Trane Technologies $486,000 Washington Settlement, Job Applicants May Receive $1,173.55, No Claim Form Required

Trane Technologies and its affiliated companies have agreed to pay $486,000 to settle a Washington class action lawsuit. The suit alleges they advertised job openings without the salary ranges and benefits information that state law requires.

People who applied for qualifying Washington positions between January 1, 2023, and July 26, 2025, may receive an estimated $1,173.55 each if the court gives final approval.

The case, Shannon Spencer v. Trane U.S. Inc., et al., claims violations of Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA), specifically RCW 49.58.110, which requires covered employers to disclose wage information and benefits in job postings. King County Superior Court Judge Kent Liu granted preliminary approval on October 16, 2026. The final approval hearing is set for March 5, 2027.

Eligible applicants do not need to file a claim form. Settlement class members were identified from Trane’s employment application records. But if you need to update your mailing address or pick electronic payment, you must do that by January 5, 2027. That is also the deadline to opt out or object.

Trane denies wrongdoing, and no payment is guaranteed until the settlement becomes final.

Trane Technologies Settlement: Quick Facts

Detail	Information
Settlement amount	$486,000
Estimated payment	$1,173.55 per person
Case	Shannon Spencer v. Trane U.S. Inc., et al.
Case number	25-2-36800-9 SEA
Court	King County Superior Court, Washington
Judge	Kent Liu
Plaintiff	Shannon Spencer
Defendants	Trane U.S. Inc. and three affiliated Trane companies
Class period	January 1, 2023 to July 26, 2025
Eligible group	Qualifying Washington job applicants
Claim required?	No
Payment	Automatic, if approved and not excluded
Address/payment update deadline	January 5, 2027
Opt-out deadline	January 5, 2027
Objection deadline	January 5, 2027
Final approval hearing	March 5, 2027, at 1:30 p.m. Pacific
Settlement status	Preliminarily approved (October 16, 2026)
Administrator	Simpluris, Inc.
Official website	epoasettlementtui.com

Who Qualifies for the Trane Technologies Settlement?

According to the official settlement administrator, class members are people who meet all of these requirements:

1. They applied for a job with Trane U.S. Inc., Trane Technologies Company LLC, Trane Technologies Life Sciences LLC, or Trane Technologies Manufacturing LLC.
2. The job opening was located in Washington state.
3. They applied between January 1, 2023, and July 26, 2025.
4. The job posting allegedly left out required wage, salary, benefits or other compensation information.

The class covers U.S. individuals identified through the defendants’ employment application records. Eligible class members identified in those records were sent notices.

Do you have to have been hired?

No. The settlement is about job applications, not employment. People who applied for qualifying positions but were rejected, or never got an offer, can still be included.

What if you applied from another state?

The class definition refers to U.S. individuals who applied for qualifying Washington job openings. It does not expressly require the applicant to have lived in Washington. If you applied remotely from another state, contact Simpluris to find out whether your application counts.

What if you applied for several jobs?

The settlement pays an equal share to each eligible class member, not a separate payment for every application. Several qualifying applications do not automatically mean several payments.

How Much Will Each Trane Settlement Class Member Receive?

The estimated individual payment is $1,173.55.

The $486,000 common fund is shared by eligible class members who stay in the settlement, after court-approved deductions. Public settlement reporting identifies roughly 243 class members. The final payment may differ from the estimate depending on approved fees, expenses and the final eligible class.

Where will the $486,000 go?

Proposed deduction	Amount
Total settlement fund	$486,000
Attorneys’ fees	Up to $161,999.99
Litigation costs	Up to $5,000
Class representative (service) award	Up to $15,000
Settlement administration	Paid from the fund
Class member payments	Remaining net fund

Class Counsel must get court approval for the fees, expenses and service award, and the judge may approve lower amounts. The $1,173.55 figure is therefore an estimate, not a guaranteed check amount.

For context, the requested fee is about one-third (33.3%) of the fund. As a rough illustration, taking the maximum fees, costs and service award out of $486,000 leaves about $304,000. Dividing the estimated payment across roughly 243 people suggests administration costs are making up most of the remaining difference. That is simple arithmetic, not an official figure, so check the administrator’s documents for the exact numbers.

How to Receive Your Trane Technologies Settlement Payment

No claim form is required. Simpluris has already identified eligible people using Trane’s application records. If the court grants final approval and you do not opt out, you are included automatically. Still, make sure Simpluris has your current mailing address.

Step 1: Find your settlement notice

Eligible applicants should have received a notice explaining their rights. It includes a LoginID and PIN for the official payment-selection portal.

