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Texas

Can you sue for harassment if no one actually harasses you? 5th Circuit opens the door a crack

06/01/2011

Here’s a new worry for employers: More and more employees who aren’t being directly targeted for har­­­­­­­ass­­ment are suing anyway. They claim that the fact that others may be experiencing sexual, racial or other forms of harassment means that they, in ­effect, are also victims. Some of those claims actually succeed.

Good cause to act? Don’t wait to terminate

06/01/2011
Sometimes, it’s smart to pull the termination trigger sooner rather than later. Waiting just gives the employee a chance to dig in—and plan a lawsuit.

OK to treat similar rule violations differently–as long as you document your rationale

05/13/2011

Some managers think they have to punish the same rule violation exactly the same way for all employees. But the truth is that no two cases are exactly alike. Those differences can justify punishing one employee more severely than another. The key: You must be prepared to justify why you treated the cases differently.

Last-minute complaint shouldn’t derail firing

05/13/2011
Employees who know they’re in trouble often look for ways to set up a lawsuit in case they’re fired. They may file some sort of discrimination complaint right before termination. This can be a winning strategy if the employer hasn’t been careful to document performance or other problems all along. Don’t get caught in that trap.

Dallas company stiffed workers, now will pay back overtime

05/03/2011
A staffing company that provides workers for major hotels in the Dallas-Fort Worth area has agreed to pay more than $242,000 to employees after a U.S. Department of Labor investigation uncovered Fair Labor Standards Act violations.

Fill-in shows promise? That’s legit reason for hiring

05/03/2011
Sometimes, managers have to act fast to fill a position. It’s reasonable to let someone take the job temporarily. If she does well, it’s perfectly acceptable to use that performance as a reason to offer the job permanently.

Enforce e-mail usage rules–if only to avoid PR nightmare

05/03/2011
If you let employees ignore reasonable restrictions on how they use company e-mail and other communications tools, you may find yourself having to scramble to prevent embarrassing information from becoming public.

Download new USCIS handbook to prepare for I-9 audits

05/02/2011
Are your I-9s in order? More and more employers are finding themselves under scrutiny from inspectors from the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Employers now have a new tool to help them stay on the right side of the law.

Richardson to gain jobs thanks to Texas Enterprise Fund

05/02/2011
Texas is investing $2.45 million to bring 434 jobs to Richardson, as part of the Texas Enterprise Fund (TEF), a program designed to attract new businesses to set up shop in the state and create new jobs.

Whistle-blower claims retaliation by Bexar constable’s office

05/02/2011

Michael DeMarquis worked for the Bexar County Office of the Constable for only five months, but between August and December 2009, he says he compiled an extensive list of illegal practices. Now he’s suing the law enforcement agency, claiming he was fired from his job as a warrant clerk in retaliation after he uncovered the following: