Key facts pulled from the official settlement site; not yet independently field-verified — confirm details on the official site.
Scale AI $12.5M California Wage-and-Hour Settlement (McKinney v. Scale AI)
Scale AI is paying $12.5 million to settle a California wage-and-hour lawsuit covering former independent contractors and HireArt-placed workers — and if you're in the class, your payment arrives automatically, no claim form needed.
"Former independent contractors who performed services with Scale AI or Smart Ecosystem, and/or HireArt employees" with claims for "unpaid wages, unreimbursed business expenses, and penalties." FAQ: "Plaintiffs are former Scale AI independent contractors and/or workers placed by HireArt to work with Scale AI or Smart Ecosystem." Class Notice: "The 'Class Period' is from December 10, 2020 through February 28, 2026.". Payout: "Defendants will pay $12,500,000.00 as the Gross Settlement Amount." The estimated net amount after deductions is "$7,543,333.33", shared by "dividing the Net Settlement Amount by the total number of Class Workweeks worked by all Participating Class Members during the Class Period, and multiplying the result by each Participating Class Member's own Class Workweeks.". No proof of purchase is required to file. Checked against the official settlement source by SettleSignal on July 25, 2026.
Who may qualify
You self-certify the basics when you file — the settlement administrator makes the final eligibility decision.
You may be eligible if you were a former independent contractor who performed services with Scale AI or Smart Ecosystem, or an employee placed by HireArt to work with Scale AI or Smart Ecosystem during the Class Period (December 10, 2020 through February 28, 2026).
Official eligibility wording (read the exact text)
"Former independent contractors who performed services with Scale AI or Smart Ecosystem, and/or HireArt employees" with claims for "unpaid wages, unreimbursed business expenses, and penalties." FAQ: "Plaintiffs are former Scale AI independent contractors and/or workers placed by HireArt to work with Scale AI or Smart Ecosystem." Class Notice: "The 'Class Period' is from December 10, 2020 through February 28, 2026."
This summary is based on available official settlement sources. The settlement administrator determines eligibility and payment approval.
New to the terms? Plain-English: claim deadline, proof of purchase, administrator, pro rata.
Proof requirements
Proof requirement is currently marked as No.
Review the official claim form before submitting any information.
Important dates
How do I file a claim for this settlement?
No claim form is needed — Simpluris, Inc. issues this refund automatically; confirm your eligibility and contact details on the official source.
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1Check the official source to confirm you are within the eligible group — the settlement administrator determines eligibility.
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2Make sure Simpluris, Inc. has your current mailing address or payment details if the official source provides a way to update them.
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3No claim form is required for an automatic refund; you do not need to pay anyone or submit documents to receive it.
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4Watch the payment status on this record and on the official source — payments begin only after the court or program process concludes.
New to settlement claims? How to file safely → · Worried it might be fake? Run the 60-second legitimacy check →
When will I get paid?
- Claims open You are here
- Court approval
- Payments sent
- Distribution complete
Claims are still being accepted. Class-action payouts typically begin only after the claim deadline, final court approval, and any appeals.
Verify it yourself
How we verified this record
The key facts here come straight from the official settlement source — no aggregators, no guesswork — and we re-check them on a schedule.
The key facts on this page were taken from the official settlement source, administered by Simpluris, Inc., and last checked on July 25, 2026. We re-verify each field individually on a weekly pass.
Cross-checked against 1 official source on file.
Checked fields are matched against a named official source and re-checked on a schedule. We show the authority and the date, never our internal evidence link.
Common questions
Is the Scale AI $12.5M California Wage-and-Hour Settlement (McKinney v. Scale AI) settlement legitimate?
Yes — the Scale AI $12.5M California Wage-and-Hour Settlement (McKinney v. Scale AI) settlement is a real claims process that SettleSignal tracks from its official source. It is administered by Simpluris, Inc.. File only through the official settlement website (www.mckinneyscaleaisettlement.com); a genuine settlement administrator never charges a fee to file. SettleSignal last checked this record against the official source on July 25, 2026. Always confirm the current details on the official site before filing.
Who may qualify for this settlement?
"Former independent contractors who performed services with Scale AI or Smart Ecosystem, and/or HireArt employees" with claims for "unpaid wages, unreimbursed business expenses, and penalties." FAQ: "Plaintiffs are former Scale AI independent contractors and/or workers placed by HireArt to work with Scale AI or Smart Ecosystem." Class Notice: "The 'Class Period' is from December 10, 2020 through February 28, 2026."
How much can I get from the Scale AI $12.5M California Wage-and-Hour Settlement (McKinney v. Scale AI) settlement?
"Defendants will pay $12,500,000.00 as the Gross Settlement Amount." The estimated net amount after deductions is "$7,543,333.33", shared by "dividing the Net Settlement Amount by the total number of Class Workweeks worked by all Participating Class Members during the Class Period, and multiplying the result by each Participating Class Member's own Class Workweeks.". The exact amount you may receive is decided by the settlement administrator based on your valid claim and is not guaranteed; a total settlement-fund figure is shared among all eligible claimants, not paid to each person.
Do I need proof to claim?
Proof requirement: No. The settlement administrator determines what documentation, if any, is required.
Where is the official Scale AI $12.5M California Wage-and-Hour Settlement (McKinney v. Scale AI) claim form?
No claim form is needed — You Don't Have to Do Anything to Participate in the Settlement. If you do nothing, you will be a Participating Class Member, eligible for an Individual Class Payment. Never pay a fee to claim a settlement payment.
Where to act
When you are ready, you open the official claim form yourself. SettleSignal does not file claims or determine eligibility.
Not ready to file today? Track it free — we'll remind you before the deadline, and keep your claim details in one place.
Listed on the official settlement website (Simpluris).
Status history
Every status and verification change we have recorded for this settlement, newest first. We log the date we made each change; we never publish the underlying evidence link.
- Settlement published after verification.
Disclaimer
SettleSignal summarizes publicly available settlement information and links to official settlement sources. We are not a law firm, do not provide legal advice, do not submit claims on your behalf, and do not determine eligibility or payout approval. You open the official claim form yourself. Only file a claim if the information you provide is accurate.