EMS LINQ Data Breach Settlement, Check If Your School Data Was Exposed and Claim Up to $2,500 Deadline is June 29

The EMS LINQ data breach settlement is a class action case where eligible students and school employees can receive up to $2,500 by filing a claim before June 29, 2026. The lawsuit, Connor Law v. EMS LINQ, LLC, Case No. 1:24-cv-01533, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division, and arises from unauthorized access to LINQ’s systems between September 12, 2023, and May 13, 2024. A proposed settlement has been reached and is awaiting final court approval.

Field	Detail
Settlement Amount	TBD — total fund not publicly disclosed; individual caps confirmed
Claim Deadline	June 29, 2026
Who Qualifies	Individuals sent written notice that their personal information was potentially accessed in the LINQ data breach
Payout Per Person	Up to $500 (ordinary losses); up to $2,500 (extraordinary losses); or $50 flat alternative payment
Proof Required	Yes — for ordinary and extraordinary loss claims; not required for $50 alternative payment
Settlement Status	Preliminarily Approved — February 13, 2026
Administrator	Simpluris
Official Website	linqdataincident.com
Last Updated	April 29, 2026

Current status

The LINQ class action settlement received preliminary approval from the court on February 13, 2026. The final fairness hearing is set for June 23, 2026. The opt-out and objection deadline is May 29, 2026. Payments will not go out until after final approval is granted.

What Is the EMS LINQ Lawsuit About? Connor Law v. EMS LINQ, LLC, No. 1:24-cv-01533

EMS LINQ LLC is a company that offers services to school districts, including human resource management software. The class action alleged LINQ failed to adequately protect the sensitive personal information of employees and students of its school district customers.

The data security incident involved unauthorized access to LINQ’s systems and certain files containing sensitive personal information, including names, addresses, dates of birth, bank account information, and Social Security numbers, which occurred between September 12, 2023 and May 13, 2024. That is an eight-month window during which cybercriminals had access to some of the most sensitive data a person can have — including their Social Security number and banking details.

The plaintiff argued LINQ failed to implement reasonable cybersecurity safeguards and did not adequately protect the information it held on behalf of school districts and their communities. This type of case is commonly referred to as a data breach compensation lawsuit — and it directly affects the teachers, staff, and students whose data LINQ managed. If you want to understand how this fits into the broader landscape of education data cases, see our guide to consumer data privacy class action lawsuits.

Who Qualifies for the EMS LINQ Data Breach Settlement?

Here is how to know if this settlement includes you.

You may qualify if you were sent written notification that your personal information was potentially accessed, viewed, and/or obtained as a result of the data security incident which occurred between September 12, 2023, and May 13, 2024. That notification would have come by mail from LINQ or its administrator.

You may qualify if:

• You are a current or former employee of a school district that used LINQ’s software
• You are a student whose information was stored in LINQ’s school district systems
• You received a breach notification letter from EMS LINQ at any point after the incident

You do NOT qualify if:

• You are an officer or director of LINQ or its related entities
• You never received a written notification and have no connection to a LINQ-partnered school district
• You timely submitted a request to exclude yourself from the settlement class

If you are unsure, call the settlement administrator directly at (844) 341-1254 or email [email protected]. You can also review related cases like school district employee data breach settlements to see how similar cases have played out.

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How Much Can You Get from the EMS LINQ Settlement?

The settlement offers three separate ways to get paid — you pick the one that fits your situation.

Option 1 — Documented Ordinary Losses (up to $500): Reimbursement for real out-of-pocket costs like unreimbursed bank fees, phone charges, postage, gasoline for local travel, and fees for credit reports or identity theft monitoring products — as long as you have documentation and the costs occurred between September 12, 2023, and the claim deadline.

Option 2 — Documented Extraordinary Losses (up to $2,500): For settlement class members who suffered significant monetary losses that were more likely than not caused by the breach — such as actual identity theft or fraud — and that are actual, documented, and unreimbursed. These claims require substantial documentation and proof that the loss is tied to this specific incident.

