1. What is the Notice and why should I read it?
2. What is a class action lawsuit?
3. What is this lawsuit about?
4. Why is there a settlement?
5. How do I know if I am in the Settlement Class?
6. What does the settlement provide?
7. How do I receive a payment?
8. When will I get my payment?
9. Will Defendants retaliate against me if I participate in the settlement?
10. Do I have an attorney in this case?
11. How will Class Counsel and the Class Representative be paid?
12. What claims do I give up by participating in this settlement?
13. What happens if I do nothing?
14. What happens if I request to be excluded?
15. How do I request to be excluded?
16. If I don’t exclude myself, can I sue Defendant for the same thing later?
17. If I don’t exclude myself, can I get anything from this settlement?
18. How do I object to the settlement?
19. What’s the difference between objecting and excluding myself from the settlement?
20. When and where will the Court hold a hearing on the fairness of the settlement?
21. Do I have to come to the hearing?
22. May I speak at the hearing?
23. Where can I get additional information?
The Court authorized the Notice to inform you about a proposed settlement with Defendant. You have legal rights and options that you may act on before the Court decides whether to approve the proposed settlement. You may be eligible to receive a cash payment as part of the settlement. The Notice explains the Lawsuit, the Class Action Settlement Agreement (“Settlement Agreement”), and your legal rights.
Judge Sandra Widlan of King County Superior Court is overseeing this class action. The case is titled Atkinson v. AJP Enterprises, LLC, Case No. 23-2-10313-1 KNT.
Jacob Atkinson is the Plaintiff or Class Representative. The companies he sued, AJP Enterprises, LLC, NHG Enterprises, LLC, and FNS Food Service Group, LLC, are the Defendants.
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A class action is a lawsuit in which one or more plaintiff sue on behalf of a group of people who have similar claims. Together, this group is called a “Settlement Class” and consists of “Settlement Class Members.” In a class action, the court resolves the issues for all class members, except those who exclude themselves from the class.
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Plaintiff claim that Defendants violated Washington law, RCW 49.58.110, when it did not disclose the wage scale or salary range and/or provide a general description of all of the benefits and other compensation being offered on job postings for open positions.
Defendants denies that it is or can be held liable for the claims made in the Lawsuit.
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The Court has not decided whether Plaintiff or Defendants should win this case. Instead, both sides agreed to this settlement. That way, they can avoid the uncertainty, risks, and expense of ongoing litigation, and Settlement Class members will get compensation now rather than years later—if ever. Plaintiff and Class Counsel, attorneys for the Settlement Class Members, agree the settlement is in the best interests of the Settlement Class Members. The settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing by Defendants.
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You may be part of the Salary History Class if you applied for a job opening in Washington with the Defendants between June 6, 2020, and March 4, 2025 (the “Salary History Class Period”) where the application asked you for your wage or salary history.
You may be part of the Pay Transparency Class if you applied for a job opening in Washington with the Defendants between January 1, 2023, and March 4, 2025 (the “Pay Transparency Class Period”) where the job posting did not disclose the wage scale or salary range for the position.
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Class Members who do not exclude themselves from the settlement are eligible to receive an equal share of the class fund. Settlement payments will be characterized as non-wage damages and interest (1099).
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Class Members who do not exclude themselves from the settlement are eligible to receive an equal share of the Class Fund. If the Court approves the settlement and you did not exclude yourself, you will receive a settlement payment in the mail. Settlement payments will be characterized as non-wage damages and interest (1099).
To ensure you receive your payment, you must contact the Settlement Administrator if your address or phone number changes at any time at:
Atkinson v. AJP Enterprises, LLC
Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799
Phone: (833) 296-0807
Email: info@AJPEPOASettlement.com
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The hearing to consider the fairness of the settlement is scheduled for June 6, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. If the Court approves the settlement, eligible Settlement Class members who submitted a timely, valid Claim Form will be mailed a check after all appeals and other reviews, if any, are completed. All checks will expire and become void 180 days after the date of issuance.
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No. Defendants supports the settlement and will not retaliate in any way against any Settlement Class Member for participating in the settlement. Your decision to participate, not participate, or object to the settlement will not affect any application for employment with Defendants or Defendants’ treatment of you as an applicant or current or former employee.
