Two active Target settlements are offering real money to eligible claimants right now. The first is a $2.225 million fund for job applicants in Washington State who applied between January 2023 and July 2025, with individual payouts up to $1,711.93 and a claim deadline of March 31, 2026. The second is a $4.6 million wage settlement for roughly 13,700 current and former distribution center workers in New Jersey, where payments will be sent automatically without any claim form required.
If you applied to work at Target in Washington during the eligibility window, you may have received a notice in the mail with a unique ID and PIN. That notice is your ticket to filing a claim before the March 31 deadline. For the New Jersey distribution center settlement, the opt-out window has already closed, and the fairness hearing took place on February 24, 2026, meaning checks should be on the way once final approval is granted.
Table of Contents
- What Are the Current Target Settlements and Who Is Eligible?
- How Much Money Can You Actually Expect From Each Target Settlement?
- How to File a Claim for the Target Washington Settlement
- What Happens After You File or Receive Your Target Settlement Check
- Common Pitfalls and Warnings for Target Settlement Claimants
- What About the Old Target Data Breach Settlement?
- Looking Ahead for Target Class Action Activity
- Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Current Target Settlements and Who Is Eligible?
The Washington settlement stems from target‘s alleged violations of the state’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. The company was accused of omitting pay ranges, salary details, and benefits information from its job postings, which Washington law requires. The $2.225 million fund is open to anyone who applied for a Target job in Washington State between January 1, 2023 and July 26, 2025. It does not matter whether you were hired, rejected, or withdrew your application. If you submitted an application during that window, you qualify. The New Jersey settlement, known as Sadler v.
Target, addresses unpaid pre-shift and post-shift time at Target distribution centers. Workers claimed they were not compensated for time spent walking to and from their workstations and going through security checks. The eligible class includes approximately 13,700 Progression Team Members who worked at Target’s New Jersey distribution centers since August 6, 2019. Unlike the Washington case, this settlement does not require you to file a claim. If you are part of the class and did not opt out before the February 13, 2026 deadline, you will receive payment automatically. A key distinction between these two cases: the Washington settlement requires you to take action by filing a claim form, while the New Jersey settlement is automatic. Missing the March 31 deadline on the Washington case means forfeiting your share entirely, so do not assume the money will just arrive.
How Much Money Can You Actually Expect From Each Target Settlement?
For the Washington wage transparency case, the maximum individual payout is $1,711.93. However, that figure depends entirely on how many valid claims are filed. If a large number of applicants submit claims before the March 31 deadline, the per-person amount will drop since the $2.225 million fund is divided among all approved claimants. If relatively few people file, you could receive closer to that maximum. There is no guaranteed minimum. The New Jersey distribution center settlement has a $4.6 million total fund, but not all of that goes to workers.
Approximately $2.75 million is allocated for employee payments, while roughly $1.53 million covers attorneys’ fees and costs. The named plaintiff, Sadler, receives a $10,000 service award. Spread across 13,700 class members, the average payout works out to roughly $200 per person, though individual amounts will vary based on factors like how long you worked at the facility. If you worked at a New Jersey Target distribution center for several years, your share should be larger than someone employed for just a few months. One limitation to keep in mind: neither settlement offers life-changing money. These are class action payouts, and the economics of splitting a fund among thousands of claimants mean individual checks are modest. That said, it is money you are owed, and in the Washington case, failing to file means you get nothing at all.
How to File a Claim for the Target Washington Settlement
Filing for the Washington settlement requires a notice ID and PIN, which Target’s settlement administrator mailed to eligible applicants. If you received the notice, the process is straightforward: visit the online claim form, enter your ID and PIN, verify your information, and submit. The deadline is March 31, 2026. If you believe you are eligible but never received a notice, or if you lost or discarded it, you have options. Call the settlement administrator at 833-647-9003 or email them directly to request your credentials.
This is worth doing even if you are not sure whether you qualify, since the eligibility window covers anyone who applied for any Target job in Washington State over a two-and-a-half-year period. Many people apply for retail jobs and forget about it, so check even if you do not recall a specific application. For example, if you applied to a Target store in Seattle in mid-2024, never heard back, and moved on, you are still eligible. The settlement does not require that Target actually wronged you in a tangible way like denying you the job. The violation was systemic, covering all job postings that lacked required pay transparency information, so every applicant during the window is part of the class.
