Category Archives: Employee Rights

How Does the Texas At-Will Employment Doctrine Apply to Job Offers? To understand why a company can take back a job offer, you must first understand the foundation of Texas employment law: the employment-at-will doctrine. Under Chapter 21 and the common law of the Texas Labor Code, employment in Texas is presumed to be “at-will.” […]

Can Your Employer Legally Record Video and Audio of You at Work? Understanding your baseline Texas employee rights is essential when evaluating whether a workplace monitoring practice crosses the line from legitimate oversight into illegal surveillance. While businesses routinely track productivity and deter theft, both Texas state statutes and federal employment laws place firm boundaries […]

Can Your Employer Legally Reduce Your Pay Without Advance Notice in Texas? When you discover an unexpected drop in your hourly rate or regular salary, your initial reaction is likely frustration and disbelief. You may assume that employers must provide two weeks’ notice—or at least a few days’ warning—before cutting your compensation. Under Texas employment […]

You finish your shift. You check your paycheck. The numbers look off. Many employees assume this is a simple mistake. In some cases, it is. In many others, it is wage theft. It often happens in small amounts. A few unpaid minutes here. A missed overtime hour there. Over time, those losses grow. Studies show […]

Many employees first hear about FMLA during a stressful moment. A doctor orders time off. A child is born early. A parent receives a serious diagnosis. At that point, questions move fast: What is FMLA? Does my job stay protected? Can my employer fire me? Understanding the FMLA meaning before a problem escalates can protect […]

Facing a serious illness, injury, or family emergency is stressful enough without worrying about losing your job. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was created to give employees time off for qualifying medical and family reasons while protecting their position. Still, many workers contact me with one urgent question: Can my employer terminate me […]

False statements can damage careers, strain professional relationships, and impact reputations. If you’re a professional or executive dealing with false claims in the workplace, understanding defamation law is critical. This article explains what defamation of character means, especially in a business setting, and outlines your rights if you’re considering a defamation claim. What Is Defamation […]

A collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is a written contract between an employer and a labor union. It outlines the terms and conditions of employment for union-represented employees. This document is the product of negotiation and is legally binding once both parties agree and sign. Understanding CBAs helps you make informed decisions, maintain compliance, and avoid […]

Wage theft is a serious issue affecting millions of workers across the country. It occurs when employers fail to pay employees for all the hours they’ve worked or withhold benefits that they are legally entitled to. In many cases, this is not only illegal but also deeply unfair, leaving workers without the compensation they’ve earned. […]

Independent contractor misclassification is an unfortunate yet common occurrence in Houston, TX. Often, this misclassification is in a verbal agreement. However, many written agreements misclassify contractors as well.  While this misclassification of contractor vs employee is not necessarily malicious, it is a fairly common practice across many industries. One common example is the construction industry, […]