Eligibility is based on age during the work
Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the state labor department issued a September 23, 2026 reminder to file Hearthside Food Solutions compensation claims by November 20. The $4.5 million state settlement was reached in January 2025 over alleged child-labor violations; this is a current filing window, not a newly signed settlement.
Individuals qualify if they worked at a Hearthside facility in Illinois while under sixteen at any time from March 1, 2020 through December 4, 2024. Being under eighteen now or having worked at another company is not the same eligibility test. The relevant age is the age during the covered work.
Free claim help is available
The attorney general says claimant information will be confidential and immigration status does not affect the ability to submit a claim. Atticus Administration manages forms. Chicago Workers’ Collaborative offers free help completing a claim or proving work as a minor.
The settlement also requires safeguards, an anonymous hotline, policy review, training and cooperation with state audits. Those changes are separate from a personal award. Preserve assignment and age records and submit under the official instructions; the $4.5 million total is not a per-worker check or a guarantee of a particular payment.