Houston  Dallas Texas Labor and Employment Attorney

If you have an employment problem or an employment lawsuit, you can rely on the Houston employment lawyers at the Tran Law Firm LLP to fight for you. The Texas employment lawyers at the Tran Law Firm have over 18 years years of experience in handling employment law claims including harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in the workplace. With offices in Houston and Dallas, they will provide you with hands-on, honest advice and evaluation of your individual case.

Your Rights as an Employee in Texas

Unless a Texas worker has an employment contract, they are “at-will” employees and can be fired for any reason.  The only exception to the “at-will” status is if an employee is fired or discriminated for an illegal reason.  The illegal reasons have been recognized by the courts and law as exceptions to the employment-at-will status in Texas.   Employers can be held responsible for the harm suffered by an employee because of discrimination, harassment, or unfair labor practices. Harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in the workplace are wrong and illegal. Workers in Texas are protected by combinations of state and federal laws and regulations. For example:

  • Under federal law, Title VII prohibits discrimination based on race, color, national origin (nationality), gender, or religion (religious discrimination), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability, and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of age. These laws prohibit discrimination in hiring, firing, promotion, and pay rates and from retaliating against employees who oppose these types of discrimination. Texas labor laws follow many of the Federal laws.
  • The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to pay their employees minimum wages, as well as “time-and-a-half” for all overtime hours worked in excess of forty hours per workweek. Texas law imposes additional requirements for the timely payment of wages upon termination of employment. These state and federal laws provide for serious penalties (payable to employees) for violation of these requirements.
  • The federal Family Leave Medical Act (FLMA) provides eligible employees up to twelve weeks of family leave per year. This law prohibits discrimination or retaliation against employees who exercise their right to family leave and provide for serious penalties (payable to employees) for violation of these requirements.

The employment lawyers at the Tran Law Firm LLP will fully explain your rights and work to secure the best possible outcome in your case.

Federal & State Employment Law Violations

Texas employment lawyers at the Tran Law Firm LLP represents individual and companies in employment law cases in state and federal courts, including:

  • ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) Claims
  • ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment) Claims
  • Civil Rights Discrimination
  • FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) Claims
  • Retaliation
  • Sexual Harassment
  • Wage and Overtime Claims
  • Wrongful Discharge

Many HR departments are more concerned about the company’s best interests than your rights as an employee. If you believe you have been the target of harassment or discrimination, there are steps you can take now to protect yourself such as gathering documentation including e-mails and memos. Before you take the wrong step, contact us before taking your case to TWC (Texas Workforce Commission) or the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission) (EEOC).

One of the unique skill sets offered by the employment lawyers at the firm is their ability to help government workers. Employees that work for the government or public entities are entitled to due process whenever they are terminated, demoted, or disciplined.  The process is often referred to as Civil Services Commission or Merit System Protection Board (MSBP). From school employees, Veteran Administration workers, to United States Postal Service (USPS) workers and law enforcement officer, they all need labor and employment lawyers that are experienced with this particular subset of employment law.

Severance Package Review

Severance packages often contain complicated releases with legal jargon that isn’t easy to understand. Before you sign off, you need to know exactly what you are agreeing to for that severance pay. You also need to know whether the money is worth what you may be giving up in return or whether a better deal could be negotiated. Call us to make an appointment, and the Texas employment lawyers at the Tran Law Firm LLP will review your severance offer and all of the facts related to the termination of your employment.

Employment Contract Review & Disputes

If you’ve been offered an employment contract, it is always a good idea to have an attorney review it before you sign. Employment contracts usually have clauses on intellectual property, inventions, non-disclosure or non-competition. Contact us for an appointment, the Houston, Texas employment lawyers at the Tran LLP will explain what your obligations and your employer’s obligations are under the contract. They can also help to negotiate the terms of the contract before you agree to it. If you have already signed the contract, but you think your employer has breached it, it isn’t too late to get legal advice. Meet with an employment law attorney from the firm and they will explain whether there has been a breach, and if so, what your legal remedies may be.