Liang, et al. v. State of Washington Dep’t of Social & Health Services (DSHS), et al.
Liang v State of WA DSHS
No. 20-2-02506-34

Welcome to the Liang v State of WA DSHS Settlement Website

THURSTON COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT

Liang, et al. v. State of Washington Dep’t of Social & Health Services (DSHS), et al.

If you are or were an Individual Provider (IP) who provided personal care to clients whose paid care hours were reduced by DSHS because of the “shared benefit” rules, you could receive a payment from a class action settlement.

A court authorized the notice. It is not a solicitation from a lawyer.

Initial settlement checks were mailed on November 15, 2022, for this settlement.  The checks from the first round of payments have all expired and cannot be reissued. Residual funds were used to make an additional payment to Class Members who have not opted out and also cashed their first settlement payment.

The second round of settlement payments were mailed between January 31, 2024, and February 1, 2024. Please allow the U.S. Postal Service one to two weeks to deliver the checks before requesting a reissue. It could be longer if you have recently moved and have an address forwarding with the post office.

If you did not cash your first settlement payment, then you are not eligible to receive a second settlement payment per the Settlement Agreement.

A settlement will provide $116 million to pay claims by Individual Providers (IPs) who provided personal care to clients whose paid care hours were reduced by DSHS because of DSHS’s “shared benefit” rules between March 7, 2014, and February 28, 2021.

The settlement resolves a lawsuit over whether IPs were denied full compensation for hours worked because of the shared benefit rules; pays money to IPs; avoids risks from continuing the lawsuit; pays money to IPs like you; and releases DSHS and other defendants from liability.

Your legal rights are affected whether or not you act. Read the notice carefully.

 

YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND OPTIONS IN THIS SETTLEMENT

Do Nothing and, if you receive a check, cash it

Stay in this lawsuit. Give up certain rights.

By doing nothing, you will remain in the class. If the settlement is approved and you have a share of it, you will receive a check. See Sections 9-13. If you cash or deposit that check, you are verifying that you worked for an affected client, provided the client a certain amount of care, and were not paid for those services. This verification is detailed in Section 13 below. If you do not cash the check, that amount will be redistributed to other IPs but you still give up your right to sue DSHS for the claims covered by the settlement.

Exclude Yourself

Get out of this lawsuit. Get no benefits from it. Keep rights.

If you exclude yourself or “opt out” from this settlement, you will not receive a settlement payment. But, you will keep any rights you may have to pursue claims against DSHS separately. To opt out, you must act by July 22, 2022.

Object

Tell the Court if you do not like the settlement.

If you are not satisfied with the terms of the proposed settlement, you may file a written objection with the Court and/or appear in Court to explain your objections. You cannot both opt out and object to the settlement.

 

  • Your rights and options – and the deadlines to exercise them – are explained in the notice.
  • The Court still has to decide whether to approve the settlement. Payments will be made if the Court approves the settlement and after any appeals are resolved. Please be patient.

 

For More Information

Visit this website often to get the most up-to-date information.

Mail
Liang v. State of WA DSHS: IP Wage Settlement
c/o JND Legal Administration
PO Box 91373
Seattle, WA 98111