Workplace or school-based harassment

The law protects students and employees from suffering harassment based on gender or sex, race, age, pregnancy, ethnicity, birthplace and national origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, transgender status, disability, and religion. We handle cases involving these types of disputes, at work or at school.

Medical leave and disability accommodations

Companies with 50 or more employees must provide unpaid medical leave to employees when they are seriously ill, or when family members are seriously ill. They also must provide leave to employees to help family members who are in the military.

Companies with 20 or more employees must provide accommodations or assistance to employees with medical issues or disabilities.

We handle cases in which employees claim:

They were denied medical leave
They were denied help with a medical issue or disability at work
They faced retaliation for asking for medical leave
They faced retaliation for asking for help with a medical issue or disability at work

Disputes with business partners

Our firm handles “business divorce” and other cases involving disputes among business partners or members.

Discrimination and retaliation

We handle cases of discrimination and unfair treatment based on sex and gender, race, age, pregnancy, ethnicity, birthplace and national origin, citizenship, sexual orientation, transgender status, disability, and religion. The law also protects employees who complain about unlawful discrimination and harassment, or participate in an investigation of this kind of conduct.

Federal law (Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Immigration Reform and Control Act) and state law (the Texas Labor Code) make discrimination and retaliation illegal.

Glass ceiling and equal pay issues

Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Equal Pay Act mandate that employees are paid the same, and given equal opportunity in promotions, as other employees. This is a fast-changing area of the law, and a threat for employers. We manage these types of cases.

Independent contractors

Many companies use independent contractors to help with their business. Contractors may still be entitled to overtime and other benefits. Government agencies (including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Texas Workforce Commission, and the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division) are highly skeptical of the independent contractor relationship, and often find that contractors truly are employees. We have extensive experience with these kinds of claims.

Overtime and pay disputes

The Fair Labor Standards Act and Texas Payday Act require employees to be paid at least the minimum wage for all hours worked, and overtime (1.5 times the hourly rate) for hours worked over 40 hours in a seven-day period.

We handle lawsuits in which employees claim:

They were not paid for all hours that they worked (“off-the-clock” work)
They had meal or rest periods deducted from pay when they did not actually take a break
They were paid straight time instead of overtime for over 40 hours worked
They were paid a day rate or weekly rate/salary for all hours worked without overtime
They were paid as a contractor and received no overtime

Workers compensation retaliation

The Texas Labor Code prohibits retaliation against employees who report an injury at work. We manage cases alleging this type of retaliation.

Benefits litigation

Companies have a duty to ensure that retirement plans, including 401(k), 403(b), and pension plans, are sufficiently funded to meet goals. They also must ensure that administration fees don’t cut into retirement earnings. We handle litigation involving these types of claims.

Arbitrations with labor unions

Our firm has extensive experience representing management in disputes with labor unions, including claims alleging:

Termination or discipline without just cause
Contractual breaches regarding pay and benefits
Covered work disputes

Personal injury

We represent individuals who have been hurt or damaged by others.