We are pleased to report that notices and payments have gone out in the first round of relief to SmithClass members. In order to eligible for a payment, class members must have an active cash public assistance case now, and must have been issued pre-sanction notices by HRA between July 8, 2007 and December 22, 2015.  You are not eligible to receive a payment if your cash public assistance case is closed or if the sanction was previously favorably resolved – for example if you won a Fair Hearing.

The amount of the payments issued to eligible class members differ from person to person.  The amount depends on which of two Conciliation Notices you were issued, whether you kept the conciliation appointment, the number of people on your public assistance case at the time of the sanction, and the minimum required length of the sanction.

If you have other questions about the Smith v. Proud class action settlement, please email class counsel at SmithClass@legal-aid.org or send us a letter addressed to Smith Class Counsel, The Legal Aid Society, 111 Livingston Street – 7th Floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201.

Notice of Hearing
Settlement Agreement