Ardent Health $2.9 Million Overtime Settlement, Who Can Join by December 18, 2026

Employees of Ardent Health entities who were paid late or incorrectly after the 2021 Kronos outage may be able to collect money from a $2.9 million wage settlement. The case is Hill v. AHS Management Company, Inc., No. 3:23-cv-01045, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee.

This is not an automatic-payment class action. It is an opt-in collective action under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). To receive money, you must sign and return a Consent to Join Form by December 18, 2026. The settlement website says that deadline will not be extended.

Join now: Official consent form | Official settlement website

Ardent Health $2.9 Million Settlement: Quick Facts

Item	Detail
Case name	Hill v. AHS Management Company, Inc., et al.
Case number	3:23-cv-01045
Court	U.S. District Court, Middle District of Tennessee
Defendants	AHS Management Company, Inc. and BSA Health System Management, LLC (“Ardent”)
Named plaintiff	Vanessa Hill, a former employee of an Ardent entity
Settlement amount	$2,900,000
Law behind the claims	Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.
Main allegation	Unpaid or late wages, including overtime, after the Kronos Private Cloud outage
Eligible work period	December 11, 2021 to February 17, 2022
Who qualifies	Non-exempt employees of an Ardent entity who tracked time with Kronos Private Cloud, or would have but for the outage
Required action	Sign and return a Consent to Join Form
Official settlement website	ardentkronoswagesettlement.com
Official consent form	ardentkronoswagesettlement.com/consent-form
Deadline to join	December 18, 2026
Payment split	25% wages (W-2) and 75% liquidated damages (1099)
Payment amount	Varies by hours worked; estimate printed on your mailed notice
Settlement administrator	ILYM Group, Inc.
Status	Court approved the settlement on August 17, 2026; consent forms are being accepted

Ardent denies wrongdoing. The court approved the settlement without deciding that Ardent violated wage laws or that any particular person is owed money.

What Happened: The Kronos Outage and the Lawsuit

In December 2021, a ransomware attack disrupted Kronos Private Cloud, a timekeeping and payroll platform used by many employers, including healthcare organizations. The outage is generally dated to about December 11, 2021. Ardent used Kronos Private Cloud for certain timekeeping and payroll functions.

Hill sued in October 2023 under the FLSA, along with additional state-law claims. She alleged that she and other employees were not paid properly or on time for pay periods between November 28, 2021 and February 25, 2022. The lawsuit alleges the outage disrupted the accurate tracking of hours and payroll processing, leaving some workers with unpaid wages, late payments, or unpaid overtime.

Ardent disputes this. It says employees were paid correctly and fairly for their hours and that a collective action is not appropriate, but it considers the settlement a fair resolution. The settlement resolves the dispute without a trial.

Who Qualifies for the Ardent Health Settlement?

You may qualify if an Ardent entity employed you as a non-exempt employee at any point from December 11, 2021 to February 17, 2022, in a job where you tracked working time using Kronos Private Cloud, or would have but for the outage. The full definition in the court-authorized notice controls.

• Eligibility comes from Ardent’s employment records. People identified there were mailed a notice with an ILYM ID and an estimated payment.
• Working at an Ardent-affiliated hospital or facility does not automatically make you eligible. Your employer, employment classification, work dates, and timekeeping arrangement must fit the definition.
• If you think you qualify but got no notice, or lost it, contact ILYM Group at (844) 221-4471 or [email protected]. Do not guess an ID number.

Three date ranges that are easy to confuse

Date range	What it is
December 11, 2021 to February 17, 2022	Employment period used to identify potentially eligible workers
November 28, 2021 to February 25, 2022	Pay periods the lawsuit says were affected by the outage
November 28, 2021 to August 17, 2026	Period covered by the release if you join

What Does Federal Wage Law Require?

The legal background explains why this case exists.

• Overtime: 29 U.S.C. § 207 generally requires covered, non-exempt employees to receive at least one and one-half times their regular rate for hours worked over 40 in a workweek. For example, a worker with 45 hours in a week is generally owed overtime for the five hours over 40.
• Pay for all hours worked: The FLSA requires pay for all hours worked, and employers must keep records of hours and wages (29 U.S.C. § 211(c); 29 C.F.R. Part 516). A system outage does not by itself remove those duties, which is the heart of the plaintiffs’ theory.
• Late pay: The Supreme Court held in Brooklyn Savings Bank v. O’Neil, 324 U.S. 697 (1945), that wages paid late can violate the FLSA and support liquidated damages. That is why the lawsuit includes late-payment claims, not only unpaid overtime.
• Liquidated damages: Under 29 U.S.C. § 216(b), an employer that violates the minimum wage or overtime rules can be liable for the unpaid amount plus an equal amount as liquidated damages. A court can reduce liquidated damages if the employer proves it acted in good faith with reasonable grounds (29 U.S.C. § 260). That explains the 75% liquidated damages share of each payment.
• No retaliation: 29 U.S.C. § 215(a)(3) bars employers from retaliating against employees for asserting FLSA rights.

