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Henry W. Segar, et al. v. Merrick Garland, Attorney General, et al., Civil Action Civil Action No. 77-0081 (EGS)

(United States District Court for the District of Columbia)

All current and former Black Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration who bid for one or more GS-14 or GS-15 level positions at any time between January 21, 1993, and May 2, 2022; and 

who made the Best Qualified List for at least one such position; and 

who were not selected for one or more of those positions. 

THIS IS A COURT-ORDERED NOTICE.
THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION FROM A LAWYER.

This notice is to inform you of a proposed settlement that has been reached in a class action lawsuit brought by current and former Black Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration against DEA alleging, among other things, that DEA failed to comply with court orders directing it to implement promotion procedures for GS-14 and GS-15 level positions that do not discriminate on the basis of race between 1993 and 2022.  The proposed settlement, if granted final approval by the court, will result in the creation of a $12,568,035.60 settlement fund to pay settlement class members claims for individual relief.  

If you are a settlement class member, you are eligible to receive a share of the Settlement Fund; you will receive A MINIMUM OF $5,000 FOR TIMELY SUBMISSION OF A VALID CLAIM FORM (which will be mailed to you if the court approves the settlement). 

The settlement class members are current and former Black DEA agents who applied for one or more GS-14 or -15 level positions, made the Best Qualified List for at least one such position at any time between January 21, 1993, and May 2, 2022, and were not selected for one or more of those positions. 

As a potential class member, you have the right to know about this settlement and how the settlement may generally affect your legal rights.  This notice describes the lawsuit, the Settlement, the legal right of all class members, and the applicable deadlines.  Your options are explained in this notice and summarized in the following chart:

Your Legal Rights and Options in This Settlement

PARTICIPATE IN THE SETTLEMENT To participate in the Settlement, you must submit a claim form. Submitting a claim form is the only way that you can receive a share of the settlement fund. If the court approves the settlement, a claim form will be mailed and emailed to you. If the court approves the settlement, you will also be able to file a Claim Form on this website.

You are NOT required to retain your own attorney to file a claim form, and you will not be required to pay any money for the services of plaintiffs’ counsel. Indeed, if you are a class member, you will receive at least $5,000 for the timely submission of a valid claim form.
EXCLUDE YOURSELF FROM THE SETTLEMENT If you exclude yourself from the settlement, you will not be eligible to receive a share of the settlement fund.
OBJECT You have the right to object to the proposed settlement. To do so, you must be a Class Member and you must submit a written objection to the court, as described more fully in this notice. You cannot object to the settlement unless you are a class member and you do not exclude yourself from the settlement.
DO NOTHING If you are a class member and do not submit a claim form as later directed, you will not be eligible to receive a share of the settlement fund. You will, however, remain a class member, which means that you will be bound by any judgments or orders entered by the court in this lawsuit.