Target Corporation has agreed to pay up to $2.225 million to settle allegations that it failed to include required pay ranges and benefits information in its Washington State job postings. The lawsuit, Brinkman v. Target Corporation (King County Superior Court, Case No. 24-2-25091-3 SEA), claims the retail giant violated Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act by posting jobs without the specific wage scales, salary ranges, and benefits descriptions the law demands. If you applied for a Target job in Washington between January 1, 2023, and July 26, 2025, you may be eligible for a minimum payout of $1,711.93, and possibly more depending on how many people file valid claims.
Target has not admitted any wrongdoing. The company agreed to the settlement to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation, a common move in class action cases that should not be read as an admission of guilt. The settlement is currently awaiting final approval, with a hearing scheduled for May 5, 2026, before Judge Michael R. Scott. The claim deadline is March 31, 2026, so affected applicants have a limited window to act.
Table of Contents
- What Are the Allegations in the Target Washington Pay Transparency Settlement?
- What Does Target Deny and Why Did It Settle Anyway?
- How Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act Changed Job Posting Rules
- How to File a Claim and What You Could Receive
- Common Pitfalls and Limitations of Pay Transparency Settlements
- How This Settlement Fits Into the Broader Pay Transparency Movement
- What This Means for Future Job Applicant Rights
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Allegations in the Target Washington Pay Transparency Settlement?
Three plaintiffs — Landon Brinkman, Meghan McClendon, and Nicole Yount — filed this lawsuit on behalf of a class of job applicants who say target posted open positions in washington State without including the compensation details required by the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. The EPOA, which took effect on January 1, 2023, requires every employer with 15 or more employees to disclose the wage scale or salary range, a general description of benefits, and other compensation offered for each posted position. Target, with hundreds of thousands of employees nationwide, clearly meets that threshold. The key issue is specificity. Washington’s law requires concrete pay ranges — something like “$18.50–$22.00 per hour” or “$60,000–$80,000 per year.” Open-ended language such as “$60,000 and up” or “up to $29/hour” does not satisfy the requirement.
The plaintiffs allege that Target’s job postings during the class period either omitted salary information entirely or failed to provide it in the specific format the law demands. For a company that regularly hires for hundreds of positions across its Washington locations, even a systemic formatting issue in job postings could affect thousands of applicants. It is worth noting that this is not a wage theft case. No one is alleging that Target underpaid workers. The claim is narrower: that the company’s job postings themselves did not comply with the state’s disclosure requirements, depriving applicants of the pay information they were legally entitled to see before applying.
What Does Target Deny and Why Did It Settle Anyway?
Target has not acknowledged that it violated the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. The company has not admitted any wrongdoing, liability, or fault. In its settlement agreement, Target made clear that it consented to the resolution solely to avoid the expense, distraction, and uncertainty of further litigation. This is standard language in class action settlements and does not indicate guilt or innocence either way. However, the fact that Target chose to settle rather than fight the case in court tells us something about the legal landscape. Washington’s EPOA carries real teeth.
Employers who violate the law can face statutory damages, and when you multiply even modest per-applicant penalties across thousands of job postings and applicants, the potential liability adds up quickly. For a company like Target, settling for up to $2.225 million may simply be the more predictable and cost-effective path compared to a trial with uncertain outcomes. If Target had lost at trial, the damages could have been significantly higher, and the company would have been saddled with an adverse ruling that could invite additional lawsuits. That said, applicants should not assume the settlement validates every allegation. Courts approve settlements based on whether they are fair, reasonable, and adequate — not on whether the defendant actually broke the law. The final approval hearing on May 5, 2026, will determine whether this settlement meets that standard.
How Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act Changed Job Posting Rules
Washington’s EPOA was one of the most aggressive pay transparency laws in the country when it took effect on January 1, 2023. The law requires employers with 15 or more employees to include the wage scale or salary range, a general description of all benefits, and a description of other compensation in every job posting. It applies to positions that will be performed in Washington or that could be performed by someone based in Washington, which sweeps in remote job listings as well. The law also goes beyond just job postings.
It prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who discuss their wages, ask about pay ranges, or file complaints about violations. This anti-retaliation provision is designed to ensure workers can actually exercise their transparency rights without fear of being fired or disciplined. Notably, the strictness of the original law created significant compliance challenges. So many lawsuits were filed against employers — Target’s case being just one example — that Washington legislators amended the EPOA in 2025 to add a grace period allowing employers to cure non-compliant job postings before facing legal action. That amendment came too late for this case, which covers the period from January 1, 2023, through July 26, 2025, but it signals that lawmakers recognized the original enforcement framework was generating more litigation than some businesses could reasonably handle.
