Target Corporation has agreed to settle a $2.225 million class action lawsuit over its failure to disclose wage ranges in job postings throughout Washington state. Eligible employees who applied for Target positions between January 1, 2023, and July 26, 2025, can claim a guaranteed minimum payment of $1,711.93 from this settlement. The lawsuit, Brinkman v. Target Corporation, held that Target violated Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA) by omitting required salary information on job listings, and the settlement resolves these claims without Target admitting any wrongdoing.
The deadline to submit valid claim forms is March 31, 2026, with the settlement receiving final court approval on May 5, 2026. This settlement comes as wage transparency laws continue gaining momentum across U.S. states, setting important precedent for how major employers must disclose compensation to job applicants. If you worked for Target during the violation period, this article explains your eligibility, how to claim your payment, and what this settlement means for wage transparency requirements.
Table of Contents
- What Was Target’s Wage Range Disclosure Violation?
- Who Qualifies as a Class Member in This Settlement?
- Understanding Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act
- How to File Your Claim and Meet the March 31, 2026 Deadline
- What You Should Know About Minimum Payments and Claim Verification
- What This Settlement Means for Other Employers and Future Wage Disclosure Compliance
- Looking Ahead—The Expanding Landscape of Wage Transparency Laws
What Was Target’s Wage Range Disclosure Violation?
Washington state’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA) requires employers with 15 or more employees to disclose the wage scale or salary range in all job postings. Target failed to include this information in job listings during the violation period from January 1, 2023, through July 26, 2025. The EPOA was designed to address pay inequality by enabling job applicants to understand what positions pay before investing time in the application process, and to reduce the hidden wage gaps that can result when employers keep salary information private.
This type of disclosure violation is significant because it prevents workers from evaluating whether a position matches their financial needs and reduces their negotiating power. For example, if someone applied for a Target store manager position during this period thinking the salary was in a certain range, they couldn’t confirm whether Target’s actual offer would meet their expectations before committing to the hiring process. The settlement acknowledges that Target’s failure to disclose violated Washington employees’ rights under state law.
Who Qualifies as a Class Member in This Settlement?
The settlement class includes any individual who applied for employment at Target in Washington state at any time between January 1, 2023, and July 26, 2025, regardless of whether they were hired or what position they applied for. Target is required to identify class members from its application records, so you do not need to prove you applied—Target’s records will determine your eligibility. If Target can locate your application from that time period and location, you automatically qualify to claim settlement funds.
However, if you cannot locate documentation of your application or you applied after July 26, 2025, you would not be eligible for this settlement. Additionally, Target employees who never applied (because they were already hired) do not qualify as class members, even if Target violated the wage disclosure law with their internal job postings. The settlement administrator will independently verify applications against Target’s records, so claiming should be straightforward if your application is in their system.
Understanding Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act
The EPOA, passed by Washington voters in 2020, requires employers with 15 or more employees to include the wage range or salary in all job posting materials. This law applies to positions advertised online, in print, or through recruiting agencies. Washington was one of the first states to mandate wage range disclosure, and similar laws have since been adopted in California, New York, Colorado, and other states.
These laws aim to reduce wage discrimination by making pay information transparent before job applicants invest time in interviews and negotiations. Violations of the EPOA can result in significant settlements, as demonstrated by Target’s $2.225 million agreement. Employers who post job listings without wage information face potential class action liability from all applicants during the violation period, which explains why the settlement covers thousands of Target job applications across a two-and-a-half-year window. The EPOA has become a major driver of wage transparency regulation, and Target’s settlement signals that major retailers cannot ignore these disclosure requirements.
How to File Your Claim and Meet the March 31, 2026 Deadline
To claim your share of the settlement, you must submit a valid claim form to the settlement administrator by March 31, 2026. The settlement administrator will notify eligible class members by mail or email with instructions on how to submit claims. You can typically file your claim online, by mail, or through phone verification, depending on how the settlement administrator processes claims. You will need to provide basic information confirming your identity and employment application during the eligible time period.
Given that the deadline is March 31, 2026, you should act quickly if you receive notification. Do not wait until the last days of March to file, as processing delays or technical issues could cause your claim to be rejected if submitted late. If you do not receive notice from the settlement administrator but believe you applied for a Target job in Washington during the violation period, you can contact the settlement claims administrator directly using information available on the settlement website. Missing the deadline means forfeiting your payment, so marking this date on your calendar is essential.
What You Should Know About Minimum Payments and Claim Verification
Each class member is guaranteed a minimum payment of $1,711.93, regardless of which Target position you applied for or how the settlement is distributed. This minimum protects you from being squeezed out if the final approved claims process results in uneven fund distribution. However, if the number of valid claims exceeds the settlement fund, per-claim payments may be prorated—meaning if significantly more people claim than anticipated, each person might receive slightly less, though not below the guaranteed minimum.
Be cautious of any third-party websites or services claiming they will file your claim for a fee. The legitimate settlement claim process is free, and you should file directly with the settlement administrator rather than paying middlemen. Additionally, be aware that if you’re an independent contractor or 1099 worker (versus a W-2 employee), you may have different eligibility status—the EPOA applies to “employees,” which typically means W-2 positions. If you fall into a gray area regarding employment status, contact the settlement administrator to clarify before claiming.
What This Settlement Means for Other Employers and Future Wage Disclosure Compliance
Target’s $2.225 million settlement sets an important precedent for other major employers operating in Washington and other wage-disclosure states. The size of the settlement relative to the violation period (2.5 years) demonstrates that companies cannot treat wage disclosure as optional or overlook it as a technical requirement. Other retailers and large employers are likely reviewing their job posting practices in Washington, California, New York, and Colorado to ensure compliance with state wage transparency laws.
For job applicants, this settlement reinforces that wage transparency rights are enforceable through class action litigation. Companies that fail to disclose salary ranges face not just regulatory fines but substantial settlements paid directly to affected applicants. This creates a financial incentive for employers to implement systems that automatically capture and display wage information in all job postings, making wage transparency a core part of recruitment rather than an afterthought.
Looking Ahead—The Expanding Landscape of Wage Transparency Laws
Washington’s EPOA was pioneering when passed, but wage transparency requirements are now spreading rapidly across the country. Following Washington’s lead, California, New York, Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, Nevada, and Oregon have all enacted similar wage disclosure laws. This expanding legal landscape means that Target and other major employers must implement company-wide wage disclosure practices to comply in multiple jurisdictions simultaneously.
Each violation period in each state could potentially generate separate class action litigation, as demonstrated by this settlement. The trend toward mandatory wage transparency suggests that future settlements may become even more common as employers adapt their systems. Companies that implement strong wage transparency practices—both to comply with law and to remain competitive in talent recruitment—are positioning themselves to avoid costly litigation. For job applicants, this expanding legal protection means that your right to see salary ranges before applying is likely to become the norm rather than the exception.