August 2011

Facebook has become a big part of the lives of many Americans in a very short amount of time.  One photographer recently was hired to take senior pictures at a high school.  The photographer came across a FB page poking fun at some girls.  Someone had created a fictitious name just so they could post…

You know, you just cannot make this stuff up.  A disbarred lawyer was recently arrested for an outstanding warrant of felony fraud.  He was found with $12,000 in cash in his car and another $838,000 in cash in a rented storage room.  He had some guns with the $838K.  

But, that is normal for…

Surina Dixon was hired by Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas to coach women’s basketball.  She quit her job in Tennessee and moved to Texas with her husband in 2008.  She noticed soon after she arrived that the new men’s basketball coach was paid $148,000 while she was to be paid only $75,000.  She complained.

A survey of likely voters in 2010 shows that the American public is generally opposed to mandatory arbitration clauses found in employment and consumer situations.  59% oppose forced arbitration clauses found in the fine print of employment and consumer agreements.  59% of likely voters support the Arbitration Fairness Act, a proposal which would prevent these…

Retaliatory lawsuits are rarely a good idea.  Employers can feel very offended when an employee files a lawsuit. The employment relationship can be like family.  So, sure, many employers feel some betrayal when they are sued.  But, to respond with a counter-lawsuit almost never works. 

In one case, the employer responded to a discrimination lawsuit…

Well, it had to happen sooner or later.  A parent has filed suit against some middle school boys regarding things they said about the man’s young daughter.  The father, a Houston area lawyer, sued the boys over a video posted by the boys regarding his daugther.  See Texas Lawyer report.  The father, acting as…

Employee handbooks are not binding on a Texas employer.  The typical employee handbook says the employer will not fire someone until that person has been verbally warned, and then warned in writing a few times.  Or, the handbook may say that an employee will not be demoted or fired without a good reason.  Once upon…