Frequently Asked Questions

A court authorized the notice to let you know about a proposed settlement of a class action lawsuit called Blalock, et al. v. Casey’s General Stores, Inc., Case No. 4:25-cv-00113-SMR-SBJ (the “Action”). You need not live in Iowa to get a benefit under the Settlement. The notice describes the Settlement. Please read the notice carefully. Your rights and options—and the deadlines to exercise them—are explained in the notice. Please understand that if you are a Class Member, your legal rights are affected regardless of whether you act.

A class action is a lawsuit in which one or more plaintiffs sue on behalf of a group of people who allegedly have similar claims. After the Parties reached an agreement to settle this Action, the Court granted preliminary approval of the Settlement. Among other things, this preliminary approval permits Class Members to voice their support of or opposition to the Settlement or to comment about the settlement before the Court makes a final determination as whether to approve the Settlement. In a class action, the court resolves the issues uniformly for all Class Members.

Plaintiffs filed a class action complaint against Casey’s on behalf of a class of Plan participants alleging that Casey’s violated ERISA through a wellness program that discriminated against employees based on an impermissible health factor by failing to provide a reasonable alternative standard with respect to the Plan’s tobacco surcharge policy. A complete description of Plaintiffs’ allegations is in the Amended Complaint and is available HERE.

Casey’s has denied and continues to deny Plaintiffs’ claims and allegations in their entirety, denies that it is liable at all to the Plaintiffs or the Class Members, and denies that the Plaintiffs, Class Members, or the Plan have suffered any harm or damage. Casey’s denies all allegations of wrongdoing and asserts that its conduct was lawful. Casey’s is settling the Action solely to avoid the expense, inconvenience, and inherent risk and disruption of litigation.

The Court has not decided in favor of either side in this Action. Instead, both sides agreed to a settlement. That way, both sides avoid the cost and risk of a trial. The affected current and former Plan participants will get substantial benefits that they would not have received if Plaintiffs had litigated the case and lost. The Plaintiffs and their attorneys believe the Settlement is in the best interests of the Class Members and the Plan.

The Court decided that everyone who fits this description is a Class Member:
All individuals residing in the U.S. who paid a tobacco surcharge in connection with their participation in the Plan from January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2025.

Defendant has agreed to pay $5,100,000 into a Settlement Fund, which will be used to pay expenses associated with administering the Settlement, an independent fiduciary’s review of the settlement, attorneys’ fees and costs (not to exceed $1,699,999), and case contribution awards to Plaintiffs of $7,500 each (all of which must be approved by the Court), and benefits to Class Members. (See Questions No. 9-10.).

The Net Settlement Amount will be distributed to Class Members in proportion to the total tobacco surcharges each paid during the Class Period (from January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2025), less any refunds of such surcharges during that period. These adjusted amounts are referred to as each Class Member’s “Net Surcharge Payments.” This ensures that each Class Member’s recovery corresponds directly to the amount of tobacco surcharges actually paid during the Class Period.

The amount of each Class Member’s payment will be determined according to a Plan of Allocation set forth in the Settlement Agreement, which will be available HERE prior to the Final Approval Hearing. The Plan of Allocation takes into account the total amount of any tobacco surcharges that you paid as a Plan participant.

Each Class Member will receive payment under the Settlement directly in the form of a check.

You do not have to submit claim forms in order to receive settlement benefits. The benefits of the Settlement will be distributed automatically once the Court approves the Settlement. (See
 Question No. 6.) Checks will be mailed automatically to the last known address of each Class Member after the Settlement becomes final.

Each check will be valid for 200 days from the date of issue. If a check is not cashed within 200 days, the Settlement Administrator will handle any remaining funds in accordance with the Courtapproved Plan of Allocation.

The hearing to consider the final fairness of the Settlement is scheduled for October 26, 2026 at 11:15 a.m. CT, 2026.

Class Members will receive their payment under the Settlement in the form of a check in due course once the Settlement has received final approval and/or after any appeals have been resolved in favor of the Settlement.

These payments may have certain tax consequences; you should consult your tax advisor. Class Counsel cannot provide tax advice concerning the settlement.

The Court has appointed lawyers from the law firm of Siri & Glimstad LLP. If you want to be represented by your own lawyer, you may hire one at your own expense. In addition, the Court appointed Elizabeth D. Blalock and Stacy D. Miller to serve as the Class Representatives. They are also Class Members.

Subject to approval by the Court, Class Counsel has proposed that up to $15,000 total may be paid to the Class Representatives in recognition of the time and effort they expended on behalf of the Class Members. The Court will determine the proper amount of any such award. The Court may award less than the requested amount.

