business employment disputes

Business employment disputes

Wrongful termination

Wrongful termination cases can be difficult and emotionally-charged business/employee disputes, often putting an employee’s work on trial. It should be noted that Texas is an at-will employment state, meaning that an employer may terminate any employee for any reason so long as there is no contract in place and so long as the employer does not violate certain discrimination and retaliation laws.

Wage disputes

This type of lawsuit arises when an employer is accused of not properly compensating a worker for their time on the job. This can include not paying workers for overtime or earned tips or not allowing regular paid breaks. Employers must also pay workers minimum wages. The current Texas and federal minimum wage is $7.25 per hour. 

Wage disputes can also encompass worker misclassification, which occurs when an employer wrongly declares that a worker is an independent contractor instead of an employee. This can affect a worker’s pay, protections, and benefits, and it can cause tax issues for both parties.

Discrimination and harassment

There are federal and state laws that protect workers and job applicants from: 

  • Discrimination, harassment, or unfair treatment by managers, co-workers, or others because of a person’s race, religion, national origin, sex (including sexual orientation or gender identity), pregnancy, age, or disability
  • Denial of reasonable accommodations in the workplace for an employee’s disability or religious beliefs
  • Retaliation because an employee made a complaint about job discrimination or helped with a job discrimination probe or lawsuit

For employees to receive protection, most employers must meet certain size requirements. Also, discrimination complaints must carefully follow the procedures outlined in the law, and they usually begin with the filing of a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). 

Severance

Employers may offer employees who leave their company certain types of compensation in return for signing a contract that includes non-disclosure or non-compete agreements. These types of severance agreements are often the subject of litigation. If you are a business offering such an agreement, or if you are an employee who has received one, speaking to an attorney will help you understand your rights established in the contract and address any issues that could arise.

The Law Office of Riley and Riley

Business or employment disputes are common today. Sometimes, a business deal goes bad. Or maybe, your employer refuses to honor its contract with you or fires you without justification. Or you are unjustly sued by someone you have done business with. When you have problems with your business or job, you need a smart, aggressive lawyer to protect your legal rights. Riley and Riley have successfully represented businesses and employees in all manner of disputes, from contract actions to wrongful termination cases to legal fights with vendors and business rivals. We will efficiently handle your business or employment dispute so you can get back to work without spending a fortune on legal bills.

Call Riley & Riley today for your free consultation at (210) 225-7236.

some info sourced from: Grgblaw.com