JBS Beef and Pork Wages Settlement ($202.8 Million)

This case is about workers at beef and pork processing plants who sued their employers. The workers say the companies agreed with each other to keep wages low, which they claim is against the law and caused workers to earn less than they should have. Two more companies are also accused of exchanging information between the beef and pork companies. The companies deny they did anything wrong.

To avoid the costs and risks of a trial, many of the companies agreed to settle. The Court has not yet decided who is right. A hearing to decide whether to approve the settlements is set for November 13, 2026, so the settlements are not final yet. The lawsuit is still continuing against Smithfield Foods, Inc. and Smithfield Packaged Meats Corporation.

You may qualify if you worked at any of the defendant companies’ beef or pork processing plants in the United States at some point between January 1, 2000, and February 27, 2024. You can qualify even if you did not work there for the whole time period.

If you got a postcard or email notice, records already show you are in the Class, and you do not have to do anything to get money. You should still update your contact, employment, and earnings information so your payment reaches you correctly. If you did not get a notice, you need to fill out and submit a participation form to get money.

You must complete every section of the participation form and sign it. When submitting, you are swearing that you worked at one or more of the defendants’ beef or pork processing plants in the United States between January 1, 2000, and February 27, 2024. The form asks for your full name, address, phone, and email, and a Unique ID from your email or postcard notice if you received one (you leave that blank if you did not get a notice). You also sign an electronic signature certification, and there is an optional Substitute IRS Form W-9 (or a W-8 form if you are not a U.S. person) for tax purposes.

You will also need to provide supporting proof: a copy of an official photo ID (such as a driver’s license or a company employee ID) or a copy of at least one paycheck or paystub from your time at one of the companies. The Settlement Administrator may ask you for additional documents, and if you are asked and do not provide them, you may not be allowed to participate.

To check whether you are included, look for a postcard or email notice sent to you. You can also use the “Check to See if You Worked in a Covered Beef and Pork Processing Plant” and workplace lookup tools on the settlement website to see if the records list you, and to find the Unique ID and other information needed to submit your claim.