Employment Law in Texas

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS!

Important Numbers

To Report Discrimination

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

(214) 253-2700

Fort Worth Human Relations Commission

(817) 871-7525

Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division

(888) 452-4778

Assistance with Unemployment

Texas Workforce Commission

(817) 737-0311

(800) 939-6631

Wage and Hour Claims

Texas Workforce Commission

(817) 737-0311

(800) 939-6631

Department of Labor

Wage and Hour Section

(817) 428-2470

Collective Bargaining or

Union Matters

National Labor Relations Board

(817) 978-2921

Legal Services

Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas

(817) 336-3943

(800) 955-3959

AT-WILL EMPLOYMENT

Many people have heard that Texas is an “at-will” employment state, but what does this mean? Basically, at-will employment means that Employees have the right to quit their jobs whenever they want, with or without giving advance notice to their bosses, and employers have the right to fire people for any reason that is not discriminatory. Employment at-will does not guarantee that you get to keep your job as long as you want – it only guarantees that you have the right to work free of discrimination.

UNEMPLOYMENT LAW

If you lose your job, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits with the Texas Workforce Commission, (817) 737-0311. Unemployment benefits are available for people fired for any reason except employee on-the-job misconduct. Victims of unlawful job discrimination may be eligible for unemployment benefits.

WAGE & HOUR LAWS

If you have not been paid your full wages by your employer, you can contact the Texas Workforce Commission, (817) 737-0311 to recover your full wages. If you have not been paid earned overtime pay, you can also obtain assistance from the United States Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, (817) 428-2470.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING

If you think you were fired or retaliated against for trying to improve wages or work conditions for yourself and your co-workers, you can file a complaint with the National Labor Relations Board at (817) 978-2921.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION LAW

Who has the Right to Protection from Discrimination? If your employer has 15 or more employees, then you have the right to be free from discrimination on the job. But the laws preventing discrimination do not cover people working for companies with less than 15 employees.

What are your Rights? If your employer has 15 or more employees on the payroll, then you have the right to be free from discrimination on the basis of Race, Color, Disability, Religion, Sex, Sexual Harassment, National Origin or Age. If you work in the city of Fort Worth, you also have the freedom from discrimination on the basis of Sexual Orientation. Veterans of the armed forces are also entitled to freedom from job discrimination. State and federal anti-discrimination laws can help protect you from denial of jobs for which you are qualified, denial of fair wages, segregation preventing you from better job opportunities, or being fired from your job. Anti-discrimination laws also protect you from Retaliation for complaining about on-the-job discrimination, reporting discrimination, or serving as a witness in a discrimination complaint.

Where and How Can You Protect Your Rights? If you think you were discriminated against at work because of your Race, Color, Disability, Religion, Sex, Sexual Harassment, National Origin, Age, Status as a Veteran, or Sexual Orientation, you must file a “Charge of Discrimination” with one of the three agencies created to investigate and prevent job discrimination: The Fort Worth Human Relations Commission, (817) 871-7525; the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, in Dallas, (214) 253-2700; or the Texas Commission on Human Rights in Austin, (888) 452-4778.

When Must You Act to Protect Your Rights? Counting from the last time you were discriminated against, you have up to 300 days to file a Charge of Discrimination with the Fort Worth Human Relations Commission or the Equal Opportunity Commission. If you act within 180 days, you can also file your Charge of Discrimination with the Texas Commission on Human Rights.