What Happens After You File or Receive Your Target Settlement Check
For the Washington settlement, payments will be issued as physical checks mailed via USPS after the claim period closes and the settlement is finalized. Once you receive your check, you have 180 days from the issue date to deposit it. Do not let it sit in a drawer. After 180 days, the check becomes void, and recovering those funds is difficult if not impossible. Set a reminder on your phone or calendar as soon as the check arrives. The New Jersey settlement handles payments differently because of the employment-related nature of the claim. One-third of your payment will be treated as taxable wage income, meaning Target will issue a W-2 and withhold taxes.
The remaining two-thirds will be classified as non-wage income, reported on a 1099 form with no withholdings. This means you will owe taxes on that two-thirds portion when you file your return. If your check is $300, roughly $100 will have taxes withheld and appear on a W-2, while $200 will be reported on a 1099 with no withholdings taken out. Plan accordingly so you are not surprised at tax time. The tradeoff between these payment structures matters. The W-2 portion is simpler because taxes are handled upfront. The 1099 portion puts the responsibility on you to set aside money for taxes. If you spend the full check amount without accounting for the tax liability on the 1099 income, you could owe money when you file.
Common Pitfalls and Warnings for Target Settlement Claimants
The biggest risk for the Washington settlement is simply missing the March 31, 2026 deadline. Class action settlements routinely see low claim rates, which is partly why individual payouts can be higher for those who do file. But it also means many eligible people leave money on the table. If you know anyone who applied to Target in Washington State during the eligibility period, pass the information along. Another common issue is scam communications. Whenever a major settlement is announced, fraudulent emails and texts circulate claiming you are owed money and directing you to fake filing sites. The legitimate Washington settlement requires a specific notice ID and PIN mailed to your address.
No legitimate settlement administrator will ask for your Social Security number, bank account details, or an upfront payment to process your claim. If something feels off, call the official number at 833-647-9003 to verify. For the New Jersey settlement, the main warning is about the opt-out deadline. It passed on February 13, 2026, so if you were part of the class and wanted to pursue your own lawsuit, that ship has sailed. You are now bound by the settlement terms. The fairness hearing occurred on February 24, 2026, and assuming the court grants final approval, checks will be mailed automatically. If you have moved since working at a Target distribution center in New Jersey, make sure your address is current with the settlement administrator to avoid your check going to the wrong place.
What About the Old Target Data Breach Settlement?
The 2013 Target data breach, which compromised approximately 40 million payment cards, resulted in a settlement years ago that has long since closed. If you are searching for information about filing a claim related to that breach, you are too late. The deadlines for that case passed well before 2020, and no new claims are being accepted.
This is worth mentioning because search results for “Target settlement” often surface information about the data breach alongside the current active cases. Do not confuse them. The two settlements discussed in this article, the Washington wage transparency case and the New Jersey distribution center wage case, are the only active Target settlements as of early 2026.
Looking Ahead for Target Class Action Activity
Target, like many large retailers, faces ongoing legal scrutiny across employment practices, data handling, and consumer protection. Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act, which drove the $2.225 million settlement, reflects a broader trend of states enacting pay transparency laws. Colorado, California, New York, and several other states have similar requirements, which means companies that fail to include salary ranges in job postings face mounting legal exposure.
For workers and applicants, this trend is worth watching. If you have applied for jobs in states with pay transparency laws and noticed postings that lacked salary information, those companies may face similar lawsuits down the road. The Target Washington settlement sets a precedent that even large employers are not immune to enforcement of these laws, and the resulting payouts, while modest individually, add up to meaningful corporate accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I file a claim for the Target Washington wage transparency settlement?
You need the notice ID and PIN from the mailed settlement notification. File online using those credentials before March 31, 2026. If you lost your notice, call 833-647-9003 or email the settlement administrator to retrieve your information.
Do I need to file a claim for the Target New Jersey distribution center settlement?
No. Payments are automatic for all class members who did not opt out before the February 13, 2026 deadline. If you were a Progression Team Member at a Target New Jersey distribution center since August 6, 2019, your check will be mailed after final court approval.
How much will I receive from the Target Washington settlement?
The maximum individual payout is $1,711.93, but the actual amount depends on the total number of valid claims filed. Fewer claimants means a higher payout per person.
Will I owe taxes on my Target settlement payment?
For the New Jersey settlement, yes. One-third is taxed as wage income with withholdings on a W-2, and two-thirds is reported as non-wage income on a 1099 with no withholdings. The Washington settlement payments may also be taxable, so consult a tax professional if you are unsure about your obligations.
Can I still opt out of either Target settlement?
The opt-out deadline for the Washington settlement is March 31, 2026. The opt-out deadline for the New Jersey settlement was February 13, 2026, which has already passed.
Is the old Target data breach settlement still open?
No. The 2013 data breach settlement closed years ago and is no longer accepting claims.