Coronavirus FAQ:
My job expects me back to work next week. My spouse has an underlying condition and I am afraid I might bring the virus home to him. Do I have to go back to work?
If the underlying condition is serious enough that it rises to the level of a disability, then you
Over the last three weeks, 745,000 Texans have applied for unemployment benefits. That represents about 5.7% of the Texas workforce. That is more than applied in all of 2019. During the 2008-09 recession, the highest number of applicants in one week was 55,000. This current recession is on the way to setting records. Let us
A lot of folks have been laid off in the past week. We know this, because claims for unemployment have skyrocketed. In 2019, some 13,600 Texans applied for unemployment each month, back when the economy was doing very well. This week, 155,657 Texans have applied for unemployment. That is an 800% increase. See Texas Tribune
I am a member of Texas Employment Lawyers Association. We represent people in employment lawsuits. TELA just posted excellent advice on worker’s rights during the coronavirus outbreak. Go to our website here for advice about unemployment benefits, workplace accommodations and being required to work from home.
As we used to say in Iraq, Be Safe.
The President signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act yesterday. See the new Act here. It amends the Family Medical Leave Act. The FFCRA applies to employers with fewer than 500 employees. This provision may cause confusion, since the FMLA itself applies to employers with more than 50 employees.
The FFCRA covers
There will be many layoffs soon due to this coronavirus outbreak. Unfortunately, many of those laid off will be hourly workers. Yes, in Texas, you will generally qualify for unemployment benefits if you lose your job through no fault of yours. The Texas Workforce Commission requires that a person applying for benefits have worked at
Not many people realize that to receive unemployment benefits, an applicant must be willing and able to work. That is why a person receiving unemployment must certify each week that s/he is looking for work. And, what if a worker is off on FMLA leave? Could that person receive unemployment benefits? The court in Texas
When a person is fired through no fault of their own, it is a huge psychological blow. That emotional setback is compounded when the Texas Workforce Commission denies the newly unemployed person’s claim for unemployment benefits, or worse, shows bias toward the employer. One poor woman worked for a very demanding person. The male CEO
Sometimes, its the little things that lead to employment lawsuits. At one Wisconsin law firm, the receptionist, Sandy Weidner, was expected to make the coffee in the morning. One morning, someone failed to make the coffee. Annoyed, management looked at Ms. Weidner’s time card and noted several alleged instances when Ms. Weidner failed to
The corporate world can be harsh. Mega Corporation takes over slightly Smaller Corporation. New management takes over the local sales office. For unknown reasons, new management decides they need new sales representatives and a new regional manager. New management lays off seven people total in the local office. Four out of the seven have just