If you applied for a job at Target in Washington State between January 1, 2023 and July 26, 2025, you may be entitled to up to $1,711.93 from a $2.225 million class action settlement — but you need to file your claim before March 31, 2026. The settlement stems from Brinkman v. Target Corporation, a case alleging that Target violated Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act by failing to include wage scales, salary ranges, and benefits information in its job postings for Washington positions. You do not need to have been hired by Target to qualify.
If you applied and were rejected, withdrew your application, or never heard back, you are still eligible. The claim process is straightforward, but missing the deadline means forfeiting your share entirely. You can file online at the official settlement website or by mail, and the settlement administrator has a phone line for applicants who need help locating their claim credentials.
Table of Contents
- Who Qualifies for the Target Washington Job Posting Pay Transparency Settlement?
- What Did Target Do Wrong — and What Does the Settlement Actually Resolve?
- How Much Money Can You Expect to Receive?
- How to File Your Claim Before the March 31, 2026 Deadline
- Common Problems That Could Prevent You From Getting Paid
- Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act and Why It Matters for Job Seekers
- What This Settlement Signals for Future Pay Transparency Enforcement
- Frequently Asked Questions
Who Qualifies for the Target Washington Job Posting Pay Transparency Settlement?
Eligibility for this settlement is broad. You qualify if you applied for any target job in Washington State during the period from January 1, 2023 through July 26, 2025. That includes applications for in-store positions, distribution center roles, corporate jobs based in Washington, and seasonal or part-time listings. It does not matter whether Target offered you the position, whether you completed the full application process, or whether you accepted or declined an offer. The only requirement is that you submitted an application for a Washington-based Target role during that window.
For example, if you applied for a cashier position at a Target in Spokane in March 2024 and never received a callback, you are a class member. Similarly, if you applied for a logistics role at a Target distribution center in Lacey in early 2023 and were hired, you still qualify. The settlement is not about whether individual applicants were harmed in a measurable way — it addresses the systemic failure to provide pay transparency information that Washington law requires in all job postings. One important note: the settlement covers only Washington State positions. If you applied for a Target job in Oregon, California, or any other state during the same period, that application does not make you eligible for this particular settlement, even though other states have their own pay transparency laws.
What Did Target Do Wrong — and What Does the Settlement Actually Resolve?
The case, Brinkman v. Target Corporation, was filed in King County Superior Court in Washington State. The core allegation is that Target failed to comply with Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act, which requires employers with 15 or more employees to disclose wage scales or salary ranges in all job postings. The law’s pay transparency provisions took effect on January 1, 2023, and Target — one of the largest retailers in the country — allegedly continued posting jobs in Washington without the required salary information. Target has not admitted wrongdoing as part of this settlement. The company agreed to pay up to $2,225,000, with a minimum settlement fund of $1,463,183.85, to resolve the claims and avoid further litigation costs.
This is a common outcome in class action cases: the defendant settles without conceding liability, which means no court has ruled that Target actually violated the EPOA. However, the size of the fund and the breadth of the class suggest that the plaintiffs had a strong enough case to bring Target to the table. If you are wondering whether this settlement means Target was definitively breaking the law, the honest answer is that the legal question was never fully adjudicated. What the settlement does resolve is the potential liability. For class members, the practical takeaway is simple: there is money available, and you are entitled to claim your share if you meet the eligibility criteria. Whether Target was technically in violation or simply chose to settle as a business decision does not change what you can collect.
How Much Money Can You Expect to Receive?
The estimated individual payment is up to $1,711.93 per claimant. That figure is based on the total fund size divided by the expected number of claims, and the actual amount you receive could be lower if more people file than anticipated. Settlement math works on a simple principle: the more claimants who file, the smaller each individual share becomes. If very few people submit claims — which happens more often than you might expect — individual payments could remain close to that $1,711.93 estimate or even exceed it. To put that in context, consider that many class action settlements in the consumer space pay out $5 to $50 per person.
A potential payment above $1,700 is unusually high for a case that requires only proof of a job application, not proof of actual financial harm. The reason the per-person amount is relatively large is that the class size is naturally limited to people who applied for Target jobs specifically in Washington State during a roughly two-and-a-half-year window. That is a much smaller pool than, say, a nationwide data breach settlement. There is no cost to file a claim. You do not need to hire a lawyer, and no portion of your individual payment goes toward attorney fees — those are paid separately from the settlement fund as approved by the court. Your full share, whatever it turns out to be, is yours.
How to File Your Claim Before the March 31, 2026 Deadline
You have two options for filing: online or by mail. The online method is faster and provides immediate confirmation. Visit the official settlement website at epoasettlement-jan-02-2026.com, where you will need to enter your Notice ID and PIN. These credentials were included in the settlement notification you received, typically by email or physical mail. If you cannot locate your Notice ID or PIN, contact the settlement administrator at info@EPOASettlement-Jan-02-2026.com or call 833-647-9003 for assistance. If you prefer to file by mail, send your completed claim form to: Brinkman v. Target Corp., c/o Simpluris, P.O.
