Case No. 2025-CV-02411
If Your Private Information Was Potentially Compromised in a Data Incident Announced by the Pennsylvania State Education Association on March 18, 2025, You May Be Eligible for Benefits from a Class Action Settlement.
A proposed Settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit known as Melanie Hudson, et al. v. Pennsylvania State Education Association, Case No. 2025-CV-02411 (“Lawsuit”), filed in the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. This Lawsuit arises out of unauthorized access to the Pennsylvania State Education Association (“PSEA” or “Defendant”) systems and certain files containing sensitive and/or personal information including, but not limited to, full names, addresses, Social Security numbers, driver’s license numbers or state IDs, account numbers, account PINs, security codes, passwords and routing numbers, payment card numbers, payment card PINs, payment card expiration dates, passport numbers, taxpayer ID numbers, usernames and passwords, health insurance information, and medical information (collectively “Private Information”) occurring on or around July 6, 2024 and which was announced by Defendant on or about March 18, 2025 (the “Data Incident”). Defendant disagrees with Plaintiffs’ claims and denies any wrongdoing.
The Settlement Class includes all natural persons in the United States whose Private Information was potentially compromised as a result of the Data Incident, including those who were sent a notification from Defendant of the Data Incident on or around March 18, 2025.
Excluded from the Settlement Class are (a) all persons who are governing board members of the Defendant; (b) governmental entities; and (c) the Court and any Judge(s) presiding over this matter, the Court’s immediate family, and Court staff.
The Settlement provides for up to $2,500,000 to pay for (1) Cash Payments for Out-of-Pocket Losses; (2) Alternative Cash Payments; (3) credit monitoring; (4) Settlement Administration Costs; and (5) Court-approved attorneys’ fees, costs and Service Awards.
Cash Payment for Out-of-Pocket Losses: Settlement Class Members may submit a claim for a Cash Payment for Out-of-Pocket losses, not to exceed $5,000 per Settlement Class Member, that were incurred as a result of and are fairly traceable to the Data Incident upon presentation of documentation evidencing such losses. Out-of-Pocket Losses may include, without limitation, the following: (1) unreimbursed costs, expenses, losses, or charges incurred on or after July 6, 2024, as a result of identity theft or identity fraud, falsified tax returns, or other possible misuse of a Settlement Class Member’s Private Information; (2) costs incurred on or after July 6, 2024, associated with purchasing, accessing, or freezing/unfreezing credit reports with any credit reporting agency; (3) other miscellaneous expenses incurred related to any Out-of-Pocket Loss, such as notary, fax, postage, copying, mileage, internet usage charges (if either charged by the minute or incurred solely as a result of the Data Incident), and long-distance telephone charges and cellphone minutes (if charged by the minute); and (4) credit monitoring, fraud resolution, or other mitigative services or costs that were incurred on or after July 6, 2024, through March 18, 2026.
Alternative Cash Payment: In the alternative to a Cash Payment for Out-of-Pocket Losses, Settlement Class Members may submit a claim for a cash payment of $50 without the need to submit documentation. The amount of the payment is subject to proration based upon the number of Valid Claims filed.
Credit Monitoring: In addition to electing either of the other benefits, Settlement Class Members may claim two (2) years of credit monitoring that will provide proactive credit and identity monitoring, personalized recovery assistance, and reimbursement for expenses.
You must complete and file a Claim Form online or by mail postmarked by July 6, 2026, including required supporting documents if you choose a Cash Payment for Out-of-Pocket Losses. You can file your claim online here.
If you are a Settlement Class Member, your legal rights are affected regardless of whether you do or do not act. You have the following options:
| YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS IN THIS SETTLEMENT | |
| YOUR OPTIONS | INSTRUCTIONS |
| Do Nothing | If you stay in the Settlement Class, you will be legally bound by the Settlement’s terms and you will release your claims against PSEA and the other Released Parties, regardless of whether you file a claim. |
| Submit a Claim | You must submit a Valid Claim to get money from this Settlement. Claim Forms must be submitted online by July 6, 2026, if mailed, postmarked no later than July 6, 2026. |
| Exclude Yourself | Get out of the Settlement. Get no money. Keep your rights. This is the only option that allows you to keep your right to sue as to the claims in this lawsuit. You will not get any money from the Settlement. Your request to exclude yourself must be received no later than July 6, 2026. Please see question 10 of the Long Form Notice for details on how to exclude yourself from the settlement. |
| File an Objection | Stay in the Settlement but tell the Court why you think the Settlement should not be approved. Objections must be postmarked no later than July 6, 2026. Please see question 15 of the Long Form Notice for details on how to object to the settlement. |
| Go to a Hearing | You can ask to speak in Court about the fairness of the Settlement, at your own expense. The Final Approval Hearing is scheduled for July 27, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. ET |
To understand all your options and how your rights will be affected, as well as the deadlines for action on your part, please read the Long Form Notice.
The Court will hold the Final Approval Hearing on July 27, 2026 at 9:30 a.m. ET at the Court of Common Pleas of Dauphin County, 101 Market St., Harrisburg, PA 17101. The hearing may be moved to a different date, time, or location without additional notice, so it is recommended that you periodically check this Settlement Website for updated information.
At the hearing, the Court will consider whether the proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable, adequate, and is in the best interests of Settlement Class Members, and if it should be approved. If there are valid objections, the Court will consider them and will listen to people who have asked to speak at the hearing if the request was made properly. The Court will also consider the Application for Attorneys’ Fees, Costs and Service Awards to Class Counsel and the Class Representatives.