Whether you are an employee or an employer, knowledge of Texas employment law is important both prior to and after disputes arise. Since Texas employment laws change from time to time, it is also important to consult with an experienced employment attorney in Texas to make sure you fully understand your rights as an employee or your legal obligations as an employer.
FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT LAWS APPLICABLE IN TEXAS
Specifically, depending on the type of employment, Texas employment law can implicate numerous state and federal statutes. Federal statues like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits employers from making employment decisions based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin. Similarly, the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination based on an employee’s disability status and may require reasonable accommodations for certain physical or mental impairments. Further, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act prohibits discrimination based on age. Lastly, the Fair Labor Standards Act establishes, among other things, certain minimum wage and overtime pay requirements on certain employers in Texas.
IMPORTANT TEXAS EMPLOYMENT LAWS
In addition to these federal statutes, many Texas statutes also address employment in Texas. For example, the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act makes most violations of the foregoing federal employment-discrimination laws a violation of Texas state law. Additionally, statutes like the Texas Payday Law places additional requirements on employers with respect to how employees are paid. Lastly, violations of the state and federal statutes and trigger enforcement actions at both a state and federal level, by regulatory bodies such as the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Texas Workforce Commission, each of which have their own specific requirements for responding to and resolving Texas employment law claims.
OTHER TEXAS EMPLOYMENT LAW CONSIDERATIONS
Aside from these federal and state statutes, the rights and obligations of employers and employees under employment laws in Texas, may change depending on whether an employee is “at-will” or they have an enforceable employment contract that governs their employment relationship. This can impact the enforceability of non-competition and other employment agreements in Texas, which are often the subject of employment disputes in Texas.
QUESTIONS?
Rogge Dunn Group has extensive experience handling Texas employment law matters for both employers and employees. For questions about an employment law matter contact us here.