1. What is the notice?
2. Am I affected?
3. What is this lawsuit about?
4. What is this Settlement about?
5. What is my next step?
6. Has the Settlement been preliminarily approved by the Court?
7. What if I agree with the Settlement, but believe the information about my dates of work is incorrect?
8. What am I releasing if I am part of the private class action Settlement?
9. What is the next step in the approval of this proposed Settlement?
10. What if I do not want to participate (“opt-out”) of this Settlement?
11. What happens if I opt-out of this Settlement?
12. What if I submit a timely notice of opt-out but change my mind?
13. What if I want to object to the Settlement?
14. What happens if I receive a check for a settlement payment, but do not cash it?
15. Have you received Medicare or Medicaid?
16. How can I get more information?
The Notice is of a proposed settlement of a Class Action lawsuit and advises you of how you can either participate in this settlement to receive your share of the settlement proceeds, or how you can exclude yourself from the Settlement.
Plaintiffs brought the lawsuit on behalf of female employees (“Group/Class Members”), and the State of California, against Niantic, Inc. (“Niantic”). This lawsuit alleged equal pay violations, sexual harassment, sex discrimination, retaliation, and related workplace violations against Niantic. The settlement will resolve the lawsuit.
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This Class Action Settlement covers current and former female employees that worked for Niantic in California between July 7, 2019, and December 10, 2025.
Female in the “Group/Class member(s)” definition includes persons who self-identified as female or who Niantic identified as female. If you are received a notice it is because you may fall within this definition. Anyone incorrectly identified as female is encouraged to notify the Claims Administrator identified in Question 16. Any current or former Niantic employee may contact the Claims Administrator to correct, confirm, or otherwise provide information about their gender for purposes of participating in the Settlement.
You have a right to discuss unlawful acts in the workplace, such as harassment or discrimination or any other conduct that you have reason to believe is unlawful.
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The Plaintiffs have alleged Niantic violated California laws by engaging in:
sex and gender discrimination in hiring, assignment, pay, promotion, and related practices;
sexual harassment;
retaliation;
a failure to take all reasonable steps necessary to prevent discrimination and harassment from occurring; and
recordkeeping violations
There has been an extensive exchange of information in the Actions. In addition, the Parties retained experts to assist in the valuation and assessment of the Actions and have participated in a mediation with the assistance of an experienced employment law mediator and former Los Angeles County Superior Court Complex Court judge and negotiated the terms of this Settlement.
The Parties have considered the expense and length of continued proceedings necessary to continue the Actions through trial and any possible appeals. The Parties have also taken into account the uncertainty and risk of the outcome of further litigation, and the difficulties and delays inherent in any such litigation. Based on the foregoing, Plaintiffs have determined that the terms as set forth in this Agreement are fair, adequate, reasonable, and in the best interests of the Group/Class Members.
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In the Class Action Settlement, if the Court approves it, Niantic has agreed to make the following payments:
Gross Settlement Amount | $8,000,000 |
Group/Class Member Monetary Relief and PAGA Allocation | $4,986,000.00 ($75,000.00 of which will be paid to the DLSE for penalties) |
Plaintiffs’ Counsel’s Fees | $2,664,000.00 |
Plaintiffs’ Counsel’s Costs and Claims Administration Fees | $350,000.00 |
Any amount remaining in the Claims Administration Costs and Fees and any unawarded Agency or Plaintiffs’ Counsel’s Fees will be added to the Group/Class Member Monetary Relief.
For purposes of this Class Action Settlement, approximately 50% of each Group/Class Member’s Payment (stated in your Notice) shall be deemed wages for which the employee’s share of payroll deductions will be made from such Group/Class Member’s Payment for state and federal withholding taxes or any other applicable payroll deductions, and shall be reported on IRS Form W-2 for Niantic employees. The Parties further agree that approximately the other 50% of each such Payment represents the payment of emotional distress, penalties and interest and shall be reported on IRS Form 1099. W-2 and 1099 forms shall be provided to each respective Group/Class Members and applicable governmental authorities. Group/Class Members should consult with their tax advisors concerning the tax consequences of the payments they receive under the Class Settlement.
Niantic has agreed to hire a third-party independent expert to conduct a sex/gender equity analysis of total compensation as well as hiring and promotion outcomes in each of three years of the settlement. If their analysis reveals any disparities that cannot be explained by bona fide legitimate factors, Niantic will determine if there are any necessary adjustments to remedy any unlawful disparities.
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You should read the Notice, and the enclosed Release form that was mailed to you.
Please do not ignore these forms or throw them away.
