Fifth Third Bank Lawsuit: The Call-Center Wage Suit and the Early Access Case
Active Litigation
The Fifth Third Bank lawsuit in the news in October 2026 is a new federal wage suit by a former call-center representative who says workers were not paid for logging in. It is not the only one. The long-running Early Access cash-advance case is waiting on the Supreme Court of Ohio, and a $2 million award to one class already exists. There is no open settlement claim form for any Fifth Third case listed here.
Questions about this case?
AI Legal Assistant · free · answers in seconds · general information, not legal advice
Independent information service: Settlement Insight is not the settlement administrator, is not affiliated with or endorsed by any company named on this page, and is not a law firm. Submitting this form does not file a claim — it shares your information with our participating legal intake partners, who may contact you about your options.
What the New Wage Lawsuit Says
A former Fifth Third customer service representative filed Jantz v. Fifth Third Bancorp in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The lawsuit alleges that hourly call-center workers had to be call-ready at the start of each shift but could not clock in early.
Per the complaint as reported, workers booted their computers, connected to the bank's secure network with phone verification and opened programs before being paid — 10 to 15 minutes every shift — and returned three to five minutes early from unpaid lunch to log back in. The plaintiff puts the total at 13 to 20 minutes of unpaid time a day. The claims are under the Fair Labor Standards Act, plus breach of contract and unjust enrichment. Fifth Third has not been found liable for anything in this case.
A parallel suit makes similar claims against Regions Bank in Alabama; see our Regions Bank lawsuit page.
Case details
Wage case: Jantz v. Fifth Third Bancorp, No. 1:26-cv-01014-JPH (S.D. Ohio). The Regions case is No. 2:26-cv-01680-AMM (N.D. Ala.).
Early Access case: In re: Fifth Third Early Access Cash Advance Litigation, No. 1:12-cv-00851 (S.D. Ohio), before District Judge Michael R. Barrett; on appeal as Klopfenstein v. Fifth Third Bank, Sixth Circuit Nos. 24-3955/3974, and a separate fee appeal, No. 25-3258.
Overdraft fees: Howards v. Fifth Third Bank, No. 1:18-CV-869 (S.D. Ohio), alleging improper insufficient-funds and overdraft fees; per the bank's mid-2026 quarterly report it is in discovery with no trial date.
Status: Several Cases, No Open Claim Form
Early Access — contract claim on hold at the Supreme Court of Ohio. A jury found on April 27, 2023 that Fifth Third breached the contract but that Ohio's voluntary-payment doctrine was a complete defense. On May 29, 2026 the Sixth Circuit certified a question to the Supreme Court of Ohio on whether the jury was properly instructed on that doctrine. The plaintiffs claim contract damages above $440 million, so the answer matters.
Early Access — TILA class already won $2 million. That is the statutory maximum, awarded on summary judgment on March 29, 2023. On June 4, 2026 the Sixth Circuit largely upheld about $3.3 million in attorney's fees but sent the rates back to the district court. The district docket was still active as of October 16, 2026.
Follow this case
There's no claim deadline yet. We'll email you when the case moves forward, like a settlement or payments going out.
Latest From the Court Docket
Recent entries in the federal case behind this page, taken from the court's own docket. We check it at least once a day; this list is as of Oct 22, 2026.
Case: Klopfenstein et al v. Fifth Third Bank, No. 1:12-cv-00851 (S.D. Ohio)
Oct 16, 2026
Reply to Response to Motion
ECF No. 346
A docket entry is a step in the case, not a decision on who wins. Sources: the courts' PACER feeds and CourtListener (Free Law Project). Not legal advice.
Who Could Be Affected
Call-center workers: the proposed collective is current and former customer service representatives who worked for Fifth Third during the past three years. FLSA collectives are opt-in: if the court authorizes notice, you would get a consent form to sign and return.
Early Access borrowers: customers who used Fifth Third's Early Access cash advance, which charged $1 for every $10 borrowed and was disclosed as a 120% APR. The Sixth Circuit describes the TILA recovery as covering hundreds of thousands of consumers. Membership is defined by the court's class orders; you cannot sign up now.
CFPB orders: separate from any class action — see the FAQ below.
Other pages on this site that mention Fifth Third — TurboTax, Schwab, Robinhood — cover different cases.
What Anyone Can Expect to Receive
Early Access, TILA class: $2 million is the TILA cap, and the Sixth Circuit describes it as covering hundreds of thousands of consumers — so the per-person amount is small. We could not load the distribution website (it runs on Epiq's platform) to confirm how or when shares are paid.
Early Access, contract class: nothing unless the Supreme Court of Ohio's answer leads to the jury verdict being reopened. The claimed figure above $440 million is the plaintiffs' number, not a judgment.
