Zale Delaware & Sterling Jewelers Settlement, Check If You Qualify — Lynch v. Zale Delaware, Inc., No. 24-2-24820-0 SEA

There’s a claim window open right now for anyone who applied to Zales or Sterling Jewelers in Washington and never saw a real pay range on the job posting. Zale Delaware, Inc. and Sterling Jewelers, Inc. agreed to settle a lawsuit claiming their Washington job postings broke the state’s pay transparency law, either omitting pay and benefits information entirely or listing a range that started below minimum wage. You have until September 28, 2026, to file.

Zale Delaware & Sterling Jewelers Settlement — Key Facts

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	UNVERIFIED — not disclosed on the official settlement website; the underlying settlement agreement PDF was inaccessible for direct verification. Secondary reporting cites figures around $1.61–$2.44 million, unconfirmed against a primary source.
Claim Deadline	September 28, 2026
Who Qualifies	Applicants to Washington job postings from Zale Delaware and/or Sterling Jewelers, Jan. 1, 2023 – July 26, 2025, in either the Minimum Wage Settlement Class or the No Pay Settlement Class
Estimated Payout	Pro-rata — the specific estimated amount is printed on the individual Claim Form each class member received
Proof Required	No — file using the LoginID and PIN from your settlement notice
Settlement Status	Pending Court approval — not yet final
Court & Case Number	King County Superior Court, Washington — No. 24-2-24820-0 SEA
Law Alleged	RCW 49.58.110, Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (job posting disclosure requirement)
Administrator	Simpluris
Official Claim Site	ZDIClassActionSettlement.com
Last Updated	August 25, 2026

Who Are Zale Delaware and Sterling Jewelers, and Why Are They Being Sued Over Job Postings?

Zale Delaware operates as Zales, and Sterling Jewelers runs Kay Jewelers and Jared — both are part of the same corporate family under Signet Jewelers. That matters here because both brands post Washington jobs under the same hiring practices the lawsuit challenges, which is why one settlement covers applicants to either company. This isn’t Sterling’s only brush with employment litigation — a separate, unrelated $175 million pay discrimination case against Sterling closed back in 2022 — but this case is entirely about something narrower: what the job posting itself disclosed before you ever applied.

What Did Zale Delaware and Sterling Jewelers Do Between 2023 and 2025?

Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act, codified at RCW 49.58.110, requires employers to list a wage scale or salary range and a general description of benefits on every job posting. Plaintiff Tyler Lynch claims Zale Delaware and Sterling Jewelers didn’t do that consistently — some postings left pay and benefits information out entirely, and others listed a range that started below Washington’s minimum wage for that jurisdiction, which the law treats the same as not disclosing pay at all.

This case isn’t an outlier. Washington State Bar News has described RCW 49.58.110 litigation as having become something of a cottage industry, with hundreds of similar class actions filed against employers statewide since the law took effect — Zale Delaware and Sterling Jewelers are one entry in a much longer list of Washington employers facing the same type of claim.

The Companies deny wrongdoing and haven’t been found liable — they agreed to settle to avoid the cost and uncertainty of continued litigation.

So what does that mean for you? If you applied to a Washington opening at either brand during that window and the posting looked thin on pay details, there’s a real chance you’re one of the people this settlement was built for.

Who Qualifies for the Zale Delaware & Sterling Jewelers Settlement?

Here’s exactly how to know if this case includes you.

• Applicants who applied to a Washington job posting at Zale Delaware and/or Sterling Jewelers between January 1, 2023, and July 26, 2025, where the posting listed a wage scale starting below the applicable Washington minimum wage fall in the Minimum Wage Settlement Class.
• Anyone who applied during that same window to a posting that skipped pay or benefits information altogether falls in the No Pay Settlement Class.
• Both classes apply regardless of whether you were ultimately hired.
• Job seekers who applied outside Washington, or before January 1, 2023, are not included in either class.

Zale Delaware & Sterling Jewelers Applicants Outside Washington — Are You Still Covered?

No. This settlement is specific to Washington’s own pay transparency statute, so only job postings for openings located in Washington count, regardless of where you personally live or applied from.

Not sure whether you qualify for the Zale Delaware and Sterling Jewelers settlement? A free consultation with an employment discrimination attorney can help you sort that out before the September 28 deadline.

How Much Can Zale Delaware & Sterling Jewelers Settlement Class Members Get?

Payments are pro-rata, meaning your share depends on the total number of valid claims filed — the more people who file, the smaller each individual check gets. Your specific estimated amount is printed directly on the Claim Form you received with your notice; the official settlement site doesn’t publish a flat number because it varies by class and by claims volume.

