Violations of Illinois Biometric Privacy Act Lawsuit Investigation

Stueve Siegel Hanson, a national leader in wage-and-hour and privacy cases, is investigating potential claims against employers or other companies in Illinois for collection of biometric data without informed consent. Biometric data includes a retina or iris scan, fingerprint, voiceprint, or scan of hand or face geometry. The Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) imposes strict requirements on employers who collect this information.

Under BIPA, employers and other companies may not collect this sensitive personal data from employees without informed consent, cannot profit from it, must protect it, and can only disclose it in limited circumstances. The penalties for violations are significant with statutory damages of $1,000 for negligent violations and up to $5,000 for intentional or reckless violations.

Employers commonly collect this information for the following purposes:

• Timekeeping – requiring employees to clock-in and clock-out with a fingerprint or other biometric information.
• Security – requiring fingerprint readers, facial recognition, or hand geometry scans to gain access to secure locations or secure technology.
• Health Plans – collecting biometric information in connection with providing group health plans or wellness plans to employees.

If your employer or another Illinois company is collecting this sensitive biometric information and you have questions about whether it is legal, please fill out the contact us form below or leave us a message at 888-816-2103 and we will return your call. All communications with us will be kept confidential.