Fifth Third Bank Lawsuit Timeline
August 3, 2012 — Early Access Suit Filed
Customers sue over the 120% APR disclosed on Early Access cash advances. Similar suits are consolidated in Cincinnati as No. 1:12-cv-00851.
March 29, 2023 — $2 Million TILA Judgment
The district court grants summary judgment to the TILA class at the statutory cap of $2 million plus costs and fees.
April 27, 2023 — Jury Sides With the Bank
The jury finds a breach of contract but accepts the voluntary-payment defense, so the contract class recovers nothing.
July 9, 2024 — CFPB Orders
The CFPB announces $20 million in penalties over force-placed auto insurance and fake accounts, plus redress to about 35,000 consumers.
May 29, 2026 — Question Sent to Ohio's Top Court
The Sixth Circuit certifies the voluntary-payment question to the Supreme Court of Ohio. On June 4, 2026 it largely upholds the TILA fee award.
October 2026 — Call-Center Wage Suit
A former representative's unpaid log-in time suit, No. 1:26-cv-01014, is reported alongside a matching Regions case. No settlement exists.
Three Things to Watch For
A long case with a real payout and a fresh headline is easy cover for imposters:
“15 days left to choose a payment method” messages
Searches show people receiving Early Access distribution emails like this. We could not verify the distribution site. Do not click links in the message — type the address yourself, and never give a full card number or online-banking password to receive a payment.
Calls from “Fifth Third fraud prevention”
In the Hegira Health case, an imposter posing as a Fifth Third fraud prevention officer allegedly obtained login credentials before about $2.09 million was wired out. Hang up and call the number on your card.
“Claim your Fifth Third wage settlement”
The call-center case has no settlement. A real FLSA notice comes only after a court authorizes it, and it asks you to sign a consent form — not to pay a fee or share your Social Security number.
Fifth Third Bank Lawsuit — Questions People Actually Ask
Short answers to the questions people ask most about this case.
What Fifth Third Bank lawsuit is in the news right now?
As of October 2026, a federal wage suit, Jantz v. Fifth Third Bancorp, No. 1:26-cv-01014 (S.D. Ohio). It alleges call-center representatives went unpaid for 13 to 20 minutes a day of log-in and call-prep time. It is an allegation at the complaint stage.
I used Fifth Third Early Access. Is there money for me?
Possibly a small share of the $2 million TILA judgment, which covers hundreds of thousands of consumers. The larger contract claim lost at trial in 2023 and is on hold while the Supreme Court of Ohio answers the question certified on May 29, 2026.
Is the Klopfenstein v. Fifth Third payment email real?
A distribution site, tilaclassdistribution.com, exists on Epiq's platform, but we could not load it to confirm its deadlines. Type that address yourself rather than clicking a link, and do not share banking passwords. If unsure, contact the clerk of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and cite No. 1:12-cv-00851.
Is my money safe at the Fifth Third Bank?
These lawsuits do not touch customer deposits. Deposit safety comes from FDIC insurance, which covers $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, for each ownership category. You can confirm any bank's status with the FDIC's BankFind tool.
Does Fifth Third Bank still exist?
Yes. Fifth Third completed its acquisition of Comerica on February 1, 2026, per its quarterly SEC report. It is headquartered in Cincinnati.
How do I dispute a charge with Fifth Third Bank?
That is a customer-service matter, not part of any lawsuit, and this page cannot help with it. Contact the bank first; if that fails, you can file a complaint with the CFPB, which says most companies respond within 15 days.
What about the CFPB fake-accounts and auto-repossession case?
On July 9, 2024 the CFPB announced a $5 million penalty over force-placed auto insurance and a proposed $15 million penalty over fake accounts, plus redress to about 35,000 consumers, including about 1,000 whose cars were repossessed. That is a regulator's order, not a class action.
Are there other Fifth Third cases?
Yes. A Michigan federal judge dismissed Hegira Health's wire-fraud suit on July 30, 2026. Investors holding about $230 million in Tricolor notes sued Fifth Third, JPMorgan and Barclays in the Southern District of New York. Neither offers consumers a claim.
About This Information
Editorially Reviewed — Content reviewed for accuracy using published legal research, government data, and verified court records. See our methodology. Reviewed by Leonard Goldberg, Editor · Last updated - $236 billion in real payouts analyzed · See what we found
This page is for general information only and is not legal advice. Lawsuit status, eligibility, and compensation can change. Settlement Insight is not a law firm and does not represent any party. Consult a licensed attorney about your specific situation.
Related Consumer Brand Lawsuits
Other cases and free tools — not about this case.
Similar cases we track
- Regions Bank LawsuitThe parallel call-center wage case and other Regions litigation
- Open Class Action SettlementsSettlements currently accepting claims, with deadlines
- Settlement Payout CalculatorEstimate what a class member typically receives
- Bank of America LawsuitAnother large bank and where its cases stand