Employer Solutions Staffing Group Data Breach Affects 20K+ - Claim Depot

ESSG, a Professional Employer Organization providing outsourced payroll and HR services, first detected suspicious activity on its network on January 13, 2026. The company later determined that unauthorized access to certain files occurred on the same date.

The ransomware group Akira claimed responsibility for the attack, posting on the Tor network on February 24, 2026, that it had acquired 80 gigabytes of data from ESSG. The stolen materials allegedly included passports, driver's licenses, Social Security numbers, financial records, HR files, and medical information.

A comprehensive review of the affected files, completed on October 13, 2026, confirmed that personal and protected health information belonging to certain individuals was present in the compromised files. The breach impacted 19,551 Texas residents, 141 Rhode Island residents, and 43 Vermont residents.

ESSG has reported the incident to the California attorney general and is mailing notification letters to affected individuals starting on November 12, 2026. The company is providing access to credit monitoring and identity protection services through IDX, with coverage options of 12 or 24 months.

Affected individuals can enroll in the monitoring services by visiting the IDX response page or calling 1-877-201-3335. The deadline to enroll is February 12, 2027, and representatives are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time, excluding major U.S. holidays.