The court approved a negotiated settlement. It did not rule that Ardent violated these laws.

Related article: Bucked Up Class Action Lawsuit, Ruchman v. DAS Labs Alleges Protein Drinks Contain Less Than 25 Grams

Why You Have to Opt In: Collective Action vs. Class Action

Most consumer settlements are Rule 23 class actions: eligible people are included unless they opt out. FLSA collective actions work the opposite way. Under 29 U.S.C. § 216(b), no employee is a party plaintiff unless he or she gives written consent to join the case. That is why a Consent to Join Form is required.

Courts can approve notice to potential participants (Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. v. Sperling, 493 U.S. 165 (1989)). The Supreme Court has noted that conditional certification’s main effect is to send that notice, and that it does not create a class with independent legal status (Genesis Healthcare Corp. v. Symczyk, 569 U.S. 66 (2013)). Many federal courts also review FLSA settlements for fairness, which is why the court’s approval here matters.

Why the deadline matters: For FLSA claims, the limitation period generally runs for each person until his or her written consent is filed (29 U.S.C. § 256). The standard limitation period is two years, or three for willful violations (29 U.S.C. § 255). These are legal rules for individual claims, so ask a lawyer how they apply to you.

How Much Will You Get?

There is no flat amount. The $2.9 million is the gross fund. Attorneys’ fees, administration costs, the court-approved service award, and other permitted expenses reduce what is left. Your share is proportional and is based on the hours you worked for Ardent during the outage. Your estimate is printed on your notice.

Payment split and taxes

Each participant receives two checks:

Portion	Share	Tax treatment
Wages	25%	Withholding applies; reported on Form W-2
Liquidated damages	75%	No withholding under the notice; reported on Form 1099

Illustration only: a total payment of $1,000 would be split into $250 wages and $750 liquidated damages. This is not a prediction of your payment. A Form 1099 does not mean the amount is tax-free, so talk to a tax professional.

Fees and what is left

A summary of the agreement published by Claim Depot lists $1.6 million in attorneys’ fees and a $5,000 service award to Hill, with costs and administration expenses still to be determined. On those figures, fees would be about 55% of the fund, and about $1.3 million would remain before costs and administration. That calculation is our estimate from a third-party summary, so confirm the numbers in the settlement agreement on the official documents page. The settlement website says you will not pay the attorneys directly.

How to Join Before December 18, 2026

1. Find your notice. You need the ILYM ID printed on it and your last name.
2. Review the release below before you sign.
3. Sign and submit the Consent to Join Form online at ardentkronoswagesettlement.com, or return the paper form that came with your notice.
4. Submit by December 18, 2026. According to the official website, online submissions and forms that are postmarked, emailed, or faxed to the administrator count if they arrive on time. If you are close to the deadline, use the online form or email and keep a confirmation.

Paper form and questions:

• Mail: Overtime Lawsuit Against Ardent Health, ILYM Group, Inc., P.O. Box 2031, Tustin, CA 92781
• Email: [email protected]
• Fax: (888) 845-6185
• Phone: (844) 221-4471

The court and the clerk’s office cannot give advice about the settlement, so contact the administrator instead.

Keep a copy of your form or confirmation, and make sure the administrator has a reliable mailing address for your checks. Use only the official website, and do not enter personal information on sites that promise guaranteed money.

What You Give Up by Joining

Signing makes you a party to the case. By signing, you confirm that you:

1. are joining the lawsuit,
2. are represented by Parmet Law PC and Morgan & Morgan, P.A. (the “Collective Attorneys”),
3. are bound by the attorney-client agreement Hill signed, and
4. are bound by the Settlement Agreement Hill signed.

You also release all wage and hour claims against Ardent related to the Kronos outage, including claims for unpaid wages, late payment of wages, overtime, and penalties under federal, state, and local law. The release covers November 28, 2021 through August 17, 2026. If you believe you have a separate or larger wage claim, talk to an employment lawyer before you sign.

What If You Do Nothing?

• You get no money from this settlement.
• You do not join the case and do not release your covered claims through this settlement.
• Your own claims remain subject to the legal deadlines above. Do not assume the settlement process pauses or extends them.
• If you were overpaid during the outage and have not repaid it, the official notice says Ardent may still seek repayment.

Ardent has said it will not take adverse employment action against anyone for joining or not joining.

When Will Payments Go Out?

There is no officially confirmed payment date. Claim Depot’s summary of the agreement says the administrator will distribute payments within 20 days after the claims period ends, which it puts at about January 7, 2027. Checks go to the address on your consent form. Treat that as an estimate, and check the official website and the Settlement Agreement, which control if they differ.

