Employment Lawyers Victoria

Employee Rights in Texas

As a worker in the state of Texas, you are given certain legal protections. While employers are required by law to respect these protections, many times employees find themselves feeling powerless when their rights are violated. At Cole, Cole, Easley & Sciba, P.C., our Victoria employment lawyers are dedicated to getting our clients the justice they deserve. No one should ever have to feel threatened or marginalized at work. Allow our legal team to give you the counsel you need.

Discrimination in the State of Texas

If you have faced discrimination at your place of work, allow our legal team to help you. Federal law states that it is illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, citizenship status, and national origin. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency responsible for handling discrimination claims. Our legal team is able to outline your legal options when you have been a victim of workplace discrimination.

We provide legal representation in the following areas:

Sexual Harassment

Every year, millions of Americans are victims of sexual harassment. When looking to file a workplace harassment lawsuit, it's important to remember that there are several different types of sexual harassment that can occur in the workplace:

• Quid pro quo - When someone in a position of authority uses their status to imply or demand an exchange of sexual favors in exchange for either a benefit (promotion, raise, etc.) or to avoid punishment (being fired, etc.)
• Hostile work environment - Being forced to work in an environment where speech or conduct is intimidating or demeaning towards the individual working there (this type of harassment can involve anyone in the workplace, not specifically a superior)

Allow our attorneys to give you the legal help you need.

Wage and Hour Disputes

If your paycheck is not reflecting the hours that you have worked, or if your employer is failing to pay you overtime, our team can help.

• Overtime Laws - According to Texas state laws (and federal labor laws), employers are required to pay their employees overtime (a minimum of one and a half times their usual pay) for any hours worked in excess of 40 hours each week

Wrongful Termination

There are several different types of wrongful termination that employees are protected from:

• Being fired in retaliation for a workers' comp claim
• Being fired in response to a whistleblowing incident
• Termination involving discrimination is also illegal

If you believe that you have been laid off or fired for one of these reasons, please contact our firm immediately to find out what your options are.

FMLA Violations

If your employer is in violation of the Family and Medical Leave Act, allow our legal team to help. According to federal law, employees are eligible to take leave from their job for the following family or medical situations:

• If you are suffering from serious health conditions and require medical care
• If you need to care for a family member who has a serious health condition
• If your spouse has recently given birth to a child (this allows for bonding time)
• Specific military family needs

You are only covered by the FMLA if your employer has at least 50 employees, you have worked for your employer for at least a year, and you have worked for your employer for at least 1,250 hours in that year.

Have more questions about any of these types of employment lawsuit cases? Contact our firm today!