The proposed $750,000 settlement covers U.S. residents whose personal information was compromised in the security incident PARS experienced in or around March 2024. Class members who do nothing receive a cash payment automatically; the only deadline is to opt out by December 1, 2026, and the court has not yet given final approval.
Benefit Summary
Eligible class members: available benefits include Pro Rata Cash Payment.
Payments come from the $750,000.00 settlement fund and may change after approved deductions.
Available Awards
Pro Rata Cash Payment
Who Is Included
United States residents whose Personal Information was compromised in PARS’s March 2024 Security Incident, including people who received breach notice, subject to the listed exclusions.
- Proof required: No supporting documentation is specified for the automatic cash payment. A person must remain in the Settlement rather than validly exclude themselves.
Claim and Payment Information
- Instructions: No claim form is described. Eligible Class Members who do not opt out are to receive payment automatically.
Questions & Answers
Who is covered by the settlement?
- You are included if you live in the United States and your personal information was compromised in PARS’s March 2024 Security Incident. This includes people who received a breach notice.
- You are not included if you are the judge, the judge’s family or staff, PARS or certain PARS-related entities, or if you validly opt out.
Do I need to submit a claim or provide documents to get paid?
No claim form is described for the cash payment. If you are a Class Member and do not opt out, the notice says you will receive a payment automatically. The notice does not require supporting loss records or other documents for that payment.
How much could the cash payment be?
The payment is not a fixed amount. PARS will create a $750,000 fund, but court-approved attorneys’ fees and costs, a service award for the plaintiff, and settlement-administration costs are paid from that fund first. The money left over is divided among Class Members who do not opt out. As a result, the amount depends on the remaining fund and how many people stay in the settlement.
When will payments be sent?
Payments are not due yet. The Court must first approve the settlement, and any appeals must be resolved. The final approval hearing is scheduled for February 1, 2027, but that hearing date is not a payment date.
What happens if I opt out, and what do I need to do?
- You must send a written Request for Exclusion to the Settlement Administrator. It must identify the case, include your contact information and personal signature, and say clearly that you do not want to participate.
- The request must be postmarked by December 1, 2026. If you opt out, you will not receive a settlement payment, but you keep any rights you may have to bring your own case about these issues.
Can I object to the settlement instead of opting out?
- You may object only if you remain in the settlement; a person who opts out cannot object.
- A written objection must be filed with the Clerk of Court by December 1, 2026. You must also send a copy to the Settlement Administrator, Class Counsel, and PARS’s counsel. The notice lists detailed information that a written objection must include, including your reasons and signature.
Do I need to attend the final approval hearing?
You do not have to attend. The Court will consider a timely written objection even if you do not appear. You or a lawyer you hire may speak at the hearing at your own expense. The notice says the hearing date and time can change.
Other Important Dates
- Exclusion deadline: 2026-12-01
- Objection deadline: 2026-12-01
- Final approval hearing: February 1, 2027 at 1:30 p.m. Pacific Time
- Hearing location: Department CX103 of the Superior Court of Orange County, California, 751 W Santa Ana Blvd, Santa Ana, CA 92701
Case Details
- Total settlement fund: $750,000.00
- Case name: Winer v. Phase II Systems, d/b/a Public Agency Retirement Services
- Case number: 30-2024-01428283-CU-NP-CXC
- Court: Superior Court of Orange County, California
- Administrator: Settlement Administrator
- Official Settlement Website: https://www.PhaseIIDataSettlement.com
Sources
Claim form, FAQ, deadlines, administrator information
Court-approved notice describing eligibility and benefits