Houston Employment Law Attorneys
Under state and federal law, employers and employees have certain rights and obligations. Legal problems arise when one or both ignore what they can and cannot do as allowed by law. The Befort Law Firm's lawyers assert the rights and obligations of the firm's clients in disputes involving employment law.
The firm drafts and reviews contract terms and conditions, as well as employee handbooks that impact duties and rights of employers and employees. In order to accurately determine damages, the firm's attorneys consult economists who take into account lost income, lost earnings, and other factors that effect the firm's clients. The firm investigates each case, reviewing company records, emails, employee performance reviews, hiring patterns, and other documents pertinent to the case.
Protecting your legal and financial interests begins with asserting your rights. If you are involved in an employment law dispute, contact the Befort Law Firm today to schedule an appointment and learn how the firm can help you.
Employment Law Litigation Houston
The Befort Law Firm represents clients in regard to the following legal issues:
- Non-compete agreements
- Confidentiality agreements
- Severance pay
- Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
- Wrongful termination
- Whistle blower
- Employee handbooks
- Harassment, discrimination
The Importance of Employee Handbooks
Even though the courts do not regard employee handbooks as full-fledged legal contracts, companies are still expected to abide by their own stated policies and procedures. When allegations of harassment, discrimination, or wrongful termination arise, the court will take into consideration whether state policies and procedures where followed or ignored. If an employee adhered to stated policies and procedures only to have managers or HR personnel deny them due process, it's likely that the company will be held liable.
Exempt or Non-Exempt: Classifying Employees
Wage and hour disputes often arise when employers misclassify the status of an employee. In certain cases, an employee may be classified as exempt but assigned tasks that are non-exempt. In other instances, non-exempt employees may be asked to work overtime without receiving overtime pay. How each case is resolved will not necessarily depend a job's description or whether an employee is salaried or hourly. Again, an employer who assigns non-exempt tasks to a salaried worker may be liable for misclassifying an employee.
Understand Your Rights - and Obligations - before Litigating
Too often, employers falsely assume they have the upper hand simply because in-house legal counsel thinks the company isn't liable. Alternatively, angry employees who feel they have suffered unfair treatment in job performance reviews or salary decisions mistakenly think they have a case. Whether or not you have good grounds for a lawsuit will depend, however, on whether or not specific rights were violated and whether or not sufficient documentation exists to prove your case.
The firm's attorneys have the experience and resources needed to assert and protect our client's rights. To schedule an appointment, contact employment law litigation attorneys at the Befort Law Firm today.
Befort Law Firm, P.C.
2603 Augusta
Suite 810
Houston, Texas 77057
Phone: 713.785.5888 □ Fax: 713.785.5884
Direct: 713.343.8210