Settlement payments will be characterized as non-wage damages and reported on a 1099, not a W-2. Class Counsel has asked the Court to approve $720,980.00 in attorneys’ fees, $5,000.00 in costs, and a $20,000.00 service award to Tyler Lynch, all paid from the Settlement Fund before class payments are calculated — the Court could award less than what’s requested.

How to File Your Zale Delaware & Sterling Jewelers Claim — Step by Step

1. Go to ZDIClassActionSettlement.com and click “Submit a Claim”
2. Enter the LoginID and PIN from the Notice you received
3. Confirm your estimated payment amount, which is pre-filled based on your class membership
4. No proof is required — the Settlement Administrator verifies eligibility from company records
5. Submit online, or mail/email a paper Claim Form to Simpluris before the deadline
6. Keep your address and phone number current with the administrator so your payment reaches you

Takes about 5 minutes.

⚠️ September 28, 2026 is also your deadline to exclude yourself or object — the same date covers all three options.

Should Zale Delaware & Sterling Jewelers Class Members Opt Out or Object Before September 28?

What Opting Out of the Settlement Actually Means

Excluding yourself means you get no payment, but you keep your right to sue Zale Delaware and Sterling Jewelers separately over the same pay transparency claims. Most people should not opt out without talking to a lawyer first. The exclusion deadline is September 28, 2026, and it must be a written, individually signed letter — no phone or email exclusions, and no group requests.

How to Object to the Settlement

You can stay in the class and still tell the Court you disagree with some part of the deal — the fee request is a common target for objections. Written objections must be filed with King County Superior Court, 516 Third Avenue, Room C-203, Seattle, WA 98104, and copies mailed to both Class Counsel and Defendant’s Counsel, all postmarked by September 28, 2026.

Talk to a class action lawsuit attorney before September 28 if you’re considering either option.

Zale Delaware & Sterling Jewelers Settlement — Key Dates, 2026

Milestone	Date
Settlement Class Period	January 1, 2023 – July 26, 2025
Claims Period Opens	UNVERIFIED — not stated on official settlement website
Claim Filing Deadline	September 28, 2026
Opt-Out Deadline	September 28, 2026
Objection Deadline	September 28, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	October 23, 2026, 10:00 a.m., King County Superior Court, Courtroom W-965 (Zoom available)
Expected Payment Date	UNVERIFIED — official site states payment follows final approval and resolution of any appeals, with no specific date given

Zale Delaware & Sterling Jewelers — Frequently Asked Questions, No. 24-2-24820-0 SEA

Do I need a lawyer to file a Zale Delaware settlement claim? 

No. Court-appointed Class Counsel at Emery Reddy, PC already represents the class at no cost to you, and filing takes about five minutes online.

Is the Zale Delaware and Sterling Jewelers settlement legitimate? 

Yes. It’s pending before Judge John McHale in King County Superior Court, Case No. 24-2-24820-0 SEA, and administered by Simpluris — the only authorized site is ZDIClassActionSettlement.com.

When will Zale Delaware settlement payments be sent?

 Payments go out after the Court grants final approval at the October 23, 2026 hearing and any appeals are resolved. No specific mailing date has been published yet.

What if I missed the Zale Delaware claim deadline?

 The deadline is September 28, 2026. If you miss it, you won’t receive a payment but remain bound by the settlement’s release of claims unless you separately excluded yourself.

Will my Zale Delaware settlement payment go on a 1099? 

Yes. The official FAQ confirms payments are characterized as non-wage damages, reported on a 1099 rather than a W-2.

Does it matter whether I was hired? 

No. Both settlement classes are defined by whether you applied to a qualifying posting, not by hiring outcome.

Is this the same case as the $175 million Sterling Jewelers pay discrimination settlement? 

No. That was a separate arbitration over pay and promotion discrimination that closed in 2022. This case is only about pay transparency disclosures on job postings between 2023 and 2025.

Sources Used in This Article

• Official Settlement Website — Home page, accessed August 25, 2026: https://zdiclassactionsettlement.com/
• Official Settlement Website — FAQ page, accessed August 25, 2026: https://zdiclassactionsettlement.com/faq/
• Washington State Bar News — “Insurance Coverage for Alleged Violations of the Wage Transparency Statute,” July 16, 2025: https://wabarnews.org/2025/07/16/insurance-coverage-wage-transparency-statute/

Researched and written by Israr Ahmad, legal content researcher and founder of AllAboutLawyer.com. All facts verified against the official settlement website for Lynch v. Zale Delaware, Inc., No. 24-2-24820-0 SEA, as of August 25, 2026. Last Updated: August 25, 2026.

This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws vary by state and individual circumstances differ. For advice about your specific situation, consult a qualified attorney.