Texans sometimes face discrimination or harassment while they are employed or applying for jobs. Discrimination and harassment that are based on protected characteristics are explicitly forbidden under federal law, and workers who experience them are able to file...
Year: 2016
Employee lunch breaks
According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, employers in Houston and nationwide must compensate employees for all the time they work or are permitted to work. However, businesses often question if an employee is required to be compensated during times they are not...
Don’t be intimidated: Undocumented workers have rights too
With growing threats of deportation, many undocumented workers are scared. If you are an undocumented worker in Texas then you might fear being discriminated against at work or even losing your job. You are likely working hard to support your family and worry about...
Steps to fighting age discrimination on the job hunt
Some older workers in the Houston area may be among the more than 60 percent of workers that the AARP says face age discrimination. A number of myths persist about older workers being inferior to younger ones, and even though these are not true, workers may still...
Reasonable accommodations under the ADA
Most disabled Texas employees are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under this federal law, covered employers are required to make reasonable accommodations for workers who are disabled so that they are able to perform the tasks of their jobs....
New overtime rule put on hold by judge
A judge from the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas placed a hold on a new overtime rule that was set to take effect on Dec. 1. For now, the current exempt salary cutoff imposed by the Fair Labor Standards Act will remain in place. The fate of the...
Houston area employees and new discrimination guidelines
Houston-area employees should be aware of new enforcement guidelines from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regarding national origin discrimination. On Nov. 18, 2016, the EEOC issued a new set of guidelines. These guidelines were created for small...
Court rules company must offer accommodation to Sikh drivers
Sikh workers in Houston might be protected by a case elsewhere that ruled that a trucking company did not offer reasonable accommodation to its Sikh drivers when it required them to offer a piece of their cut hair for drug testing. One other man, who would not remove...
New overtime rules: Will they still take effect on December 1?
For months, employers have been planning for how to respond to new federal rules on eligibility for overtime pay that are due to take effect on December 1. Under current rules, if you make more than 40 hours per week, your employer might considered you exempt from...
Whistle blowing and retaliation in the workplace
No employee should ever feel intimidated or fear retaliation because he or she reported a wage-related complaint to an employer or the Department of Labor. In fact, federal law protects employees from such action by their employers. Nonetheless, in 2015, the owners of...