Category: Labor and Employment

​​Written by Shareholder Barbara Barron Employers that are requiring vaccinations have been receiving requests for exemptions based on medical leave or sincerely held religious beliefs. Up to now, employers did not know what was permissible to ask regarding sincerely held religious beliefs. On October 25, 2021, The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) greatly updated…

​​Texas has a history of being an employer-friendly state; however, federal and state laws prevent employers from illegal harassment, discrimination, and retaliation in the workplace. Employers are not legally allowed to hold certain personal characteristics against their employees. There are federal and state laws that protect workers from being treated differently based on traits including…

​​Many companies in Texas utilize employee non-compete agreements to protect their business interests and keep trade secrets from spreading through their industry. Recently, an executive order released by the White House on July 9, 2021 targets non-compete agreements and clauses in an alleged attempt to create a more open and competitive economy for workers. Many…

​​As the COVID-19 pandemic continues and new variants of the virus emerge, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released a new emergency temporary standard (ETS) for the healthcare industry as well as recommendations for other industries on how to keep their employees and customers safe. These emergency rules show the dire situation currently…

​​As more companies are encouraging employees to return to physical offices and in-person work, the question of whether or not a company can require all workers to receive a COVID-19 vaccination has become a serious topic of discussion. According to newly released federal guidance, the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) laws do not prevent employers from…