$4.5M Hearthside Illinois Child Labor Assurance Payments
By Steve Levine
Published: October 13, 2025
Claim Form Deadline: November 20, 2026
Payout: Proportional to weeks worked while under 16
Proof required: Yes
You may be part of a new $4,500,000 program reached with Hearthside Food Solutions over allegations that minors under 16 worked at Illinois facilities.
If you worked at a Hearthside facility in Illinois while under 16 between March 1, 2020 and December 4, 2024, you may qualify for a payment from a $4.5 million Assurance of Voluntary Compliance program with the Illinois Attorney General and the Illinois Department of Labor. Hearthside Factory, the company that was accused of hiring minors, denies wrongdoing but has agreed to a settlement. Payments will be made if eligibility is verified for valid claimants.
What is the Total Settlement Amount?
$4,500,000 total. Up to half of the fund is allocated to eligible Claimants. The remainder covers administration and deposits to the Illinois Department of Labor’s enforcement fund.How Do I Qualify For a Payout?
You must have worked at a Hearthside facility in Illinois while you were under 16 for some or all of the period between March 1, 2020 and December 4, 2024. Direct hires and temporary workers placed by staffing agencies can qualify if documentation supports the claim.How Much Can I Get Paid?
Payments are proportional to weeks worked while under 16.Formula: (50% of $4,500,000 ÷ total verified weeks of all Claimants) × your verified weeks worked while under 16. Your amount depends on total valid claims and your verified weeks of labor.
How Do I File a Claim?
File through the Administrator’s claim portal. If you cannot submit a tax identification number online contact the class action administrators directly. If you need help gathering documents, contact the Administrator for assistance.For information about Illinois child labor rules, visit the Illinois State Department of Labor.
What is the Claim Form Deadline?
November 20, 2026.What are the Important Dates?
• Eligibility work period: March 1, 2020 to December 4, 2024
• Claim Form Deadline: November 20, 2026
• Expected Payment Window: Early 2027
When is the class action settlement payment date?
Payments are expected to be issued in Q1 2027. A more specific date will be shared closer to distribution.Is Proof Required to File a Claim?
Yes. Provide documentation showing your age and your work at a Hearthside Illinois facility while under 16. Examples include staffing agency payroll records or similar employment documents. If you do not have documents, contact the Administrator for help. Immigration status does not affect eligibility.The Illinois Attorney General and the Illinois Department of Labor reached an Assurance of Voluntary Compliance with Hearthside Food Solutions after investigating alleged violations of Illinois Child Labor Laws.
Hearthside denies wrongdoing. The Assurance resolves the investigation and sets up a $4,500,000 fund. Eligible Claimants may receive payments based on the number of weeks they worked while under 16 at a Hearthside facility in Illinois.
Who Is Eligible?
You may qualify if you worked at a Hearthside facility in Illinois between March 1, 2020 and December 4, 2024, and you were under the age of 16 for some or all of that period.How Much Can I Get Paid?
Payments come from up to 50% of the $4,500,000 fund allocated to Claimants. The Administrator will calculate each payment using this formula:(50% of Settlement Amount ÷ total weeks worked by all Claimants) × your verified weeks worked while under 16.
Final amounts may vary based on total valid claims and weeks worked.
What Proof Do I Need?
Provide documents that verify your age and that you worked at a Hearthside facility in Illinois while under 16. Examples include Staffing Agency payroll records or similar documents. If you cannot access documents, contact the Administrator for assistance.Key Dates
• Claim Form Deadline: November 20, 2026
• Payments Expected: Q1 2027
Who is Hearthside Food Solutions?
Hearthside Food Solutions, LLC is a large contract manufacturer that makes packaged foods and snacks for major consumer brands and retailers. The company operates multiple facilities across the United States, including plants in Illinois, and uses both direct hires and workers supplied by staffing agencies. In this matter, the Assurance concerns work performed at Hearthside facilities in Illinois by individuals who were under 16 during the eligibility period.If you need help completing your claim, contact the Administrator by phone or by the contact options provided on the claim portal.
Non-Retaliation and Reporting
Hearthside may not take adverse action against anyone for reporting concerns or for having previously worked while under 16. A complaint hotline and email will be available for anonymous reporting. Employees may also contact the Illinois Attorney General Workplace Rights Bureau at 844-740-5076 or the Illinois Department of Labor for concerns.How Do I Find Class Action Settlements?
Find all the latest class actions you can qualify for by getting notified of new lawsuits as soon as they are open to claims:Court and Case Information
Assurance of Voluntary Compliance among the Illinois Attorney General, Illinois Department of Labor, and Hearthside Food Solutions, LLC
Bankruptcy approval required in In re H-Food Holdings, LLC, Case No. 24-90586
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division
FAQ
Does immigration status matter?No. Immigration status does not affect your ability to make a claim.
When will I be paid?
Payments are expected in Quarter 1 of 2027. A more specific date will be provided closer to distribution.
Administrator phone to provide TIN if not comfortable online: (800) 410-0649
Claim Form Website: Hearthside Food Solutions Settlement Site
Submit Claim
Official Notice
Sources
• Illinois Department of Labor — Child Labor• Illinois Department of Labor
• Office of the Illinois Attorney General
Filing Claims
Please do not submit any fraudulent information. Your certification is under penalty of perjury. If you are unsure whether you qualify, contact the Administrator.OpenClassActions.com is a consumer news site and is not a settlement administrator or a law firm.
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File Claim| Settlement Summary | |
| Status | Open for Claims |
|---|---|
| Program | Assurance of Voluntary Compliance |
| Parties | Illinois Attorney General and Illinois Department of Labor v. Hearthside Food Solutions, LLC |
| Court | U.S. Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Texas, Houston Div. |
| Settlement Fund | $4,500,000 |
| Eligibility Period | March 1, 2020 to December 4, 2024 (worked while under 16) |
| Payout Method | Proportional to verified weeks worked while under 16 |
| Claim Deadline | November 20, 2026 |
| Payment Timing | Expected Q1 2027 |
| Administrator | Atticus Administration — (800) 410-0649 |
| More Info | Illinois DOL Child Labor |