How to File a Claim and What You Could Receive
The settlement fund ranges between $1,463,183.85 and $2,225,000. Each eligible claimant is guaranteed a minimum payment of $1,711.93, but the actual amount could be higher if fewer people file valid claims. This is a common dynamic in class action settlements: the fewer people who claim, the more money each claimant receives. In some settlements, final payouts end up being double or triple the minimum estimate when claim rates are low. To be eligible, you must have applied for a Target job in Washington State between January 1, 2023, and July 26, 2025, where the posting did not include the required pay and benefits disclosures.
You can file a claim through the official settlement website at epoasettlement-jan-02-2026.com. If you have questions, you can contact the settlement administrator at info@EPOASettlement-Jan-02-2026.com or by calling 833-647-9003. The claim deadline is March 31, 2026, and late claims are typically not accepted regardless of circumstances. One important tradeoff: by filing a claim and accepting payment, you will release your individual legal claims against Target related to these job posting violations. If you believe your damages exceed what the settlement offers — for instance, if you can demonstrate that the lack of pay transparency caused you specific financial harm — you may want to consult an attorney about opting out and pursuing your own case. For most applicants, though, the guaranteed minimum of $1,711.93 without the need to prove individual damages is a reasonable outcome.
Common Pitfalls and Limitations of Pay Transparency Settlements
One limitation that catches people off guard is the eligibility window. This settlement only covers job applications submitted between January 1, 2023, and July 26, 2025. If you applied for a Target job in Washington before or after that period, you are not part of this class. The start date aligns with when the EPOA took effect, and the end date presumably corresponds to when Target began complying with the posting requirements or when the lawsuit was initiated. Another potential issue is proving you applied. Unlike settlements where the company has customer purchase records, job application records can be harder to verify.
Target likely has applicant tracking system records, but if you applied through a third-party job board and your application was not fully captured in Target’s system, there could be complications. Keep any confirmation emails, screenshots, or other records of your job applications. The settlement administrator will use Target’s records to verify claims, but having your own documentation can help resolve any discrepancies. Finally, be aware that the settlement is not yet final. The court must approve it at the May 5, 2026, hearing. While most settlements that reach this stage do get approved, there is always a chance the judge could reject the terms, require modifications, or that objections from class members could delay the process. Do not count on receiving a check until after final approval is granted and the claims process is complete.
How This Settlement Fits Into the Broader Pay Transparency Movement
Target is far from the only major employer to face an EPOA lawsuit in Washington. The 2023 law generated a wave of litigation against companies that were slow to update their hiring practices. Several large employers across retail, technology, and healthcare have faced similar claims, and the pattern of quick settlements suggests many companies calculated that compliance was cheaper than litigation — they just did not adjust fast enough.
The 2025 amendments to Washington’s EPOA, which added a cure period for non-compliant postings, reflect the tension between the law’s goals and its enforcement mechanism. Supporters of pay transparency argue that strict enforcement is necessary to change employer behavior, while business groups contend that the lack of a warning period turned good-faith compliance efforts into lawsuit targets. For job seekers in Washington, the practical effect has been positive: most major employers now include specific pay ranges in their postings, which is exactly what the law was designed to achieve.
What This Means for Future Job Applicant Rights
Pay transparency laws are expanding beyond Washington. Colorado, California, New York City, and several other jurisdictions have enacted similar requirements, and more states are considering them. The Target settlement serves as a concrete example of the financial consequences employers face when they fail to comply, which is likely to accelerate adoption even in states where transparency is not yet legally required.
For job applicants, the takeaway is straightforward: you have a legal right to know what a job pays before you apply, at least in jurisdictions with pay transparency laws. If you see a posting that lacks this information, it may be worth documenting it. These laws only work if applicants and employees are willing to hold employers accountable, and settlements like this one demonstrate that accountability has real financial weight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is eligible for the Target Washington pay transparency settlement?
Anyone who applied for a Target job in Washington State between January 1, 2023, and July 26, 2025, where the job posting did not include required pay range and benefits disclosures.
How much money will I receive from the Target settlement?
Each eligible claimant is guaranteed a minimum of $1,711.93. The final amount could be higher depending on how many valid claims are submitted out of the total settlement fund of up to $2.225 million.
What is the deadline to file a claim?
The claim deadline is March 31, 2026. You can file at epoasettlement-jan-02-2026.com or contact the administrator at 833-647-9003.
Does Target admit it broke the law?
No. Target has not admitted any wrongdoing or violations of Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. The company settled to avoid the costs of continued litigation.
What law did Target allegedly violate?
Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act, which requires employers with 15 or more employees to include specific wage scales or salary ranges, benefits descriptions, and other compensation details in every job posting.
When will payments be sent out?
Payments will be distributed after the court grants final approval at the May 5, 2026, hearing and the claims administration process is complete. The exact timing depends on whether any appeals or objections are raised.