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Yes, the Court appointed Timothy Emery, Patrick B. Reddy, and Paul Cipriani of Emery Reddy, PLLC as Class Counsel to represent the Settlement Class. Their contact information is:
Emery Reddy, PLLC
600 Stewart Street
Suite 1100
Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: (206) 442-9106
Should I get my own attorney? If you wish to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense. However, you don’t need to hire your own attorney because Class Counsel are working on your behalf. These attorneys and their firm are experienced in handling similar cases. You will not be charged for these attorneys.
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Class Counsel will ask the Court to approve, and Defendants agree not to oppose, an award of attorneys’ fees in the amount of $513,300, plus costs and expenses in an amount not to exceed $35,000, to be paid from the Common Fund. Class Counsel will also request a service award for Plaintiff in the amount of $20,000, to be paid from the Common Fund. The Court will determine the proper amount of any attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses to award Class Counsel and the proper amount of any service award to Plaintiff. The Court may award less than the amounts requested. Whether the settlement will be finally approved does not depend on whether or how much the Court awards in attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses or service award.
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If the Court approves the settlement, the Court will enter a final judgment dismissing the Lawsuit “with prejudice.” This means that the claims in the Lawsuit will be permanently dismissed. Specifically, Defendants will be “released” from claims as described in Paragraph 22 of the Settlement Agreement, which states upon final approval.
…each Salary History Settlement Class Member who does not timely request exclusion in accordance with the procedures set forth in Paragraph 17 will release any and all claims against Defendants and their predecessors, successors, affiliates, agents, employees, assigns, members, officers, directors, administrators, insurers, and reinsurers, whether known or unknown, that were brought or that could have been brought based on any facts alleged in the Salary History Action with respect to the requirement that employers not ask about wage or salary history under the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act during the Settlement Class Period. The released claims specifically include, but are not limited to, any alleged liabilities arising out of or relating to seeking the wage or salary history of an applicant. (the “Released Claims”). The Released Claims specifically include, but are not limited to, any claims arising out of or relating to a violation of RCW 49.58.100, and any attendant claims for relief under RCW 49.58.060 or RCW 49.58.070, interest, liquidated damages, exemplary damages, statutory damages, minimum statutory damages, and attorneys’ fees and costs relating to any of the foregoing. |
Defendants will be “released” from claims as described in Paragraph 22 of the Settlement Agreement, which states upon final approval.
each Pay Transparency Settlement Class Member who does not timely request exclusion in accordance with the procedures set forth in Paragraph 17 will release any and all claims against Defendants and their predecessors, successors, affiliates, agents, employees, assigns, members, officers, directors, administrators, insurers, and reinsurers, whether known or unknown, that were brought or that could have been brought based on any facts alleged in the Pay Transparency Action with respect to a failure to comply with the pay transparency requirements of the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act during the Settlement Class Period. The released claims specifically include, but are not limited to, any alleged liabilities arising out of or relating to a failure to include the wage scale or salary range, a general description of all benefits, and/or any other compensation to be offered to a hired applicant in any job postings. (the “Released Claims”). The Released Claims specifically include, but are not limited to, any claims arising out of or relating to a violation of RCW 49.58.110, and any attendant claims for relief under RCW 49.58.060 or RCW 49.58.070, interest, liquidated damages, exemplary damages, statutory damages, minimum statutory damages, and attorneys’ fees and costs relating to any of the foregoing.
By being part of the settlement, Settlement Class Members agree that they cannot sue or seek recovery against Defendants or other Released Parties as described in the Settlement Agreement for any Released Class Claims. Participating in the settlement does not, however, waive claims outside the release.
Any potential Salary History/Pay Transparency Class Member who does not request exclusion by May 1, 2025 will be a Salary History/Pay Transparency Class Member and will be considered to have accepted the above release and to have waived any and all of the released claims against the Released Parties. Any potential Salary History/Pay Transparency Class Member who requests exclusion by the applicable deadline is not a Salary History/Pay Transparency Class Member, will not be subject to the release, and will not receive a payment.
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If you do nothing and the Court approves the settlement, you will still be in the Salary History/Pay Transparency Class, receive a payment in the mail, and be bound by all orders and judgments of the Court, the Settlement Agreement, and its included release. Unless you exclude yourself, you won’t be able to file a lawsuit or be part of any other lawsuit against Defendants for the claims or legal issues resolved in this settlement.
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If you submit a timely, valid request for exclusion from the settlement, you will receive no benefits or payment under the settlement. However, you will not be in the Settlement Class, will not release claims against Defendants, and will not be legally bound by the Court’s judgments in this Lawsuit.