Step 2: Confirm your mailing address

If your address has changed, update it with the administrator. You can use the online portal or the address form that came with your notice.

Step 3: Choose your payment method

The settlement offers a paper check mailed to your address on file, or an electronic payment chosen through the portal. If you want electronic payment, submit your preference before January 5, 2027.

Official Trane payment selection portal

Update your address or select electronic payment

The portal needs the LoginID and PIN printed on your notice. This is an address and payment-selection form, not a compensation claim form.

What if you lost your LoginID or PIN?

Contact the settlement administrator:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 888-369-3780

The official website asks people requesting lost credentials to provide their full name and mailing address. Don’t share your login details with unrelated settlement websites or third parties.

Important Trane Settlement Deadlines

Event	Deadline
Update mailing address	January 5, 2027
Choose electronic payment	January 5, 2027
Request exclusion	January 5, 2027 (postmark)
Object to settlement	January 5, 2027
Final approval hearing	March 5, 2027, 1:30 p.m. PT
Expected payment date	Not yet announced

The court may change the hearing date. Check the official Important Dates page for updates.

What Happens If You Do Nothing?

If you are already an identified class member, doing nothing does not disqualify you. Under the settlement terms, eligible members who do not opt out will be paid if the court gives final approval.

However, Simpluris needs a valid mailing address to deliver a check.

Doing nothing also means you are bound by the settlement’s release once it becomes final. That generally stops you from separately suing the defendants over the claims the settlement resolves. The release does not waive unrelated claims outside its defined scope.

Can You Opt Out of the Trane Settlement?

Yes. If you want to keep the right to bring your own lawsuit over the released claims, you must request exclusion by January 5, 2027.

Your written request must include:

• Your full name and address
• A statement that you want to be excluded from the settlement
• The case name and number
• Your signature and the date

Mail the signed request to:

Shannon Spencer v. Trane U.S. Inc., et al. c/o Simpluris, Inc. P.O. Box 26170 Santa Ana, CA 92799

It must be postmarked by January 5, 2027. You cannot opt out by phone or email.

Anyone who validly opts out will not receive a payment but keeps the right to pursue claims that would otherwise be released, subject to any legal deadlines.

Can You Object to the Settlement?

Yes. Class members who disagree with the settlement, the attorneys’ fees or the representative award can file a formal objection by January 5, 2027.

Written objections must be filed with King County Superior Court, with copies mailed to the attorneys named in the official notice. The settlement FAQ lists what an objection must contain, including your identifying details, the reasons you object, your signature and certain disclosures about earlier objections. Read the official settlement FAQ before you prepare one.

Objecting and opting out are different. If you object, you remain a class member and can still be paid if the settlement is approved. If you opt out, you get no payment.

Why Did Trane Technologies Agree to Pay $486,000?

Plaintiff Shannon Spencer alleged that the defendants violated Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act by advertising open positions without the required pay and benefits disclosures. The companies named in the case are:

• Trane U.S. Inc.
• Trane Technologies Company LLC
• Trane Technologies Life Sciences LLC
• Trane Technologies Manufacturing LLC

The lawsuit centers on alleged failures to disclose salary information before applicants submitted their applications. Trane denies violating the law or being liable. Both sides agreed to settle to avoid the cost, uncertainty and risk of continued litigation, and the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing.

When did the lawsuit begin?

Public settlement reporting gives December 8, 2025, as the filing date. The case is pending in King County Superior Court under No. 25-2-36800-9 SEA. Judge Kent Liu granted preliminary approval on October 16, 2026, which allowed Simpluris to notify affected applicants.

What Is Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act?

Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA) is meant to make pay more transparent in hiring. Under RCW 49.58.110, employers with at least 15 employees generally must disclose the following in covered job postings:

• The wage scale or salary range, or the fixed wage if the employer offers only a fixed amount
• A general description of all benefits
• Other compensation offered to the successful applicant

The job-posting requirements took effect January 1, 2023. That is why the settlement class starts on that date.

Does the law reach remote jobs and out-of-state employers?

Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has taken the position in its administrative guidance that the posting rules can reach employers outside Washington when the job could be filled by a Washington-based employee, including remote roles with a Washington connection. That is one reason a class like this one can include out-of-state companies and applicants.

Can applicants sue even if they were not hired?

Yes, in the right circumstances. Washington law gives job applicants remedies for violations of the pay-disclosure provisions, and a person does not have to become an employee to seek relief over a qualifying posting.

