Target currently has two active class action settlements offering payments to eligible individuals, and the deadlines are approaching fast. The larger of the two, a $4.6 million wage settlement for New Jersey distribution center workers, requires no action from eligible employees — checks will be mailed automatically. The second, a $2.225 million settlement for Washington State job applicants, has a strict claim deadline of March 31, 2026, and eligible claimants could receive up to $1,711.93 each.
A third major Target settlement, stemming from the massive 2013 data breach, closed permanently in 2015. If you worked at a Target distribution center in New Jersey or applied for a Target job in Washington State within the past few years, you may be entitled to money from one of these settlements. For example, a former Target warehouse worker in Burlington, NJ who spent ten unpaid minutes each shift walking to their station and passing through security screenings would fall squarely within the New Jersey settlement class.
Table of Contents
- Who Is Eligible for the Current Target Settlements?
- What Are the Key Deadlines You Cannot Miss?
- How Much Money Will Eligible Claimants Receive?
- How to File Your Claim and What Documentation You Need
- Tax Implications of Target Settlement Payments
- What Happened with the Target 2013 Data Breach Settlement?
- What to Watch for Going Forward
- Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Eligible for the Current Target Settlements?
The two active target settlements cover very different groups of people. The $4.6 million New Jersey wage settlement covers approximately 13,700 current and former employees who worked at Target distribution centers in Burlington, Perth Amboy, and Logan Township, New Jersey from August 6, 2019 onward. The allegation is straightforward: these workers were not compensated for mandatory security screenings and the time spent walking to and from their workstations before and after shifts. If you worked at one of those three facilities during the covered period, you are automatically part of the class unless you affirmatively opted out before the February 13, 2026 deadline. The $2.225 million Washington wage transparency settlement has a broader but geographically limited class. Anyone who applied for a Target job in Washington State between January 1, 2023 and July 26, 2025 is eligible — regardless of whether they were hired, rejected, or withdrew their application.
The underlying claim is that Target failed to include wage scales or salary ranges in its Washington job postings, violating the state’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. Unlike the New Jersey settlement, this one requires you to actively file a claim using the notice ID and PIN from your settlement notification. The critical difference between the two is action required. New Jersey class members receive payments automatically. Washington applicants must submit a claim by March 31, 2026 or they get nothing. If you applied for a Target job in Washington and never received a settlement notice, contact info@EPOASettlement-Jan-02-2026.com or call 833-647-9003 to obtain your credentials.
What Are the Key Deadlines You Cannot Miss?
For the New Jersey wage settlement, the opt-out and objection deadline was February 13, 2026, and the final approval hearing was scheduled for February 24, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. If that hearing resulted in final approval, payment distribution is expected to begin shortly afterward. Because this settlement uses an automatic payment structure, there was no claim filing deadline — the only deadline that mattered was the opt-out window, which has now passed. The washington wage transparency settlement operates on a later timeline. The claim deadline is March 31, 2026, and the settlement administrator has stated there will be no extensions. The final approval hearing is set for May 5, 2026.
If you miss the March 31 filing deadline, you forfeit your right to payment entirely, even if you are clearly eligible. However, if the court does not grant final approval at the May hearing — which is uncommon but possible — the settlement could be modified or withdrawn, and no payments would be issued until a revised agreement is approved. One important warning: settlement deadlines are almost never extended, particularly for claim filing. Courts treat these dates as firm cutoffs. Do not assume you can file late or that there will be a grace period. If you believe you are eligible for the Washington settlement, file well before March 31 to avoid any last-minute technical issues with the submission portal.
How Much Money Will Eligible Claimants Receive?
Payment amounts differ significantly between the two settlements and depend on several factors. In the New Jersey wage settlement, approximately $2.75 million of the total $4.6 million fund is allocated to a net settlement fund for distribution among the roughly 13,700 class members. Payments are calculated on a pro rata basis using Target’s own pay records, meaning employees who worked more shifts at the covered facilities over a longer period will receive proportionally larger checks. A worker who was employed at the Burlington distribution center for the entire period from August 2019 onward would receive substantially more than someone who worked there for only a few months. For the Washington wage transparency settlement, individual payments could reach up to $1,711.93 per claimant. However, that figure represents the maximum — the actual amount each person receives depends on how many valid claims are submitted.
If every eligible applicant files a claim, individual payments would be lower. If only a fraction of the class files, payments could approach that ceiling. This is standard for claims-made settlements, where the pot is fixed and divided among those who actually submit paperwork. To put this in perspective, the New Jersey settlement’s $2.75 million divided evenly among 13,700 workers comes out to roughly $200 per person before adjustments for tenure. Longer-tenured employees will see more, while short-term workers will see less. Neither settlement will make anyone wealthy, but for the Washington applicants in particular, a payment approaching $1,700 for filling out a simple form is worth the few minutes of effort.
How to File Your Claim and What Documentation You Need
For the New Jersey wage settlement, the process could not be simpler: do nothing. Eligible employees automatically receive checks based on Target’s internal employment records. There is no form to fill out, no documentation to gather, and no website to visit. If you worked at one of the three covered distribution centers during the relevant period, Target already has the records to identify you and calculate your payment. Checks are expected to be mailed to the address Target has on file, so if you have moved since leaving the company, updating your address with the settlement administrator would be prudent. The Washington settlement requires more active participation. You need your notice ID and confirmation PIN, which should have been included in a settlement notification sent to you.