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On December 3, 2025, the Court held a Preliminary Approval Hearing during which it preliminarily approved the Class Action Settlement.
The Preliminarily Court Approved Settlement will resolve the Class Action brought by Plaintiffs against Niantic. At the Preliminary Approval Hearing, the Court appointed the following attorneys as Class Counsel to represent the Class in the Private Action: Genie Harrison and Mia Munro (of Genie Harrison Law Firm, APC) and Nicholas Sarris (of JML Law, APLC). You can contact them at genie@genieharrisonlaw.com, mia@genieharrisonlaw.com, (213) 805-5301, or nsarris@jmllaw.com, (818) 610-8800.
A written fee sharing agreement has been executed by Class Counsel, whereby Genie Harrison Law Firm, APC will receive 55% of any awarded attorney fees, and JML Law, APLC will receive 45% of any awarded attorney fees. Class Representatives have been notified and have agreed in writing to the fee sharing agreement. You can choose to be represented by a different lawyer in this case at your own expense.
You may hire a lawyer or, if you already have a lawyer, your current lawyer may represent you at your own expense.
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If you disagree with the tenure calculations included in your notice, you must complete and send a notice of dispute to the Claims Administrator, together with any written documentation supporting your dispute. This documentation could include official records, pay stubs, weekly schedules or personal logs. You must submit this information to the Claims Administrator by March 13, 2026. The Claims Administrator shall make the final determination regarding the dispute based on the written documentation submitted by you and any materials submitted by counsel for all Parties within five (5) calendar days of receipt of the notice of dispute and supporting written documentation, and no later than prior to the Final Approval Hearing. The Claims Administrator will inform you of the final determination.
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In exchange for the benefits and monetary relief set out as part of this Class Action Settlement, you release or agree to give up claims for (1) Violation of California Equal Pay Act (Labor Code § 1197.5(a)); (2) Retaliation in Violation of California Equal Pay Act (Labor Code § 1197.5(k)); (3) Discrimination in Violation of the Fair Employment & Housing Act (Cal. Govt. Code § 12940(a)); (4) Hostile Work Environment in Violation of the Fair Employment & Housing Act (Cal. Govt. Code § 12940(j)(1)); (5) Retaliation in Violation of the Fair Employment & Housing Act (Cal. Govt. Code § 12940(h)); (6) Failure to Prevent Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation in Violation of the Fair Employment & Housing Act (Cal. Govt. Code § 12940(k)); (7) Violation of Unfair Competition Law (Bus. & Prof. Code § 17200, et seq.) (the “Settlement Class Members’ Released Claims”) for the time period of July 7, 2019, through December 3, 2025. If you do nothing, you will be included in the Class/Group and will receive these payments and benefits and will be deemed to release the applicable legal claims automatically.
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The Court will hold a Final Fairness/Approval Hearing on the fairness and adequacy of the proposed Settlement, the plan of distribution, Class Counsel’s request for attorneys’ fees and costs, and the settlement administration costs on April 13, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. in Department 6 of the Spring Street Courthouse, located at 312 North Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
The Final Fairness/Approval Hearing may be continued without further notice to Class Members. You are advised to check this settlement website or the Court’s Case Access website at https://www.lacourt.ca.gov/pages/lp/access-a-case/tp/find-case-information/cp/os-civil-case-access to confirm that the date has not been changed.
You are not required to attend the Final Fairness/Approval Hearing to receive a share of the Settlement. You do not need to appear at this hearing unless you wish to object to the Settlement. If you have sent a written objection, you may appear at the hearing if you choose to do so.
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If you do not want to participate in the Private Class Action Settlement, you must submit a signed written request to be excluded (“Notice of Opt-Out”) to the Claims Administrator at Doe v. Niantic, P.O. Box 26170, Santa Ana, CA 92799. Your Notice of Opt-Out must read:
I understand that I am requesting to be excluded from the Class Action Settlement. I understand that I will not receive any monetary relief beyond the PAGA Payment. I understand that I may bring a separate legal action seeking individual damages, penalties, or other relief, but may receive nothing or less than what I would have received by fully participating in this settlement. I understand that Niantic may claim an offset for any payments received by me in this settlement against any later award of individual relief I may receive. I understand that by opting out, I may still be required to administratively exhaust any claim that I may bring.
Your Notice of Opt-Out must be postmarked by March 13, 2026. If you do not timely submit a signed Notice of Opt Out (based on the postmark date), then (i) your Notice of Opt Out will be rejected; (ii) you will be deemed a Group/Class Member; and (iii) you will be bound by all the terms of the Settlement Agreement, including the release of Released Claims described in Section V of the Settlement Agreement. If the Notice of Opt Out is sent from within the United States, it must be sent via the U.S. Postal Service by First-Class Mail.