Under the current version of RCW 49.58.110, statutory damages in qualifying private actions range from $100 to $5,000 per violation, subject to the statute’s requirements. Those statutory amounts are separate from what this settlement pays.

Did Washington change its law in 2025?

Yes. Washington amended the statute to add a correction opportunity for certain job-posting violations that occur between July 27, 2025, and July 27, 2027. During that window, an employer that gets the required written notice generally has five business days to fix the posting, subject to the statute’s conditions.

The Trane class ends on July 26, 2025, the day before that correction period begins. That matters when you compare this settlement with newer Washington job-posting cases.

For another settlement under the same state law, see Wiz Inc. $5 Million Washington Job Applicant Settlement, Who Qualifies, No Claim Form Required, Payments and the November 23, 2026 Deadline. The Wiz settlement involves a different employer, class period and deadline.

Other Washington Laws and Court Rules Behind This Settlement

Several other legal rules shape how a settlement like this one works.

Enforcement, retaliation and deadlines under the EPOA

The EPOA is enforced through private lawsuits and through L&I. Other provisions of RCW chapter 49.58 protect people from retaliation for exercising their rights under the Act. That fits with the settlement FAQ’s statement that the defendants will not retaliate against class members for taking part, opting out or objecting. The chapter also sets limits on when a civil action must be filed (generally three years from the violation, but confirm the current rule with an attorney or L&I). People who opt out should watch those deadlines closely.

Class actions in Washington state court: CR 23

Because this case is in King County Superior Court, it is governed by Washington Superior Court Civil Rule 23, not the federal class action rule. Several parts of CR 23 explain what you see in this settlement:

• Notice and the right to opt out. In a damages class, members get notice and a chance to exclude themselves. That is the January 5, 2027 opt-out deadline.
• Court approval of the settlement. Under CR 23(e), a class settlement needs court approval, and the judge must find it fair, reasonable and adequate. That is the purpose of the March 5, 2027 hearing.
• Binding effect. A class judgment or approved settlement binds everyone who did not validly opt out, which is why doing nothing means you give up the released claims.

Attorneys’ fees in a common fund

Washington courts review fee requests in common-fund settlements for reasonableness. The state supreme court’s decision in Bowles v. Department of Retirement Systems, 121 Wn.2d 52 (1993), is a leading authority. It generally approves the percentage-of-the-fund approach and allows courts to cross-check the result against the hours actually worked. The requested $161,999.99 fee is about 33.3% of the fund, and the judge will decide whether it is justified.

Unclaimed money

What happens to uncashed settlement checks is set by the settlement agreement and the court. Separately, Washington’s Uniform Unclaimed Property Act (RCW chapter 63.29) governs how certain unclaimed funds are handled. The official FAQ says checks become void 180 days after issuance, so don’t let a check sit.

When Will Trane Settlement Checks Be Mailed?

There is no confirmed payment date. The final approval hearing is set for March 5, 2027. If Judge Liu approves the settlement and any appeals or other reviews are finished, the administrator will send payments to qualifying members.

The official FAQ says settlement payments expire and become void 180 calendar days after issuance. Cash or deposit your check promptly.

Are the payments taxable?

The administrator says payments will be treated as non-wage damages and reported on Form 1099. Under federal tax law, settlement money is generally taxable income unless an exclusion applies (for example, the exclusion in 26 U.S.C. § 104(a)(2) for damages received on account of physical injury, which does not obviously fit a pay-disclosure claim). Your own situation can change the answer, so consider asking a qualified tax professional.

Who Are the Attorneys Representing Class Members?

The court appointed these attorneys from Emery Reddy, PC:

• Timothy W. Emery
• Patrick B. Reddy
• Paul Cipriani

Class Counsel contact:

Emery Reddy, PC 600 Stewart Street, Suite 1100 Seattle, WA 98101 Phone: 206-442-9106

Class members do not have to hire their own attorney to take part. They may hire one at their own expense if they prefer.

Where and When Is the Final Approval Hearing?

Judge Kent Liu will hold the final approval hearing:

Date: March 5, 2027 Time: 1:30 p.m. Pacific Court: King County Superior Court Address: 401 4th Avenue North, Room 4H, Kent, WA 98032

A remote Zoom option is available through the official settlement website.

At the hearing, the judge will consider whether the settlement is fair, reasonable and adequate. The court may also consider objections and the requested awards for attorneys’ fees, litigation expenses and the class representative. You do not have to attend to stay eligible for payment.

