Employment Law Attorneys in Bryan & College Station, TX

Protecting Employee Rights Across Brazos Valley

Employees across the country struggle to understand their rights in the workplace. Every state has unique laws, and employers may fail to provide proper information and training about workplace rights and appropriate conduct. If you feel you have faced employment discrimination, harassment, or wrongful termination, your first step is to gain a thorough understanding of your rights as an employee.

As in all other states, Texas law prohibits employment decisions based on certain protected factors. These employment decisions include:

• Hiring and promotions
• Leaves of absence or termination
• Pay and benefits
• Access to training

At Bruchez & Goss, P.C., our employment law attorneys have witnessed countless employers attempt to save money by breaking these laws and taking advantage of their employees—especially those with little understanding of their rights. If your employer has treated you unfairly and broken either state or federal laws in the process, we are more than prepared to stand by your side and hold them accountable in court.

What Constitutes Wrongful Termination in Texas?

Like many other states in the country, Texas is an “employment at will” state. Essentially, Texas employers can fire or let go of their employees at any time for almost any reason. If your employer fired you even though you demonstrated exemplary work on a routine basis, they committed wrongful discharge only if they violated certain statutory or common law exceptions in the process.

The “employment at will” doctrine in Texas allows an employment relationship to end or change for no reason at all, with or without notice, UNLESS the decision was based upon:

• Voting
• Jury duty
• Military duty
• Participating in union activities
• Refusing to commit a criminal act
• Filing certain claims (e.g. federal wage and hour, workers’ compensation, etc.)
• Whistleblowing (i.e. bringing suspected wrongdoing to the attention of authorities)
• Engaging in an activity protected by your employment contract (e.g. collective bargaining agreements)
• Engaging in a federally protected activity (e.g. requesting accommodations for a disability or religious practice, asking managers or co-workers about salary information, testifying in an Equal Employment Opportunity Lawsuit, etc.)
• State or federal protected class status (race, color, religion, gender, age, national origin, disability, citizenship, or, in the state of Texas, participation in emergency evacuations)

If your employer fired you for one or more of these reasons, they committed wrongful discharge and must be held accountable in a court of law.

Lawful Remedies for Employment Discrimination & Retaliation

Employers in Texas and throughout the country break critical employment laws, often with devastating consequences for thousands of employees. According to the EEOC, the most common issue in discrimination cases is retaliation: an illegal action taken against an employee for opposing or resisting discrimination. In other words, if you attempt to call attention to your employer’s discriminatory actions (or help a colleague do the same), your employer may not take adverse actions against you in response.

If you faced discrimination in the workplace or retaliation for fighting against that discrimination, our attorneys can help you seek a variety of reparative actions.

With our support, you may be able to attain:

• Reinstatement or promotion
• Back/future pay
• Punitive damages (covering loss of income, court/litigation fees, medical expenses, and/or emotional harm)
• Injunction (court-issued warning) against your employer’s future illegal actions

Forced Arbitration Clauses: The Problem with Employment Mediation

Employers will do everything in their power to avoid a public lawsuit. In employment contracts in Texas and throughout the nation, forced arbitration clauses mandate the use of arbitration (a formal and binding form of mediation) to settle disputes between the employer and employee. Employment advocacy groups and legislators have attempted to outlaw these clauses, but they have not yet succeeded.

If your employer is forcing you to settle an employment law dispute through arbitration, we will stand by your side and demand the same level of professionalism, attention to detail, and commitment to justice you would find in a court of law.

Reach Out to Our Employment Law Attorneys for Immediate Assistance

If you experienced workplace harassment, discrimination, or retaliation, you likely suffered emotional harm, financial loss, and a severe lack of respect for the quality work you do every day. At Bruchez & Goss, P.C., our legal team has over a century of collective experience. When we take on your employment law case, our goal will be to gain a thorough understanding of your situation, gather all necessary evidence, and hold your employer accountable for violating your rights.