Articles Discussing General Topics In Texas Labor & Employment Law.

On Oct. 11, Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order No. GA-40, the first COVID-19-related order that prevents private employers in Texas from requiring employees to be vaccinated in some circumstances.

On October 11, 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order GA-40, which states that no entity in Texas can “compel” any individual, including any employee or consumer, to receive a COVID-19 vaccination who objects “for any reason of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for medical

On October 11, 2021, Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order (EO) No. GA-40, prohibiting any entity in Texas from requiring any individual, including an employee, to receive a COVID-19 vaccination if that individual objects to the vaccination “for any reason of personal conscience, based on a religious belief, or for

Over its regular and two special sessions, the Texas legislature has passed several bills that are or soon will be in effect and will impact employers’ workplace policies and procedures. Additional special legislative sessions yet may be held and, with them, more changes may be on the horizon.

Navigating the unemployment benefit administrative process under the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act can be difficult for employers. The act limits the type of conduct that may disqualify a claimant from receiving benefits, but it does provide for disqualification “if the individual was discharged for misconduct connected with the individual’s last

Over 600 new laws went into effect on September 1, 2021 in Texas. Importantly, three (Senate Bill No. 45, Senate Bill No. 282, the House Bill No. 21) drastically modified the well-established, employer-friendly framework governing sexual harassment claims brought in the Lone Star state. In particular, these changes include: (1) greater protection to individuals working for small employers not otherwise covered by anti-discrimination laws; (2) individual liability for sexual harassment; (3) expanded periods in which employees are allowed to file complaints with applicable federal and state enforcement agencies; and (4) a prohibition on using tax-payer funds to resolve sexual harassment claims against elected officials.

Beginning September 1, 2021, Texas employers of any size may be sued for sexual harassment in the workplace under legislative changes (SB 45) passed by the Texas legislature. SB 45 also expands liability to include individuals and business entities.

In an apparent rebuttal to Governor Abbott’s July 29, 2021, Executive Order (GA-38), which was aimed at creating uniformity in the response to COVID-19 throughout the State of Texas and which prohibited local authorities from imposing their own mask, vaccine, or other COVID-related restrictions on businesses and schools (while

On July 29, 2021, Governor Greg Abbott issued Executive Order GA-38, combining several existing COVID-19 executive orders for the stated purpose of promoting statewide uniformity and certainty in the state’s COVID-19 response.

In a surprising move for what has historically been an extremely employer-friendly state, Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently signed two new bills (Senate Bill 45 and House Bill 21) that significantly expand the protections for employees who assert claims of sexual harassment under the Texas Labor Code.  Both laws

Texas courts generally look to federal courts’ interpretation of federal anti-discrimination laws to assist in interpreting the anti-discrimination provisions of the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (TCHRA). However, the provisions of the TCHRA do not always exactly mirror the language of parallel federal anti-discrimination laws. The Texas Supreme Court

Arbitration agreements are intended to expedite the legal process while minimizing fees and costs. In reality, former employees and their counsel often resist submitting their employment claims to arbitration, resulting in protracted and expensive litigation before trial and appellate courts on the issue of whether there is an enforceable arbitration

Effective September 1, 2021, any employer that employs “one or more employees” or that “acts directly in the interests of an employer in relation to an employee” will be considered an employer under Texas law and subject to a heightened level of scrutiny for sexual harassment claims under Texas law.

On June 14, 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed the Pandemic Liability Protection Act into law. The law became effective upon his signing. This new law provides COVID-19 liability protections for health care providers, businesses, non-profits, religious institutions and schools that follow certain safety protocols.