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Texas has a reputation for being business friendly.  More often than not, the Texas Legislature refrains from passing legislation providing solutions for nonexistent problems.  However, a recent bill, passed by the Texas House and submitted to the Texas Senate would prohibit Texas employers from requesting social media user names and passwords from applicants and employees, addresses a problem…

Last week the Texas Legislature opened its 83rd regular session.  The Texas Legislature meets every other year and only for 140 days.  Here are the labor and employment related bills that have been introduced that may eventually effect Texas employers.  I will supplement this post with newly filed bills during the session.

HB 372 (Deshotel) (Relating…

Since the shooting this weekend in Newtown, Connecticut, I have received several questions regarding a Texas employer’s right to ban or prohibit firearms on company property.  Without debating the wisdom of such a decision or the likelihood that the mentally ill who generally participate in mass shooting will abide by those restrictions, Texas law generally…

Last month Washington and Colorado voters passed state laws authorizing the legalization of recreational marijuana use. Given that there are pockets of the United States where the medical or recreational use of marijuana is legal or tolerated under state law, some Texas employers have asked whether it has any effect on their drug testing or …

My colleague, Alison Rowe, is what I affectionately call a horse lawyer.  Actually, Alison practices Equine Law (which broadly includes a diverse area of transactional and litigation issues involving farm, ranch, agricultural and real and personal property issues) and is recognized as a "go to"  authority on this subject area in Texas.  She also happens to publish…

Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking to the Texas Society of CPAs, Tarrant County Chapter, Nonprofit Study Group on current employment law issues affecting nonprofit organizations. Some of the topics we covered included the use of volunteers and unpaid interns by nonprofit organizations, proper classification of independent contractors and employees, and employment policies that are useful for nonprofits to adopt.  

 

If …

Last week I had the privilege of volunteering at my firm’s pro bono legal clinic at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  The clinic provides pro bono legal services and advice to our country’s veterans.  The veterans who served have a wide variety of need for legal advice –primarily in the area of family law, estate and…