Box 26170, Santa Ana, CA 92799. Mailed claims must be postmarked by March 31, 2026. The tradeoff between the two methods is straightforward: online filing is instant and gives you a confirmation record, while mailing introduces the risk of postal delays and provides no immediate proof of submission. If you are filing close to the deadline, file online. If you have weeks to spare and prefer paper, mail works fine — but consider sending it via certified mail so you have a postmark record. Do not wait until the last day. Settlement websites occasionally experience high traffic near deadlines, and mail carriers do not guarantee next-day delivery. Filing a week early costs you nothing and eliminates the risk of a technical glitch or postal delay causing you to miss the cutoff entirely.
Common Problems That Could Prevent You From Getting Paid
The most frequent issue claimants encounter is not having their Notice ID and PIN. If you changed email addresses since you applied at Target, your settlement notification may have gone to an old inbox. Check spam and junk folders on every email account you have used in the past three years. If you still cannot find it, the settlement administrator phone line at 833-647-9003 is your best resource — they can look up your information and help you file. Another common problem is filing a claim with incorrect personal information. If your name, address, or contact details do not match what Target has on file from your job application, your claim could be flagged for review or rejected.
Make sure the information you submit matches what you used when you originally applied. If you have changed your legal name or moved since then, be prepared to provide documentation. Finally, be aware that this settlement only covers the specific EPOA violation related to job posting transparency. It does not cover wage theft, discrimination, or other employment-related claims you might have against Target. Filing this claim does not waive your right to pursue other legal action on unrelated matters, but it does release Target from further liability specifically related to the pay transparency allegations in this case. Read the settlement terms carefully before filing if you have other pending or potential claims related to Target’s hiring practices in Washington.
Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act and Why It Matters for Job Seekers
Washington’s EPOA is one of the strongest pay transparency laws in the country. It requires any employer with 15 or more employees to include wage scales or salary ranges in all job postings — not just upon request, not just after an interview, but upfront in the posting itself. The law has been a significant source of litigation since its pay transparency provisions took effect on January 1, 2023, and the Target settlement is one of the highest-profile cases to emerge from it.
For Washington job seekers, this law is a practical tool. If you see a job posting from a mid-size or large employer in Washington that does not include salary information, that employer may be violating state law. The Target case demonstrates that enforcement is real and that companies face meaningful financial consequences for noncompliance. It is worth paying attention to whether employers are meeting this requirement — both for your own negotiating use and because future settlements like this one could put money in your pocket.
What This Settlement Signals for Future Pay Transparency Enforcement
The Brinkman v. Target settlement is part of a growing wave of pay transparency enforcement actions across Washington and other states with similar laws. Colorado, California, New York City, and several other jurisdictions have enacted their own disclosure requirements, and employers who operate across state lines are finding it increasingly difficult to maintain different posting standards in different markets.
The practical result is that more companies are standardizing pay transparency nationwide rather than risking patchwork compliance failures. For consumers and job applicants, this trend means more settlements like this one are likely in the coming years. Major employers who were slow to adapt their posting practices in 2023 and 2024 are now facing legal consequences, and plaintiffs’ attorneys are actively seeking new cases. If you applied for jobs in Washington or other pay transparency states during the early months of these laws, it is worth watching for settlement notifications — you may be eligible for payments you do not yet know about.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to prove I was harmed by Target not listing salary information?
No. Eligibility is based solely on having applied for a Target job in Washington State during the class period (January 1, 2023 to July 26, 2025). You do not need to show that the missing salary information affected your decision to apply or caused any specific financial loss.
What if I applied for multiple Target positions in Washington during the class period?
You file one claim regardless of how many applications you submitted. The estimated payment of up to $1,711.93 is per claimant, not per application.
Will I owe taxes on the settlement payment?
Settlement payments are generally considered taxable income by the IRS. You should expect to receive a 1099 form if your payment exceeds $600, and you should consult a tax professional about your specific situation.
I was hired by Target after applying — am I still eligible?
Yes. The settlement covers all applicants during the class period, whether they were hired, rejected, or withdrew their applications. Current and former Target employees who applied during that window are eligible.
What happens if I miss the March 31, 2026 deadline?
Claims filed after March 31, 2026 will not be accepted. There are no extensions or late filing provisions in the settlement agreement. If you miss the deadline, you forfeit your share of the fund.
Can I opt out of the settlement instead of filing a claim?
The settlement terms include an opt-out provision for class members who wish to preserve their right to sue Target individually. However, opting out means you receive nothing from this settlement. For most people, filing the claim is the better option unless you have a substantial individual case worth pursuing separately.