The Equal Pay Act became law in Texas and across the country on June 10, 1963. It mandates that women receive the same pay as men for the same work, but the pay gap continues and varies based on race as well. On average, women earn 80 cents for every dollar their male...
Wage And Hour Laws
3 ways your employer may cheat you out of overtime
Ever feel like you are not getting your rightful overtime pay? The law requires most employers to pay its employees extra for working over 40 hours in one week. However, your employer may be doing sneaky things to avoid giving you the payment you rightfully deserve....
Travel bonus not deemed to be compensation
Texas employers may not be able to deduct travel bonuses from damages assessed if they violate the Fair Labor Standards Act. This was the decision reached by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia. An investigation into the pay practices of...
Labor Department adopts test for internship legality
Many people in Texas have worked as interns, whether over summer vacation from school, after graduation or as way to get offered a full-time job. However, there have been significant questions about proper differentiation between interns and employees, especially when...
DOL adds flexibility to rules governing unpaid internships
The Department of Labor has updated its guidance for unpaid internships. The new approach grants employers at for-profit companies in Texas more flexibility. Previous rules established by the department in 2010 insisted that an employer had to meet all six...
The links between sexual harassment and lower pay
Everyone in Texas faces challenges at work from time to time, but women predominantly experience sexual harassment that can reduce how much they earn. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, power disparities in the workplace could encourage...
FLSA says workers should be compensated for short breaks
A recent decision by the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals may eventually have an impact on Texas employees. The court held that employees are entitled to be paid for breaks that are 20 minutes in duration or less. The case involved a company called Progressive Business...
Appeals court addresses issue of draw-on-commission pay
Companies in Texas that pay sales commissions should check their written policies regarding draw-on-commission pay. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit has sided with employees in a case that challenged an employer's policy that required employees to repay...
Lawsuit against GrubHub questions worker classification
Many Texas workers find themselves earning money in the gig economy. The rise of technology companies that offer services that connect customers with service providers has created controversy about the status of the people providing those services. The companies...
Tipped employees an the 80/20 rule in pay disputes
The provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act require most employers in Texas and around the country to pay their workers at least the federal minimum wage and overtime rates when they work more than 40 hours during a workweek. Workers who allege that their employers...