Other Washington Job Applicant Settlements

The Trane case is one of several settlements over alleged violations of Washington’s pay transparency law. Two others covered by AllAboutLawyer:

Groundlight $460,000 Job Posting Class Action Settlement, Who Qualifies and When Will Applicants Get Paid? covers qualifying Groundlight job applicants and does not require a claim form.

Nordstrom $834,375 Settlement, Washington Job Applicants May Get $1,154, No Claim Form Needed (Update Address by December 2, 2026) involves similar Washington job-posting disclosure allegations but has its own class definition and deadlines.

Being eligible for one settlement does not make you eligible for another.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Trane Settlement

Is the Trane Technologies $486,000 settlement real?

Yes. King County Superior Court preliminarily approved it on October 16, 2026. The official settlement website is run by Simpluris.

Who qualifies?

People identified as having applied for qualifying Washington positions with the named Trane defendants between January 1, 2023, and July 26, 2025, in response to postings that allegedly lacked required compensation information.

How much can I receive?

The estimated payment is $1,173.55 per eligible class member. The actual amount may change.

Do I need to file a claim?

No. Eligible applicants are included automatically unless they exclude themselves.

What is the January 5 deadline?

It is the deadline to update your address or payment information, request exclusion, or object. It is not a claim-filing deadline.

Do I need proof that I applied?

The administrator identified class members from Trane’s employment records. If you think you were wrongly left out, contact Simpluris promptly and keep any application confirmation.

What if I never worked for Trane?

You can still qualify, because the settlement concerns job applicants, not just employees.

What if I moved?

Update your mailing address with Simpluris before January 5, 2027, so your payment can be delivered.

Can I receive an electronic payment?

Yes. Use the official payment-selection form with the LoginID and PIN on your notice.

Will Trane retaliate against applicants?

The official FAQ states the defendants will not retaliate against class members for participating, opting out or objecting.

Is the settlement final?

No. Final approval will be considered at the March 5, 2027 hearing.

When will I receive my payment?

After final approval and the resolution of any appeals or other reviews. No exact payment date has been announced.

Can I opt out and still receive money?

No. If you exclude yourself, you will not receive a settlement payment.

Are the payments taxable?

The administrator says payments will be reported on Form 1099 as non-wage damages. Ask a tax professional about your situation.

How can I verify my eligibility?

Contact Simpluris at 888-369-3780 or [email protected].

What Should Eligible Trane Applicants Do Now?

If you got a settlement notice, read it and make sure the administrator has your current mailing address. If you want electronic payment, use the official portal before January 5, 2027. You do not need to submit a claim to be paid.

If you disagree with the settlement, or want to keep the right to sue separately over the released claims, review the opt-out and objection instructions before the deadline. The final approval hearing is March 5, 2027.

The bottom line: Eligible applicants may receive about $1,173.55 without filing a claim, but payment depends on final approval of the $486,000 settlement.

Official Settlement Documents and Sources

1. Official Trane Technologies Settlement Website. Case overview, preliminary approval and settlement class.
2. Official Notice of Class Action Settlement (PDF). Settlement notice and legal rights.
3. Official Settlement Agreement (PDF). Settlement terms and release.
4. Settlement FAQ. Eligibility, payment procedures, attorneys’ fees, exclusion and objection requirements.
5. Address Update and Payment Selection Portal. Official Simpluris portal requiring LoginID and PIN.
6. Important Dates. January 5, 2027 deadlines and March 5, 2027 hearing.
7. Important Documents. Administrator’s document library.
8. Washington Legislature: RCW 49.58.110. Official state wage-disclosure law.
9. Washington Department of Labor & Industries: Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. Official employer and applicant guidance.
10. Washington Superior Court Civil Rule 23; RCW chapter 49.58; RCW chapter 63.29; Bowles v. Department of Retirement Systems, 121 Wn.2d 52 (1993); 26 U.S.C. § 104(a)(2). Class action procedure, EPOA enforcement, unclaimed property, fee review and tax background.

Research and authorship: Researched and written by Israr Ahmad for AllAboutLawyer.com using the Simpluris settlement website, administrator FAQ, published settlement reporting and Washington law.

Verification note: Settlement details reflect the official administrator’s website as of November 11, 2026. The linked notice and agreement PDFs redirected through a document-storage service and could not be independently inspected in full. The estimated payment and reported class size were cross-checked against published settlement coverage. The settlement agreement and court orders control if any summary differs.

Disclaimer: AllAboutLawyer.com is an independent legal-information website, not a law firm. This article provides general legal information, not legal advice, and reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Settlement terms and hearing dates may change. Final payments depend on court approval and the settlement becoming effective. Consider speaking with a licensed Washington attorney about your own situation.