Published
November 7, 2024
Updated
July 16, 2026
This Illinois Attorney General consent decree resolves claims that drywall contractor TBJ Drywall & Taping misclassified its Illinois workers as independent contractors and shorted their overtime pay. If you worked for TBJ in Illinois between January 2018 and July 2023, a $718,000 fund covers the back wages — the first-payment deadline has passed, but you can still file a late claim through January 11, 2028.
What Is the TBJ Drywall Settlement About?
If you worked for TBJ Drywall & Taping, Inc. in Illinois between January 1, 2018 and July 31, 2023, you may be owed a share of a $718,000 fund the drywall contractor agreed to pay to resolve an Illinois Attorney General wage enforcement action. The Attorney General alleged that TBJ misclassified more than 480 of its workers as independent contractors and failed to pay them the overtime wages Illinois law requires. Rather than litigate, TBJ agreed to a court-approved consent decree that funds back pay for the affected workers — the allegations were not decided by a trial. The matter is captioned People of the State of Illinois ex rel. Kwame Raoul, Attorney General v. TBJ Drywall & Taping, Inc., in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chancery Division, and payments are handled by the settlement administrator, Atticus Administration.
Status
Claims Open
Late claims still accepted under the consent decree.
Claim Deadline
January 11, 2028
Late-claim cutoff — the first-payment deadline (Nov 16, 2024) has passed.
Eligible
TBJ IL workers, Jan 2018 – Jul 2023
Individuals who worked for TBJ Drywall & Taping in Illinois in that window.
Proof Required
Yes
Filing requires the unique claimant ID from your mailed or emailed notice.
Do I Qualify?
You qualify if you worked for TBJ Drywall & Taping, Inc. in Illinois at any point between January 1, 2018 and July 31, 2023 and were identified by the Attorney General's investigation as owed wages. Eligible workers should have received a mailed or emailed notice that lists their claim-filing information, including a unique claimant ID and the payment amount calculated for them. A Spanish-language claim form is also available.If you believe you qualify but did not receive a notice — or you lost your claimant ID — use the contact options on the official settlement website below to request your filing information. You will need the claimant ID to submit a claim.
How Much Will I Get?
Each qualifying worker's payment was pre-calculated and approved by the Illinois Attorney General based on the findings of the investigation, and reflects owed wages and other compensation, less any applicable withholdings. The specific dollar amount for your claim is stated in the notice sent to you rather than left to a pro rata split. TBJ is paying a total of $718,000 into the fund to cover these payments.The Deadline Nuance: You Can Still File a Late Claim
The first claim-form deadline was November 16, 2024, and it has passed. That deadline only controlled who was paid in the very first installment — it did not close the settlement. TBJ's payments are spread across five scheduled installments running from December 2024 through April 2028, and the consent decree lets eligible workers file a late claim any time through January 11, 2028.If you file late, you forfeit only the installments that were paid out before your filing date; you still collect every installment scheduled after you file. The full payment schedule is:
• November 16, 2024 — First claim-form deadline (passed)
• December 16, 2024 — First payment date
• December 15, 2025 — Second payment date
• December 14, 2026 — Third payment date
• December 13, 2027 — Fourth payment date
• January 11, 2028 — Final (late) claim-filing deadline
• April 10, 2028 — Final payment date
How Do I File a Claim?
You can file online or complete the mailed claim form and return it, using the enclosed prepaid envelope, through the official settlement website at TBJDrywallSettlement.com. Filing requires the unique claimant ID printed in the notice mailed or emailed to you, so keep that notice handy. A Spanish-language claim form is available on the same site. Submit fraudulent or false information and the administrator can reject the claim, which you file under penalty of perjury.What Happens If I Do Nothing?
If you are eligible and do not file a claim before January 11, 2028, you will not receive a payment from the fund. Because individual amounts are already calculated, filing is what triggers the release of the installment payments assigned to you. To be paid, file your claim on the official settlement website by the deadline.Case Information
• Caption: People of the State of Illinois ex rel. Kwame Raoul, Attorney General v. TBJ Drywall & Taping, Inc.• Court: Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chancery Division
• Resolution: Court-approved consent decree
• Settlement Fund: $718,000 paid by TBJ Drywall & Taping
• Class Period: January 1, 2018 – July 31, 2023
• Administrator: Atticus Administration
Sources
- Official Settlement Website — TBJDrywallSettlement.com
- Office of the Illinois Attorney General — wage enforcement action against TBJ Drywall & Taping, Inc.
- Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chancery Division — People ex rel. Raoul v. TBJ Drywall & Taping, Inc. (consent decree)
For more class actions keep scrolling below.
Settlement Fund
$718,000 paid by TBJ Drywall & Taping
Case Title
People ex rel. Raoul v. TBJ Drywall & Taping, Inc.
Court
Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Chancery Division
Resolution
Court-approved consent decree
Class Period
January 1, 2018 – July 31, 2023
Late-Claim Deadline
January 11, 2028
First-payment deadline (Nov 16, 2024) has passed
Administrator
Atticus Administration
Official Website
TBJ Drywall Settlement.com