Ardent Health Settlement Timeline

Date	Event
November 28, 2021	Start of pay periods the lawsuit says were affected
December 11, 2021	Kronos outage begins after a ransomware incident
February 17, 2022	End of the employment eligibility period
February 25, 2022	End of the affected pay periods
October 2023	Vanessa Hill files the federal wage lawsuit
October 15, 2025	Federal court issues a memorandum opinion on earlier motions
December 5, 2025	Parties mediate, according to settlement reporting
March 19, 2026	Parties file the settlement agreement and motion for approval
August 17, 2026	Court approves the settlement and notice process; release period ends
December 18, 2026	Deadline to sign and return the Consent to Join Form
About January 7, 2027	Payments expected, per Claim Depot’s summary (unconfirmed)

Dates can change, so check the official settlement documents page.

Who Represents the Employees?

Morgan & Morgan, P.A. (Kim DeArcangelis and Andrew R. Frisch) and Parmet Law PC (Matthew S. Parmet). Joining employees do not pay them directly. Fees and costs are handled through the settlement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Ardent Health $2.9 million settlement real?

Yes. The administrator operates a court-authorized website for Hill v. AHS Management Company, Inc., No. 3:23-cv-01045. The court approved the settlement on August 17, 2026.

Is this a class action or a collective action?

An FLSA collective action. You are not included unless you opt in by returning the Consent to Join Form.

Who qualifies?

Certain non-exempt employees of an Ardent entity who worked between December 11, 2021 and February 17, 2022 and tracked time through Kronos Private Cloud, or would have but for the outage. The notice definition controls.

What is the deadline?

December 18, 2026. The website says it will not be extended.

Do I need to file a claim form?

You must sign and return a Consent to Join Form. You need your ILYM ID and last name for the online version.

How much will I get?

It depends on the hours you worked during the outage. Your estimate is on your notice. There is no flat amount.

Why are there two checks?

One is for wages (25%) and one is for liquidated damages (75%), with different tax reporting.

Do I have to prove I worked during the outage?

Eligibility comes from Ardent’s records, and your notice reflects that. Contact the administrator if you think you were missed.

Do I owe anything if I join?

You do not pay the Collective Attorneys directly. Fees and costs come out of the settlement.

Does Ardent admit wrongdoing?

No. Ardent denies liability and the court has not found that it did anything wrong.

Can I sue on my own if I do not join?

Possibly, but it depends on your claims and the deadlines, which keep running. Not joining does not guarantee a later claim is timely or will succeed. Speak to a qualified employment attorney.

Can Ardent punish me for joining?

The notice says Ardent will not take adverse action against you for joining or not joining, and federal law bars retaliation for asserting FLSA rights (29 U.S.C. § 215(a)(3)).

What if I lost my notice?

Contact ILYM Group at (844) 221-4471 or [email protected].

When will checks arrive?

No confirmed date. See “When Will Payments Go Out?” above.

What Ardent Employees Should Do Now

1. Compare your dates and job with the eligibility definition.
2. Find your notice and ILYM ID, and review your estimated payment.
3. Read the release, then sign and return the form before December 18, 2026.

The $2.9 million settlement resolves disputed allegations. It is not a court finding that Ardent underpaid every affected worker.

For related coverage of another FLSA wage settlement, read our article: Deera Express $27,500 Overtime Settlement, What Former Delivery Drivers Should Know

About This Article

This article was researched and written by Israr Ahmad, a legal content researcher, from the official settlement website, the court-authorized notice, and the statutes and sources listed below. It reflects information available as of October 17, 2026. The court-approved notice and the Settlement Agreement control if anything here differs.

This article is general legal information, not legal advice. AllAboutLawyer.com is a consumer legal-information website, not a law firm, and the author is not an attorney. Consult a licensed attorney about your own situation and deadlines.

Sources

1. Official settlement website, Hill v. AHS Management Company, Inc. (ILYM Group, Inc.): https://ardentkronoswagesettlement.com/
2. Official Consent to Join Form: https://ardentkronoswagesettlement.com/consent-form
3. Official settlement FAQs (from the court-authorized notice): https://ardentkronoswagesettlement.com/faq
4. Official settlement documents: https://ardentkronoswagesettlement.com/important-documents
5. Official settlement contact information: https://ardentkronoswagesettlement.com/contact
6. Claim Depot, “Ardent Health $2.9M Unpaid Overtime Class Action Settlement,” October 16, 2026 (third-party summary of the agreement; confirm figures against the agreement): https://www.claimdepot.com/settlements/ardent-kronos-wage-settlement
7. U.S. Department of Labor, Fair Labor Standards Act: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa
8. 29 U.S.C. § 207, Maximum hours and overtime compensation: https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid:USC-prelim-title29-section207&num=0&edition=prelim
9. 29 U.S.C. §§ 211(c), 215(a)(3), 216(b), 255, 256, 260; 29 C.F.R. Part 516 (verify current text on the official U.S. Code and eCFR websites)
10. Brooklyn Savings Bank v. O’Neil, 324 U.S. 697 (1945); Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. v. Sperling, 493 U.S. 165 (1989); Genesis Healthcare Corp. v. Symczyk, 569 U.S. 66 (2013)