Loews Hotels Reaches $1 Million Biometrics Privacy Deal

Loews Corp. agreed to pay $1.05 million to end Illinois biometric privacy claims that its Chicago hotel captured employee fingerprint data without consent for timekeeping purposes.

The hotel group also agreed to implement policies around the use of biometric technologies in the pact ending Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act claims, according to court papers filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Companies often settle privacy claims before they reach trial due to the risk of large jury verdicts. Businesses that can’t toss BIPA claims can use settlement agreements to fend off up to $5,000 ...