Option 3 — Alternative Cash Payment ($50 flat): In lieu of submitting a claim for ordinary or extraordinary losses, settlement class members may submit a claim for an alternative cash payment of $50 — no documentation required beyond basic claim form information.

All three options also include the right to claim one year of free three-bureau credit monitoring. If you have no documented losses but want something for the exposure of your data, the $50 flat payment is the simplest path. For those who suffered real financial harm — fraudulent charges, identity theft, or out-of-pocket costs dealing with the fallout — the higher tiers are worth pursuing.

Step-by-Step: How to File Your EMS LINQ Claim Form

Step 1 — Visit the official settlement website at linqdataincident.com

Step 2 — Enter the unique ID and PIN from the settlement notice you received by mail

Step 3 — Select your claim type — ordinary losses, extraordinary losses, or the $50 alternative payment

Step 4 — Upload your supporting documentation if claiming ordinary or extraordinary losses (bank statements, receipts, credit monitoring bills, etc.)

Step 5 — Submit your completed claim form online

Step 6 — Save your confirmation number for your records

Prefer paper? Download the claim form from the website and mail it to: LINQ Data Security Incident Settlement, c/o Settlement Administrator, P.O. Box 25226, Santa Ana, CA 92799-9958. You can also call (844) 341-1254 to request a paper copy.

Estimated time to complete: 10–15 minutes for simple claims; longer if gathering documentation for extraordinary losses.

Important Deadlines & Dates

Milestone	Date
Data Breach Occurred	September 12, 2023 – May 13, 2024
Lawsuit Filed	2024
Preliminary Approval Granted	February 13, 2026
Claims Period Opens	Open now
Opt-Out Deadline	May 29, 2026
Objection Deadline	May 29, 2026
Final Approval Hearing	June 23, 2026, at 9:00 a.m.
Claim Filing Deadline	June 29, 2026
Expected Payment Date	TBD — after final court approval on June 23, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a lawyer to file a claim?

No. The claim process at linqdataincident.com is straightforward and designed for self-filing. You do not need a consumer rights lawyer to submit a basic claim. If you experienced significant identity theft or financial fraud tied to this breach, speaking with a data privacy attorney before filing could help you maximize your recovery under the extraordinary losses tier.

Is this settlement legitimate? 

Yes. The LINQ settlement received preliminary approval from the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas on February 13, 2026, and the administrator is Simpluris, a nationally recognized settlement administration firm. The official court-approved website is linqdataincident.com.

When will I receive my payment?

 Payments will not go out until after the final approval hearing on June 23, 2026, and only if the judge approves the settlement. After that, the administrator processes all valid claims. Expect several months between final approval and receipt of your check or payment.

What if I missed the claim deadline? 

The claim deadline is June 29, 2026 — it has not passed yet. If you miss it, you remain bound by the settlement (meaning you give up the right to sue LINQ separately) but you receive no money. File before June 29 to protect your rights.

Will this settlement payment affect my taxes? 

Settlement payments for out-of-pocket losses related to identity theft are generally not taxable as income, but the $50 alternative cash payment may be treated differently depending on your tax situation. Consult a tax professional if you have questions about how your specific payment should be reported.

My child’s information was in the system. Can I file on their behalf? 

TBD — the settlement notice and FAQ do not address minor class members specifically. Contact the settlement administrator at (844) 341-1254 to ask how to file on behalf of a minor whose school data was compromised.

What does LINQ have to do besides pay claims?

As part of the settlement, LINQ also agrees to provide information security improvements — meaning the company has committed to making changes to how it protects data going forward, not just writing a check.

Sources & References

• Connor Law v. EMS LINQ, LLC, Case No. 1:24-cv-01533, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division — official settlement site: linqdataincident.com
• Settlement administrator: Simpluris — (844) 341-1254 / [email protected]

Prepared by the AllAboutLawyer.com Editorial Team and reviewed for factual accuracy against the official settlement administrator website at linqdataincident.com. Last Updated: April 29, 2026

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Legal claims and outcomes depend on specific facts and applicable law. For advice regarding a particular situation, consult a qualified attorney.