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You will not be entitled or permitted to assert an objection to the Class Action Settlement, and you may receive only the PAGA Payment.
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If you timely submitted a Notice of Opt-Out but later decide that you would like to participate in the Class Action Settlement, you may withdraw your Notice of Opt-Out by submitting a “Rescission of Opt-out” statement to the Claims Administrator. The Rescission of Opt-out statement must include the following language:
I previously submitted an Opt-out statement seeking exclusion from the class action settlement. I have reconsidered and wish to withdraw my Opt-out statement. I understand that by rescinding my Opt-out I will be eligible to receive an additional payment from the settlement fund and may not bring separate legal action against Niantic seeking damages.
The Rescission of Opt-out statement must be delivered to the Claims Administrator no later March 13, 2026.
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If you are not satisfied with the Class Action Settlement, you may object to the Settlement by submitting your objection in writing to the Court. You can give reasons why you think the Court should not approve the Settlement. You cannot ask the Court to order a different settlement; the Court can only approve or reject the Class Action Settlement. If the Court denies approval of the Class Action Settlement, the Private Class Action will continue in litigation.
Any objection to the proposed Settlement must be in writing. All written objections and supporting papers must (a) clearly identify the case name and number, (b) include the Group/Class Member’s Name, (c) include the Group/Class Member’s current address and telephone number, or current address and telephone number of your legal representative, and (d) include an explanation of why the Settlement Class Member objects to the Class Action Settlement, including the grounds therefore, any supporting documentation, and the reasons, if any, for requesting the opportunity to appear and be heard at the Final Approval Hearing. All written objections and supporting papers must then be submitted to the Court either by mailing them to the Clerk for Department 6, Los Angeles County Superior Court, Spring Street Courthouse, 312 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012, or by filing them in person at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse, 111 N. Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012. All written objections must be filed or postmarked on or before March 13, 2026.
Note: Failure to comply with all requirements of this section may constitute grounds for striking an objection or denying a request to be heard, if applicable; however, the failure to comply with the objection requirements will not serve as a bar to presenting an objection at the Final Approval Hearing.
You cannot both opt out and object to the Settlement.
Failure to comply with all requirements of this section shall constitute grounds for striking an objection or denying a request to be heard, if applicable.
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Group/Class Members who do not opt out will receive a check for their Payment within approximately 7 weeks of the Court’s final approval of the Class Action Settlement (if approved by the Court). Checks will be mailed by the Claims Administrator to the last known address for each Group/Class Member. Checks must be cashed within 180 days of mailing. After that date, the checks will no longer be able to be cashed, and the Claims Administrator will attempt to redistribute the funds to those Group/Class Members who already cashed their checks. After three rounds of redistribution, if any amount remains less than $250,000, the aggregate dollar amount of all uncashed checks will be provided in equal parts to Women in Games, National Center for Women & Information Technology, and Rewriting the Code.
Regardless of whether you cash your check for your Payment, if you do not opt out of the Settlement, you will have released the claims asserted in the Class Action.
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If so, please be sure to contact the Claims Administrator (see contact information below in Question 16) for further details on how this may impact your settlement and for an additional questionnaire required for compliance reporting. If you receive Medicare or Medicaid, it could impact your Payment. If you do not contact the Claims Administrator and the Medicare/Medicaid query (described below) does not return any results, Niantic will assume that you are not receiving any Medicare or Medicaid benefits.
Prior to the Final Fairness/Approval Hearing (as described above Question 9), a Medicare/Medicaid query will be run on each Group/Class Member’s Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Gender and Full Name. To the extent that the Claims Administrator is not provided a Social Security Number, Date of Birth, Gender or Full Name for a Group/Class Member, the Claims Administrator will contact the relevant Group/Class Member to attempt to obtain this information.
If any Group/Class Member is a Medicare or Medicaid beneficiary and there is a lien against the Group/Class Member, that could impact the Group/Class Member’s Payment.
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This website is a summary of the proposed Settlement. If you have any questions, you may contact the Claims Administrator, Simpluris, at:
Doe v. Niantic Inc.
Claims Administrator
P.O. Box 26170
Santa Ana, CA 92799
(888) 369-3780
info@NianticClassAction.com
Please do not telephone the Court or the office of the Court Clerk, the Judge, or Niantic or their Counsel for information about this website, the Notice, the Settlement, or the settlement process.
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