Linda K. Horras

Linda Horras partners with her clients to defend, guide, and counsel them on difficult employment matters ranging from internal employee disputes to discipline and discharge and related employee relations issues. She advises employers on proper procedures required under employment laws, such as compliance with the Bermuda Triangle that is the Americans with Disabilities Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, and state worker's compensation laws. Linda also assists employers in audits of non-exempt and exempt personnel to ensure compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act, as well as adopting policies and procedures that align with changes to laws and job classifications.

With a strong, wide-ranging litigation practice dating back to 1989, Linda routinely represents employers in all municipal, federal and state courts, and at all administrative agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the National Labor Relations Board, and the Illinois and U.S. Departments of Labor. Linda primarily focuses her litigation practice on defending companies facing claims of discrimination and harassment. In addition, she aggressively defends employers in class and collective wage and hour litigation, which includes the development of strategies to not only litigate, but also reach early resolution to end potentially expense and time-consuming cases. When appropriate, Linda has negotiated positive settlements of difficult, often emotional, cases.

In addition to her extensive employment defense experience that spans nearly three decades, Linda provides employers and employees with anti-harassment trainings and counsels in proper discipline, discharge and policies.

As a former Adjunct Professor at the John Marshall Law School, Linda taught classes that covered advocacy writing and introductions to computer research.

• Chicago Bar Association
  • Labor & Employee Committee, Member

• Obtained denial of wage and hour class certification of case brought under the Illinois Wage Payment & Collection Act & Illinois Minimum Wage Law.
• Obtained arbitration victory over the SEIU on the issue of an employee suspension for a violation of a mandatory flu vaccination policy of hospital client.
• Defeated Rule 23 class certification and FLSA collective action certification in large multi-state off-the-clock claims against an employer. If certified, the class would have been over 5,000 employees and consisted of four separate claims.
• Obtained summary judgment in multiple discrimination cases in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.
• Successfully negotiated resolution of Department of Labor wage audits with administrative agencies, limiting exposure to employers and disruption to payroll operations.
• Successfully handled multiple EEOC, IDHR, IDOL, USDOL and NLRB investigations and obtained favorable outcomes even in situations where negative determinations were expected.

• "Essential Elements of an Employee Handbook," Illinois Critical Access Hospital Network (ICAHN) Compliance Workshop, Springfield, Illinois, June 20, 2019
• "Setting the Tone for a Positive & Civil Work Environment for Attorneys," New York City, New York, October 2018
• "Setting the Tone for a Positive and Civil Work Environment," Chicago, Illinois, August 2, 2018
• "Your Role in Providing a Harassment-Free Workplace," New York, New York, May 2018
• "Your Role in Setting a Positive Work Environment," Franklin Park, Illinois, May 2018
• "Winter Is Coming: FLSA Updates," Hinshaw's Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, October 2016
• "Today's Fair Labor Standards Act", Hinshaw's Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, October 2015
• "How to Achieve Wage and Hour Compliance in the Current Economy," Hinshaw's Annual Labor & Employment Seminar, Hoffman Estates, Illinois, October 2014

Linda is a closet author who enjoys writing not only legal briefs, but novels that will (someday) meet a publisher. Another favorite pastime of hers is horseback riding. Whenever possible, she is on horseback in the southern suburbs and is not averse to taking calls from clients on her mobile phone while in the saddle.

Linda supports organizations that champion women's rights. In 2017, she provided pro bono services to a disabled woman who had been sexually abused in the workplace. As a result of her efforts, the victim secured a sizable monetary settlement that will help fund a trust for this woman's future.