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Texas

Quick response is a lifesaver in harassment cases

06/20/2019
Remind supervisors to react immediately to harassment complaints, at least by notifying HR.

Any risk of not reducing demoted worker’s pay?

06/10/2019
Q. We moved a salaried supervisor to a rank-and-file hourly position, but we left him at the higher salary. Now, several co-workers are complaining that they’re being paid less for the same job and grumbling about discrimination. The co-workers are of different nationalities than the former supervisor. Should we raise the co-workers’ salaries if we want to be as cautious as possible to avoid a lawsuit?

Texas ‘gig’ workers soon ineligible for unemployment comp

06/10/2019
It’s a hot legal issue: What are workers who utilize online digital platforms to obtain business and deliver services to third parties? Are they employees or independent contractors? Some federal agencies have already weighed in. Now Texas may be reducing some uncertainty, at least where unemployment benefits are concerned.

Fort Worth firm pays $85,000 to settle age bias complaint

06/10/2019
Atlas Energy in Fort Worth has agreed to pay a former production foreman $85,000 to settle an age discrimination lawsuit.

$22,000: Cost of failing to provide space to pump milk

06/10/2019
The Affordable Care Act amended the Fair Labor Standards Act to require employers to provide nursing mothers a clean, private place (that is not a restroom) to express milk. Allegiance Behavioral Health Center, located in Plainview, Texas, apparently didn’t understand that.

Document promotion process to show you chose the best

06/10/2019
Employers that follow their own rules and maintain accurate and complete records of their promotion decisions generally win failure-to-promote cases.

Dismissal came with warning: No more frivolous suits!

06/10/2019
Good news for employers: More courts are moving swiftly to toss out frivolous lawsuits before their target is even served with the legal paperwork.

Beware wage-and-hour lawsuits that might suddenly turn into class actions

06/10/2019
Here’s another reason to make sure you are carefully following the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime rules: Just one disgruntled and allegedly underpaid employee can file a class-action lawsuit and get the court to authorize contacting all other similarly situated workers to join in as plaintiffs.

Warn all bosses against ageist comments, including the most senior executives

06/10/2019
When you train managers and supervisors, be sure to issue this simple warning: It is never appropriate for anyone in a supervisory role to make age-related comments. The problem is even worse when senior executives make age-related statements.

Prepare to pay up when retaliation is alleged

06/10/2019
Even if you win an employment discrimination case, you may end up losing if someone foolishly retaliates against the employee for complaining in the first place.