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To request to be excluded from the settlement, you must send a letter, postmarked no later than May 1, 2025, to the Settlement Administrator.
To be considered valid, a request for exclusion must include: (i) your full name; (ii) your address; (iii) a statement that you wish to be excluded from the settlement (for example, “I request to be excluded from the class action settlement in Jacob Atkinson v. AJP Enterprises, LLC, King County Superior Ct. Case No. 23-2-10313-1 KNT.”); and (iv) your (or your attorney’s) signature and date signed.
You cannot exclude yourself by phone or email. Each individual who wants to be excluded from the settlement must submit his or her own request for exclusion. Group requests for exclusion are not permitted.
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No. Unless you exclude yourself, you give up any right to sue Defendant for the claims being resolved by this settlement even if you do nothing.
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No. If you exclude yourself, you will not receive a settlement payment.
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If you do not exclude yourself from the Settlement Class, you can object to the settlement if you disagree with any part of it. You can give reasons why you think the Court should deny approval of the settlement by filing an objection. To object, you must file written notice with the Court stating that you object to the settlement in Jacob Atkinson v. AJP Enterprises, LLC, King County Superior Ct. Case No. 23-2-10313-1 KNT, no later than May 1, 2025. Your objection must be filed with the Court, which you can do by mailing your objection and any supporting documents to King County Superior Court at the following address:
King County Superior Court
516 Third Avenue, Room E-609
Seattle, WA 98104
If you are represented by an attorney, the attorney may file your objection through the Court’s e-filing system.
To be valid, your objection must be in writing and include: (i) your full name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address; (ii) the case name and number; (iii) the reasons why you object to the settlement; (iv) the name and address of your attorney, if you have retained one; (v) a statement confirming whether you and/or your attorney intend to personally appear at the Final Approval Hearing; (vi) a list, by case name, court, and docket number, of all other cases in which you (directly or through an attorney) have filed an objection to any proposed class action settlement within the last three years; (vii) a list, by case name, court, and docket number, of all other cases in which your attorney (on behalf of any person or entity) has filed an objection to any proposed class action settlement within the last three years; and (viii) your (or your attorney’s) signature and date signed.
In addition to filing your objection with the Court, you must also mail copies of your objection and any supporting documents to both Class Counsel and Defendant’s attorneys at the addresses listed below, postmarked no later than May 1, 2025:
Class Counsel | Defendant’s Counsel |
Timothy W. Emery | Mary Haddad |
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Objecting simply means telling the Court that you don’t like something about the settlement. You can object only if you stay in the Settlement Class. Excluding yourself from the Settlement Class is telling the Court that you don’t want to be part of the Settlement Class. If you exclude yourself, you have no basis to object because the case no longer affects you.
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The Court will hold the Final Approval Hearing on June 6, 2025 at 11:30 a.m. in the Maleng Regional Justice Center, 401 4th Avenue North, Courtroom 4J, Kent, WA 98032.
The purpose of the hearing is for the Court to determine whether the settlement is fair, reasonable, adequate, and in the best interests of the Settlement Class. At the hearing, the Court will hear any objections and arguments concerning the fairness of the proposed settlement, including those related to the amount requested by Class Counsel for attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses and the service award for Plaintiff.
Note: The date and time of the Final Approval Hearing are subject to change by court order. Any changes will be posted on this Settlement Website or through the Court’s publicly available docket.
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No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have, but you are welcome to attend the hearing at your own expense. If you send an objection, you don’t have to come to the hearing to talk about it. As long as your written objection was filed or mailed on time and meets the other criteria described in the settlement, the Court will consider it. You may also hire an attorney to attend on your behalf at your own expense, but you don’t have to.
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Yes. If you do not exclude yourself, you may ask the Court for permission to speak at the Final Approval Hearing concerning any part of the proposed settlement.
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This website and the Notice summarize the proposed settlement. More details are in the Settlement Agreement, which is available, along with other court documents, on the Important Documents page.
You may contact the Settlement Administrator by phone, email, or in writing at:
Atkinson v. AJP Enterprises, LLC
Settlement Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799
Phone: (833) 296-0807
Email: info@AJPEPOASettlement.com
PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE COURT, THE CLERK OF THE COURT, THE JUDGE, OR DEFENDANTS WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SETTLEMENT OR CLAIMS PROCESS.
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