From the beginning of the case, which was filed in March 2025, to the present, Class Counsel have not received any payment for their services in prosecuting the case or obtaining the settlement, nor have they been reimbursed for any out-of-pocket expenses they have incurred. Class Counsel will apply to the Court for an award of attorneys’ fees and expenses not to exceed 33.33% of the $5,100,000 monetary value of the settlement (maximum $1,699,999). The Court will determine the proper amount of any attorneys’ fees and expenses to award Class Counsel.

Any attorneys’ fees and expenses awarded by the Court will be paid to Class Counsel from the Settlement Fund.

If the Court grants final approval of the Settlement, a final order and judgment dismissing the case will be entered in the Action. Once the appeal period expires or any appeal is resolved, payments under the Settlement will then be processed and distributed, and the release by Class Members will also take effect. All Class Members included in the Settlement will release and forever discharge Defendant from any and all Released Claims (as defined in the Settlement Agreement). Please refer to Sections 1.31 and 1.32 of the Settlement Agreement for a full description of the claims and persons that will be released upon final approval of the settlement.

No Class Member will be permitted to continue to assert Released Claims in any other litigation against Defendant or the other persons and entities covered by the Release. If you object to the terms of the Settlement Agreement, you may notify the Court of your objection. If the Settlement is not approved, the case will proceed as if no settlement had been attempted or reached.

If the Settlement is not approved and the case resumes, there is no assurance that Class Members will recover more than is provided for under the Settlement, or anything at all.

If you do nothing, you will release any claims you may have against Defendant and the Released Parties concerning the conduct Plaintiffs allege in their complaint and the management and administration of the Plan. (See Question No. 14.) You will also receive a payment as described in Question No. 8.

If the Court approves the Settlement, you will be bound by it and will receive whatever benefits you are entitled to under its terms. You cannot exclude yourself from the Settlement, but you may notify the Court of your objection to the Settlement or your comments as to the Settlement. (See Question No. 15.) If the Court approves the Settlement, it will do so under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23(b)(1), which does not permit Class Members to opt out of the Class.

No. If the Court approves the Settlement, you will have given up any right to sue Defendant for all Released Claims covered by this Settlement.

You can object to and/or comment about the Settlement if you don’t like any part of it. You can do that in one of two ways: (1) by showing up at the Final Fairness Hearing – the date and location of the Final Fairness Hearing is available HERE; or (2) stating an objection in writing where no appearance may be necessary.

If you object in writing, it should clearly identify the case name and number (i.e., Blalock, et al. v. Casey’s General Stores, Inc., Case No. 4:25-cv-00113-SMR-SBJ), and include the following information: (1) your full name, current address, and current telephone number, and, if represented by counsel, your counsel’s name and contact information; (2) whether the objection/comment applies only to the objecting Class Member or to the entire Class; (3) a statement of the position(s) the objector wishes to assert; (4) copies of any other documents that the objector/commentor wishes to submit in support of their position; and (5) a list of any other objections to any class action settlements submitted in any court, whether state, federal, or otherwise, in the United States in the previous five (5) years.

The Court will consider your views. Your objection to the Settlement must be postmarked no later than September 28, 2026, 2026, and must be sent to the Court and the attorneys for the Parties at the addresses below:

Class Counsel will file with the Court their request for attorneys’ fees at least twenty-eight (28) days prior to October 26, 2026, 2026. The Fairness Hearing has been set for October 26, 2026, 2026, at 11:15 a.m. CT. The hearing will be conducted in person before The Honorable Stephanie M. Rose, United States District Judge for the Southern District of Iowa, 111 Locust Street, Des Moines, Iowa, 50309. At the hearing, the Court will consider whether the Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate. The Court will hear any comments, objections, and arguments concerning the fairness of the proposed Settlement, including the amount requested by Class Counsel for attorneys’ fees and expenses and the incentive award to Plaintiffs as the Class Representatives. You do not need to attend this hearing. You also do not need to attend to have an objection considered by the Court. (See Question No. 17.)

Note: The date, time, and location of the Fairness Hearing are subject to change by Court Order, but any changes will be posted on the HERE.

No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. But you are welcome to come at your own expense. If you send an objection and/or comment, you don’t have to come to Court to talk about it as long as any written objection and/or comment you choose to make is filed and mailed on time and meets the other criteria described in the Settlement Agreement, the Court will consider it. You may also pay another lawyer to attend, but you don’t have to.

The notice provides only a summary of the matters relating to the Settlement. For more detailed information, you may wish to review the Settlement Agreement. You can view the Settlement Agreement and get more information here. You can also get more information by writing to the Settlement Administrator at info@CaseysTobaccoSurchargeSettlement.com. The Agreement and all other pleadings and papers filed in the case are available for inspection and copying during regular business hours at the office of the Clerk of the Southern District of Iowa located at Office of the Clerk, United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa, 111 Locust Street, Des Moines, Iowa, 50309. If you would like additional information, you can also call 1-844-974 1904.