What Are Some Common Legal Issues Employees Face in Austin, Texas?
There are laws in place to safeguard employees and ensure fair treatment, yet companies routinely flout them, resulting in unfair treatment. When their rights are abused, many employees are oblivious. It is essential to become acquainted with frequent legal concerns encountered by employees in order to recognize and address them in the workplace. You may get the help of an employment lawyer in Austin, TX if the need arises.
Minimum wage issue:
For Texas workers, minimum wage issues are a typical problem. Your company cannot deduct operational expenses from your compensation; they must pay you at least the minimum wage. They are required by California law to give lunch breaks and cannot force you to rely only on tips for payment.
Issues with working overtime:
Employers in Texas are required to pay overtime when employees work over a certain number of hours: 1.5 times your hourly rate for 8 or more hours per day, 40 or more hours per week, or the 7th consecutive day in a workweek; 2 times your hourly rate for 12 or more hours per day, or for more than 8 hours on the 7th consecutive day. You can make a claim to get the money you are entitled to if your employer fails to pay you for overtime.
Sexual harassment:
In Texas, workplace harassment is a frequent legal problem. Quid pro quo sexual harassment, where benefits are provided in exchange for sexual favors, and hostile work environment harassment, where actions of supervisors or coworkers make it difficult to perform job duties, are two common types.
Wrongful termination:
If you were terminated after complaining about sexual harassment, it may have been unjust. Even under “at-will” employment, your employer cannot fire you because of your gender, sexual orientation, race, color, or nationality.
Retaliation:
Retaliation against employees for filing discrimination or harassment complaints is prohibited by Texas law. It is also illegal for employers to retaliate against workers seeking assistance from an employment lawyer. However, workplace retaliation remains a common issue in Texas.
Final thought:
If you have been facing one of the above-listed things, it’s time for you to take proper legal action with the help of an employment lawyer in Texas. Once you fire a lawyer, they will get to the bottom of time to figure out what happened in order to hold the workplace and the guilty party responsible.