With those credentials, you can submit your claim through the settlement portal before the March 31, 2026 deadline. If you never received a notification — perhaps because you changed your email address or the notice went to spam — reach out to the settlement administrator at info@EPOASettlement-Jan-02-2026.com or by calling 833-647-9003. They can verify your eligibility and provide the information you need to file. The tradeoff between these two approaches is worth noting. Automatic settlements like the New Jersey one tend to distribute money to a higher percentage of the class, but individual payments are often smaller because everyone participates by default. Claims-made settlements like the Washington one typically see lower participation rates, which can mean larger per-person payments for those who do file. The downside is that many eligible people never claim their money at all.
Tax Implications of Target Settlement Payments
Settlement payments are not free money in the eyes of the IRS, and the New Jersey wage settlement has a particularly unusual tax structure that class members should understand before their checks arrive. One-third of each payment will be classified as taxable wage income and reported on a W-2, with standard withholdings for federal and state income tax, Social Security, and Medicare already deducted. The remaining two-thirds will be treated as taxable non-wage income reported on a 1099, with no withholdings taken out. That means you will owe taxes on the 1099 portion when you file your return. This split matters because the 1099 portion could create an unexpected tax bill. If your settlement check is $300, roughly $100 of that was already taxed through W-2 withholdings, but the remaining $200 was sent to you in full with no taxes taken out.
Depending on your tax bracket, you could owe $30 to $70 or more on that 1099 income. If you are not prepared for it, that bill could come as an unwelcome surprise during tax season. Setting aside 20 to 25 percent of the 1099 portion for taxes is a reasonable precaution. The Washington settlement’s tax treatment has not been detailed as specifically in public filings, but settlement payments for employment-related claims are generally taxable income. Consult a tax professional if you receive a payment from either settlement and are unsure how to report it. Do not ignore settlement-related tax documents — the IRS receives copies of every W-2 and 1099 issued, and unreported income will eventually trigger a notice.
What Happened with the Target 2013 Data Breach Settlement?
The largest Target settlement in terms of public attention was the $10 million consumer class action fund stemming from the 2013 holiday season data breach, which compromised 41 million customer payment card accounts and contact information for over 60 million customers between November 27 and December 18, 2013. Individual class members could claim up to $10,000 in documented losses. That settlement’s claim deadline was July 31, 2015, and it has been permanently closed with no possibility of late filing.
Separately, Target paid $18.5 million to settle claims brought by 47 state attorneys general and the District of Columbia over the same breach. If you are searching for information about the Target data breach settlement hoping to file a claim, you are unfortunately years too late. No amount of contacting the settlement administrator or the court will reopen that claims process. The data breach settlement is relevant here only as context — it demonstrates that Target has faced multiple large-scale class actions over the years, and that settlement deadlines are enforced without exception.
What to Watch for Going Forward
Target, like most major retailers with hundreds of thousands of employees and a national footprint, will almost certainly face additional class action litigation in the future. Wage and hour claims like the New Jersey distribution center case have become increasingly common across the retail and warehouse industries, particularly as states strengthen worker protection laws. Washington’s wage transparency statute, which formed the basis of the job applicant settlement, is part of a growing trend — Colorado, California, and New York have enacted similar requirements, and more states are following.
For consumers and workers, the takeaway is to pay attention to settlement notices when they arrive. The single most common reason people miss out on settlement money is that they discard official notices as junk mail or ignore emails that land in their spam folders. If you have ever worked for or applied to a job at a major corporation, it is worth checking periodically whether any active settlements might include you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to file a claim for the Target New Jersey wage settlement?
No. Eligible employees of the Burlington, Perth Amboy, and Logan Township distribution centers who worked there from August 6, 2019 onward will automatically receive checks. No action is required unless you want to opt out.
What is the deadline to file a claim for the Target Washington wage transparency settlement?
March 31, 2026. This deadline is strict and will not be extended. You need the notice ID and PIN from your settlement notification to file.
How much will I receive from the Target New Jersey settlement?
Payments are calculated on a pro rata basis from the approximately $2.75 million net settlement fund, using Target’s pay records. The amount depends on how long you worked at the covered facilities. An even split among 13,700 workers would be roughly $200, but actual amounts vary by individual.
I lost my settlement notice for the Washington Target settlement. What do I do?
Contact the settlement administrator at info@EPOASettlement-Jan-02-2026.com or call 833-647-9003 to request your notice ID and PIN.
Will I owe taxes on my Target settlement payment?
Yes. For the New Jersey settlement, one-third is reported as W-2 wage income with withholdings already deducted, and two-thirds is reported on a 1099 with no withholdings. You will owe taxes on the 1099 portion when you file your return.
Can I still file a claim for the 2013 Target data breach settlement?
No. That settlement’s claim deadline was July 31, 2015. It has been permanently closed and is not accepting new claims under any circumstances.