>Zirkle Fruit Company
Date Filed: March 29, 2000
Court: U.S. District Court
Location: Washington

In March 2002, Hagens Berman challenged the way legal aliens are compensated by the apple industry in Eastern Washington. The suit claimed that certain fruit companies hire illegal aliens for the purpose of depressing wages for legal aliens.

Recent Developments

March 1, 2007 - All valid claims forms have been processed and all checks have been mailed.

January 20, 2006 - The court preliminarily approved a proposed settlement agreement, and set a final approval hearing for May 11, 2006. If the agreement is approved, class members – those lawfully employed at the Zirkle Fruit Company between November 5, 1999 and September 8, 2004 – will be eligible to participate in a $1.3 million dollar settlement.

Please review the Official Notice of Proposed Settlement for additional information. If you are a member of the class, please complete and return the claim form by April 27, 2006 to:

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro
Attn: Zirkle Fruit Litigation
1301 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2900
Seattle, WA 98101

Para revisar tanto el Aviso Oficial de una Resolucion Propuesta como el formulario de reclamacion en Espaol, hacer click en el venculo apropiado mencionado abajo.

Aviso Oficial de una Resolucion Propuesta

Formulario de Reclamacion

Favor de regresar los formulario de reclamacion completados para antes del 27 de Abril del 2006:

Hagens Berman Sobol Shapiro
Attn: Zirkle Fruit Litigation
1301 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2900
Seattle, WA 98101

On July 14, 2004, a U.S. District Court judge certified the class action lawsuit against Zirkle executives, giving the class of legal, Washington state immigrants a major victory in their suit against the orchard owners. To view the court order certifying the class, click here.

On September 3, 2002, Judge McKeown of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that legally documented agricultural workers have standing under RICO to sue their employers and allowed the suit to move forward.



submit to reddit Join me on the New Digg