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A federal judge in Georgia has officially approved a $597,000 class action settlement between flat glass manufacturer AGC America, Inc. and nearly 21,000 current and former employees. The court-approved deal (Richard Teague v. AGC America, Inc.)
If you received an official notice that your sensitive personal records were exposed in the December 2023 cyberattack against flat glass manufacturer AGC America, Inc., a federal judge has officially approved a $597,000 class action settlement to compensate affected current and former employees.
The class action lawsuit, Richard Teague v. AGC America, Inc. (Case No. 1:24-cv-00823-VMC), was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia following a December 2023 cyberattack. According to court filings, an unauthorized third party gained access to AGC America’s internal computer network systems and acquired files containing unencrypted employee records.
Lead plaintiff Richard Teague initiated the class action lawsuit on behalf of himself and thousands of impacted co-workers. The complaint alleged that the glass product manufacturer failed to maintain adequate data security protocols, leaving workers’ private credentials exposed to cybercriminals who subsequently put the stolen data up for sale on the dark web.
The lawsuit asserted that:
“Despite the prevalence of public announcements of data breaches and data security compromises, [AGC] failed to take appropriate steps to protect the private information of the plaintiff and class members from being compromised”
As a result of the breach, plaintiffs argued that thousands of current and former glass company workers were placed at severe, long-term risk of identity theft, unauthorized credit applications, fraudulent tax filings, and compromised bank accounts.
According to court filings and settlement notices, the December 2023 security incident compromised a wide array of highly sensitive personal and financial identifiers stored on AGC America’s digital servers.
The exposed records for current and former workforce members included:
Full legal names and current mailing addresses
Dates of birth and Social Security numbers
Driver’s license numbers and state identification cards
Direct deposit financial account details and payment card numbers
Passport numbers
Company network login credentials
Limited health insurance plan enrollment details
When hackers gain access to this level of personal detail, everyday people face immediate threats of direct financial fraud and identity impersonation. Stolen Social Security numbers and direct deposit details can allow unauthorized actors to open credit cards, divert paychecks, or file fraudulent state tax returns in a victim’s name.
U.S. District Judge Victoria Marie Calvert granted approval to the $597,000 all-cash settlement agreement, finding that the negotiated terms were fair, reasonable, and in the best interest of the class members.
While AGC America denies all allegations of legal wrongdoing and maintains that it did not violate any consumer privacy or employment laws, the company agreed to establish the settlement fund to avoid the ongoing disruption, legal expense, and uncertainty of protracted federal litigation. No court has issued a ruling finding AGC America legally liable.
Under the terms of the approved deal, the $597,000 fund will be used to pay out monetary loss reimbursements, cover alternative cash payments to eligible claimants, fund credit monitoring protection, and handle court-approved administrative fees and legal expenses.
| Settlement Term | Key Settlement Details |
| Total Settlement Fund | $597,000 all-cash fund |
| Affected Population | 20,951 current and former U.S. employees |
| Presiding Judge | U.S. District Judge Victoria Marie Calvert |
| Court Jurisdiction | U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia |
| Primary Benefits | Up to $2,500 loss reimbursement or ~$50 flat cash, plus 2 years credit monitoring |
The court-approved settlement agreement provides two distinct avenues for financial compensation alongside identity defense services for eligible class members:
Class members who experienced actual, unreimbursed financial losses connected to the December 2023 data breach between December 14, 2023, and July 15, 2026, were eligible to claim up to $2,500 in cash reimbursement. Covered expenses include out-of-pocket losses from identity theft or fraud, credit report fees, credit freeze costs, replacement identity document fees, and professional identity restoration services. Claimants were required to submit supporting receipts, bank statements, or official fraud documentation.
Class members who did not suffer documented financial losses or preferred not to submit receipts had the option to claim an alternative flat cash payment estimated at approximately $50. No receipts or proof of fraud were required to choose this baseline benefit. The final cash payout per person may increase or decrease on a pro-rata basis depending on the total number of approved claims submitted against the settlement fund.
In addition to monetary compensation, all settlement class members could elect to receive two years of complimentary credit monitoring and insurance services through CyEx Financial Shield Complete. This service includes dark web monitoring, credit bureau alerts, and financial fraud insurance coverage.
The court order defines the settlement class broadly to cover individuals affected by the December 2023 cybersecurity incident across the United States.
You are considered a settlement class member if you satisfy the following criteria:
Settlement Class Definition: You reside in the United States and were sent an official notice from AGC America indicating that your private personal information may have been compromised during the December 2023 cyberattack.
Court records indicate that approximately 20,951 current and former employees received written notification letters regarding the incident. If you received a notice containing a unique Settlement ID and PIN, you were formally recognized as an eligible class member entitled to participate in the court agreement.
Under federal law and state consumer privacy statutes, employers and corporate entities hold a legal duty to implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the sensitive information entrusted to them by employees and job applicants.
When corporate employers store unencrypted Social Security numbers, passport details, and direct deposit details on connected network drives, they must maintain industry-standard firewalls, access controls, and security patches.
When corporate data systems fall short, everyday workers shouldn’t be left to bear the cost of credit monitoring and identity theft recovery alone. Class action litigation levels the playing field—allowing current and former employees to unite, hold large corporations accountable, and seek financial restitution when private data is compromised.
The official deadline to submit a claim form, request an exclusion, or object to the settlement terms was July 15, 2026. The court held its final approval hearing on July 21, 2026, leading to Judge Calvert’s final order approving the deal.
If you submitted a timely claim before the July 15 deadline, here is what you need to know about payment processing:
Payment Processing Window: The settlement administrator will issue cash payments and credit monitoring activation codes approximately 60 days after completing all claim processing or after final approval, whichever is later.
Potential Appeals: Settlement payments will be distributed once any potential legal appeals are fully resolved. If appeals are filed by third parties, distribution may be delayed until appellate proceedings conclude.
Updating Your Contact Information: If you moved or changed your mailing address or email since filing your claim, contact the settlement administrator through the official portal at AGCSettlement.com to ensure your check or digital payment reaches you without delay.
Whether you are an assembly line technician, a office manager, or a former employee, your private personal data deserves robust protection. When corporate employers fail to safeguard sensitive employee credentials, taking action through class action litigation ensures that companies prioritize cyber defenses in the future.
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