John A. Ybarra advises and represents clients in employment and labor relations, with particular emphasis on wage and hour and compensation disputes. A successful litigator in all venues, he practices in federal courts and before federal and state departments of labor and has successfully managed multi-district litigation, appearing before the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation.

One of the nation's most prolific and successful attorneys in the litigation of Fair Labor Standards Act collective actions, John has handled claims in 22 states. He has managed as many as 18 national and state collective class actions, with simultaneous attendant or related agency investigations ongoing, and has tried cases involving:

• Alleged exemption misclassification of employees
• Allegations of unpaid overtime
• Off-the-clock and preliminary and postliminary unpaid time
• Suits brought by independent contractors claiming to be hourly employees
• Other FLSA and state wage and hour claims

John also is skilled at arbitration and mediation, and he counsels management on issues related to reductions-in-force, employee discipline and termination, worker leaves of absence, employee compensation and sexual and racial harassment allegations.

His clients include companies in:

• Retail
• International
• Pharmaceuticals
• Health Care
• Management consulting
• Technology
• Information services

Additionally, John frequently speaks and conducts training programs for all levels of management on such topics as reductions-in-force, employment liability releases, discrimination prevention, compliance, sexual and racial harassment, and wage and hour policies and practices.

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

• Member, Chicago Bar Association
• Member, Northwest Suburban Bar Association
• Member, Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois