In order to qualify for the cash, consumers simply need receipts proving they were impacted by the settlement.
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Metropolitan Employment and Rehabilitation Services, or MERS, Goodwill is a nonprofit operating under the larger Goodwill Industries International network.
Also known as MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries, the organization operates in Missouri and Illinois.
It has recently come under fire, agreeing to a class action lawsuit settlement to resolve claims that a data breach in March 2023 put shopper information at risk, per the settlement website.
MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries failed to protect private consumer information, such as Social Security numbers, during the breach according to the class action lawsuit.
Although the organization did not admit wrongdoing, it agreed to dish out an undisclosed amount of money to resolve the lawsuit.
ARE YOU ELIGIBLE?
The MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries data breach class action settlement benefits those who experienced a compromise of their personal information during the March 2023 security breach.
Many individuals received notice of the data breach when it occurred.
There are several payment tiers in the settlement.
Class members can receive up to $500 for ordinary losses under the settlement terms.
Ordinary losses includes expenses such as unreimbursed fraud or identity theft losses, professional fees, credit monitoring costs, and miscellaneous expenses.
Consumers impacted by the settlement are eligible for compensation for four hours of lost time at a rate of $25 per hour, up to $100.
This is subject to the $500 cap on ordinary loss claims.
Those who faced extraordinary losses due to the data breach are entitled to up to $5,000 in additional compensation for unreimbursed losses.
Class members will need receipts of their monetary losses.
What’s a class-action settlement?
Class action lawsuits offer groups of people, or ‘classes,’ a way to band together in court.
These suits are often brought by one or a few people who allege a company or other entity has wronged a large group of people.
When a suit becomes a class action, it extends to all “class members,” or people who may have similar complaints to those who filed the suit.
Companies often settle class actions – offering payment to class members who typically waive their right to pursue further legal action by accepting money.
These payout agreements frequently include statements by the defendant denying wrongdoing. Companies tend to settle class actions to avoid the costs of further litigation.
Pollution, discrimination, or false advertising are a few examples of what can land a class action on a company’s doorstep.
Class members can opt for a $50 alternative cash payment instead of the ordinary loss, lost time, and extraordinary loss payments.
All class members are entitled to receive two years of free credit monitoring services and identity theft protection under the settlement terms.
KEY DATES
Class members in the MERS Missouri Goodwill Industries data breach class action settlement must keep a few significant dates in mind.
They must submit a valid claim form by July 7, 2025, in order to receive any benefits from the settlement.
Those looking to exclude themselves from or object to the settlement must do so by June 6, 2025.
The final approval hearing for the data breach settlement is set for July 10, 2025.
Americans may qualify for compensation for other class action lawsuits.
They can get up to $7,000 from a $1 million data breach settlement – only one document is needed to get the cash.
Plus, there are just weeks left to claim a direct payment in a $3.1 million “recall” settlement on a popular meat product – only a receipt is needed.
