If the proposed $1.275 million Schenker background check settlement is ever approved, the roughly 29,600 job applicants it covers would not have to file anything — checks would be mailed automatically. The obstacle is getting there. A federal judge has twice declined to grant preliminary approval, ruled on a third attempt on August 10, 2026, and that order had not been made public as of September 27, 2026. Until it is, there is no settlement website, no notice and nothing to do.
Status: Pending preliminary approval | Latest order August 10, 2026 (not yet public) | No claim form planned | No website or deadlines announced
The Legal Claim: One Form, One Purpose
The case is Wickham v. Schenker, Inc., No. 5:23-cv-00946-PCP, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, before U.S. District Judge P. Casey Pitts. It was first filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court in 2019 and removed to federal court on March 2, 2023.
The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires an employer that runs a background check on an applicant to give a disclosure that is a standalone document. The lawsuit alleges that Schenker, a logistics company, used disclosure forms that bundled in extra material, such as state-law notices, in violation of that requirement. Schenker denies the allegations and any liability.
Who the Proposed Class Covers
The proposed class is everyone living in the United States who applied for a job with Schenker, Inc. between November 20, 2014 and February 28, 2022, and about whom Schenker obtained a consumer report such as a background check. The filings put the class at about 29,628 people.
The end date is deliberate. The class period stops the day before Schenker began using a revised disclosure form that class counsel says complies with the law, so applicants screened after that switch are outside the case.
Two Denials and a Third Try
The parties agreed to settle after a November 2024 mediation. Approval has been slow ever since.
| November 2024 | Mediation produces a $1,275,000 settlement |
| April 11, 2025 | Court denies preliminary approval |
| August 6, 2025 | Renewed motion filed (ECF No. 98); it did not win approval |
| January 12, 2026 | Second renewed motion filed (ECF No. 107) |
| April 16, 2026 | Hearing on the second renewed motion |
| August 10, 2026 | Court issues an order on the settlement motion; not publicly available as of September 27, 2026 |
In the April 2025 denial, the court raised four concerns: the scope of the release class members would give up, the charity chosen to receive leftover money, the fee request, and whether every class member has standing to sue in federal court. Those issues are the ones the later motions had to answer. Because the August 10 order has not been released, it is not known whether it finally granted preliminary approval or sent the parties back again.
Where the $1.275 Million Would Go
Under the terms in the January 2026 filing, several items would come out of the fund before class members see anything, each subject to the court’s approval:
| Attorneys’ fees | Up to one-third of the fund ($425,000) |
| Litigation costs | Up to $24,000 |
| Administration | Estimated $73,000, for administrator Simpluris |
| Service award | $7,500 |
The remainder would be divided equally among class members who do not opt out. Class counsel estimated the average payment at about $25.16. That figure is an estimate in a court filing and depends on the court approving both the deal and its fee terms; a smaller fee award, for example, would change it.
How the Automatic Payments Would Work
No claim form is planned. Checks would be mailed automatically and would be valid for 180 days. Money from checks that go uncashed would be redistributed in a second round to class members who cashed their first check. Anything left after that would go to the Electronic Privacy Information Center, a privacy nonprofit.
What Would Happen After Approval
If the August 10, 2026 order granted preliminary approval, the administrator would send notice by email or mail. Class members would then have 60 days from the notice to opt out or object, and a final approval hearing would follow. Payments would come only after final approval.
If the court denied approval a third time, the parties could revise the agreement again or return to litigating the case. As of September 27, 2026, OpenClassActions.com could not verify any settlement website or deadline. The Schenker settlement status page on OpenClassActions.com will be updated when the order or an official notice becomes available, and the case filings are on the court docket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is covered by the proposed Schenker settlement?
People living in the United States who applied for a job with Schenker, Inc. between November 20, 2014 and February 28, 2022, and about whom Schenker obtained a consumer report such as a background check. The filings put the class at about 29,628 people.
Do I need to file a claim?
No claim form is planned. Under the proposed terms, the net fund would be split equally and checks mailed automatically to class members who do not opt out.
How much would each person receive?
Class counsel estimated an average payment of about $25.16 after fees, costs, administration and a service award. It is an estimate and depends on the court approving the settlement and its fee terms.
Has the Schenker settlement been approved?
Not as far as can be confirmed. The court denied preliminary approval in April 2025, a renewed motion in August 2025 did not win approval, and the court issued an order on a second renewed motion on August 10, 2026 that was not public as of September 27, 2026.
Is there a settlement website or deadline?
None had been verified as of September 27, 2026. Notice would go out only after preliminary approval, and class members would then have 60 days from notice to opt out or object.
Sources
- Docket — Wickham v. Schenker, Inc., No. 5:23-cv-00946 (N.D. Cal.), via CourtListener.
- Second renewed motion for preliminary approval (ECF No. 107, January 12, 2026).
- Renewed motion for preliminary approval (ECF No. 98, August 6, 2025).
- OpenClassActions.com — Schenker $1.275M Background Check Settlement Awaits Approval After Two Rejections.
Source and credit: this report builds on our sister site’s coverage — OpenClassActions.com: Schenker $1.275M Background Check Settlement Awaits Approval After Two Rejections — which follows the case and is updated as new filings, orders and payment news come in.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. OpenClassActions.org is a consumer news site, not a law firm and not the settlement administrator, and is not affiliated with any party to the case described. The allegations are allegations; unless a court has ruled, the defendants deny wrongdoing and no court has decided the merits. Deadlines, benefit amounts and payment timing can change as the court and the administrator act, so confirm current status on the official settlement website. You never need to pay anyone to file a claim or to receive a settlement payment.