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Texas

Oilfield firms pay $1.2 million to settle race bias charges

02/07/2020
Nabors Corporate Services and its successor, C&J Well Services, both oil-industry firms based in Houston, have agreed to pay a class of nine black workers and one white worker $1.2 million to settle race discrimination and retaliation charges.

DOL: Texas Panhandle pipeline workers got the shaft

02/07/2020
A multinational pipeline repair corporation underpaid employees working on a project in the Texas Panhandle town of Borger, according to investigators from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.

Check employee’s EEOC filings for missed deadlines

02/06/2020
Employers should always check EEOC complaints to make sure the deadline was met. If more than 300 days have passed, and the employee still sues, you can usually get the case tossed out.

OK to expect better behavior from managers

02/06/2020
While a subordinate might be excused for a minor rule breach, his supervisor could legitimately be disciplined for breaking the same rule. Just make sure your handbook outlines this greater expectation.

Document poor performance, reasons for discipline

01/17/2020
Always document how employees perform and how you handle discipline. If an employee isn’t doing her job to your expectations, create detailed notes describing exactly what she’s doing wrong.

Employer doesn’t have to prove poor performance

01/17/2020
When it comes to whether an em­­ployee is meeting employer expectations, courts almost never look closely at the specifics of that performance. If the employer honestly believes the worker isn’t doing her job, the court won’t second guess.

Details matter when deciding if retaliation occurred

01/15/2020
Workers are shielded from retaliation for engaging in protected activity like complaining about alleged discrimination. Be prepared to show that anything unpleasant they experience isn’t punishment.

Limited duty may be reasonable accommodation

01/15/2020
A limited-duty assignment may be a reasonable accommodation, even if the worker doesn’t like the change. It’s not disability discrimination.

Remote workers out-of-state? Prepare to address jurisdictional issues

01/15/2020
These days, it’s not unusual to hire employees who live and work in another state. Telecommuting arrangements raise potential employment law compliance problems for employers.

Clear harassment policies, reporting procedures protect both victims and employers

01/15/2020
Employers sometimes assume that the safest course of action is to fire any employee accused of harassment. But that can be a painful choice if the employee is hard to replace or is otherwise a good worker.