Jackson Hewitt No-Poach Case Settlement Obtains Preliminary Approval
After five and a half years of litigation, Hartley LLP reached a settlement with Jackson Hewitt on behalf of a class of tax preparers who worked at Jackson Hewitt corporate stores. The settlement was approved on July 3, 2024 by Judge Michael E. Farbiarz in the District of New Jersey.
The tax preparers alleged an illegal conspiracy among Jackson Hewitt companies not to solicit or poach each other’s tax preparer employees. The effect of these agreements was to depress employees’ wages, restrict their ability to move jobs, and limited their leverage to negotiate better pay. The settlement of $10,800,000 represents 100% of the damages calculated by plaintiffs’ expert based on the total data produced in the case. The hearing on final approval is set for October 11, 2024.
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Jackson Hewitt Anti-Poaching
Hartley LLP filed an antitrust class action against the tax preparing firm Jackson Hewitt. The complaint alleges an illegal conspiracy among Jackson Hewitt companies not to solicit or poach each other’s employees. The effect of these agreements was to depress employees’ wages, restrict their ability to move jobs, and limited their leverage to negotiate better pay. The damaging effect was emphasized by the fact that these workers had a unique skillset with the Jackson Hewitt model that made defendants natural alternative employers for these workers across more than 6,000 locations. The case is pending in the District of New Jersey.
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