Working women expect to be treated fairly during while pregnant and do not see their condition as a hindrance to an employer. With their family growing, some women even try to seek higher paying and/or full-time positions within a company. Texas women who are denied an opportunity to advance because they are pregnant may have a viable discrimination claim.
Bushwick's accused of not giving workers overtime pay
Foodies in Texas and elsewhere may have heard of or visited the famous Roberta's pizzeria for a great dining experience. Though the pizza establishment may be known for its food by critics, celebrities and the like, one employee claims that working there is not as pleasant. In a federal lawsuit, he alleges that he has been denied overtime pay for years.
Cambio a las Normas de Ley de Horas Extras
En 6 de Julio de 2015, el Departamento de Labor publicó una propuesta de cambio de las normas que rigen la ley de horas extras que podría hacer que cerca de cinco millones de trabajadores sean elegibles para el pago de horas extras. La Ley de Normas Razonables de Trabajo siempre ha excluido los trabajadores asalariados que realizan funciones de dirección o administrativos del pago de horas extras, siempre que su salario sea una cantidad mínima especificada. Ese monto mínimo se ha fijado en $455 por semana (o $ 23,660 al año) desde 2004. La nueva norma aumenta la cantidad umbral mínimo de $970 por semana (o $ 50,440 al año). En otras palabras, la nueva norma requeriría a los empleadores a pagar a los trabajadores de salarios ya sea $50,440 por año o compensación por horas extras por las horas trabajadas en exceso de cuarenta (40) horas por semana. El Departamento de Labor revisará los comentarios a la regla propuesta para los próximos sesenta (60) días. Como resultado, la nueva norma podría entrar en vigor en 2016.
Apple workers seeking unpaid wages for undergoing daily searches
Electronics giant Apple is once again in the news, but a recent lawsuit against the company does not show it in a favorable manner. Consumers in Texas and elsewhere may be disturbed to hear about the way in which some of its employees are being treated. A group of workers who had filed a claim against the company in 2013 are now filing unpaid wages claims against the company. The plaintiffs are seeking to have another 12,400 similarly situated employees included in this recent lawsuit.
Overtime Changes
On July 6, 2015, the Department of Labor published a proposed change to the rules governing the overtime law which could make nearly five million workers eligible for overtime pay. The Fair Labor Standards Act has always excluded salaried workers who perform managerial or administrative duties from overtime pay so long as their salary met a minimum specified amount. That minimum amount has been set at $455 per week (or $23,660 annually) since 2004. The new rule raises the minimum threshold amount to $970 per week (or $50,440 annually). In other words, the new rule would require employers to pay salary workers either $50,440 per year or overtime compensation for any hours worked in excess of forty (40) hours per week. The Department of Labor will be reviewing comments to the proposed rule for the next sixty (60) days. As a result, the new rule would most likely go into effect in 2016.
Sexual harassment, civil rights violations alleged by rig workers
No worker in Texas or elsewhere deserves to work in a hostile environment. Nevertheless, discrimination and harassment in the workplace remain prevalent. A marine contracting company in another state is currently facing a lawsuit that was filed by three employees. They claimed to have been provided with a shockingly hostile workplace environment during the time of their employment.
