Employment Lawyer in Austin, Texas

Austin Employment Law Lawyer

A client discussing their upcoming employment agreement with their employment lawyer in Austin, TX.

Upholding Employee Rights

In Austin, TX, employees have rights that are enforceable by both state and federal law. You should have the right to fair and equal treatment within the workplace. If you believe you have been discriminated against or suffered harassment, then you have the right to speak out against your employer.

With the knowledge and support from our employment lawyers at the Galo Law Firm, you may be able to sue or file claims against your employer and seek compensation.

Our Austin employment law firm has represented countless clients who have had to deal with sexual harassment, workplace discrimination, and even illegal wage/overtime pay structures.

With over three decades of experience providing employment law services, our team has likely dealt with a case similar to yours. Our dedication to the employment law sector makes us one of the go-to choices when it comes to dealing with neglectful and illegal employers.

The Galo Law Firm is dedicated to your legal rights and has your best interests at the center of our ideology. We want to fight aggressively for you, whether that means taking your case to trial or reaching an out-of-court settlement with the defense.

Not only this, but our highly personalized approach to the attorney-client relationship will leave you feeling in safe hands as we navigate the highly complex Austin, TX law system.

Contact the Galo Law Firm offices today in Austin, TX, and arrange a consultation with one of our Austin employment attorneys at 210-361-8043.

Wrongful Termination in Austin, TX

The law recognizes wrongful termination under two sets of circumstances:

  1. The employer breached your employment contract.
  2. The employer broke the law by terminating your contract and firing you.

There are many grounds for why the termination of an employee is considered wrongful termination. For example:

  • Termination motivated by discrimination such as sexual orientation discrimination or disability discrimination.
  • No notice period was given when firing the employee, despite being specified in the employment contract.
  • The termination was directly linked to a complaint against the employer, such as a whistle-blower complaint or a compensation claim. This is known as employer retaliation.

All the above reasons warrant employee action and are a breach of employee rights. A capable employment lawyer could use these grounds to push for compensation on behalf of you, the employee.

Discrimination Laws

According to the Texas labor code, discrimination is defined as commenting or discriminating against an employee because of their race, religion, gender identity, national origin, or age. Essentially, it is an unfair treatment of an employee based on who they are or what they look like.

Every employee in Austin TX has the right to work free of any kind of discrimination. Our capable employment lawyers will support managers and employees equally, ensuring that any employment issues involving harassment get punished by the law, as it should.

Sexual Harassment

Unfortunately, sexual harassment is a common workplace discrimination issue seen by our employment lawyers. Sexual harassment ranges from comments and jokes about a member of staff to pictures of a sexual nature being spread around or even inappropriate touching. The most extreme types of workplace sexual harassment can be workplace advancement, for example, a promotion in return for sexual favors.

Any type of sexual harassment within the workplace can be sanctioned under criminal law and, in some extreme cases, can be taken to the federal court.

Employer Retaliation

If you opposed illegal acts within the workplace or you made a complaint after any type of workplace discrimination, and then your employment was terminated, then we may be able to help prove the direct link between the complaint you left and your termination.

In doing so, we can help you file a claim against them which may result in you possibly receiving compensation or your job back.

Severance Agreements

In most cases, severance pay, an amount paid to the employee after termination of employment, is granted within their contract. If this is mentioned in a written policy agreement, such as your employment contract, then it is enforceable under Texas Pay Laws. If you have a right to severance pay and are refused, then you have legal grounds to file a claim against an employer.

At the Galo Law Firm, we represent employees who need help to negotiate, draft, and review their severance agreements. We can also assist in filing claims if your severance was not paid on termination.

Employment Contracts

Employment contracts can be complex and lengthy. Our Austin employment lawyers can help you with the negotiations and drafting of these contracts. There are many things to consider in these contracts, such as compensation, benefits, pensions, severance, and the conditions in which your employer is able to terminate your contract.

These considerations are all of utmost importance as they will allow you to know your rights at the workplace and avoid any sort of workplace harassment.

Minimum Wage Pay

The minimum wage is a standard across all states. Federal law dictates that all employers must pay their employees a ‘minimum wage’, based on their age. These wages fall under labor and employment law, which means they are enforceable in a court of law. The current minimum wage for Austin Texas is below:

  • The Minimum Wage For Those Under 20: An employer has to pay someone under 20 an hourly rate of $4.25. This rate has to be increased after 90 days, as the 90-day starting period is classed as a ‘trainee wage.’
  • Student Minimum Wage: For a student, enrolled in either high school or college employers must pay them a minimum of $6.16 an hour for up to 20 hours of work a week.
  • Minimum Wage: The standard minimum wage for everyone else, is $7.25 an hour. making the minimum overtime pay (1.5 times the usual pay rate) $10.75 an hour.

Under labor and employment laws if you are being paid below these minimum wages, then you may be entitled to file a claim for compensation for back pay against your employer.

Overtime Pay

The standard overtime pay is supported by Federal and state laws and is 1.5 times the hourly rate for any hours worked over 40 in any given workweek. So, for example, if you work 50 hours at a rate of $10.00 an hour, then for the last 10 hours of that workweek, you are owed $15.00 per hour.

If your employer neglects these laws and doesn’t pay you for your overtime work, then we recommend you seek legal counsel from an employment attorney.

Types of Wage & Hour Violations

At the Galo Law Firm, our legal dedication is employment law. As such, we have seen numerous cases where employers have committed multiple employment violations in one case. This is because neglectful employers’ practices can violate multiple minimum wage and overtime laws in the space of a week.

The most common violations that our lawyers see are:

  • Employees are being paid less than minimum wage.
  • Employers not paying the minimum overtime pay, regardless of the hours worked by the employee.
  • Underpayment of overtime pay.
  • Changing an employee’s job title, without changing their responsibilities, to pay them less per hour for the same work.
  • Using tips unlawfully to save money on salaries.

If you have experienced any of the above violations, you may be liable to file a compensatory claim against your employer. Not only this but you could be entitled to back pay that is owed to you since your termination. In some cases, you may get your job back.

What Will an Employee Lawyer Do For Me?

Austin TX has very strict labor laws that cover all factors surrounding; proper workplace environments, fair treatment of employees, and minimum wages. Working in conjecture with Federal laws to cover discrimination in the workplace, overtime pay, and breaks and meals within the workplace.

Whichever labor law violations you are experiencing or have experienced, an Austin employment law attorney can help.

At the Galo Law Firm, we have 30 years of combined experience navigating employment law cases. We will ensure that our employment law attorneys dedicate themselves to your case. Ensuring that you feel content by the end of your case that everything was done to aid you.

Our preference will always be to reach an out-of-court settlement with the defense. This is because it saves you time, money, and the stress of having to prepare for a court trial.

However, we will always see every case to the end and support you. So if the case requires us to go to court, we will dedicate ourselves to reviewing all the evidence, and work on presenting a strong case for you in a trial.

We will fight aggressively if need be. With that said, in most cases, we find that companies, especially private companies, prefer to settle to avoid the publicity of a trial.

Do We Charge an Initial Consultation Fee?

In short, yes. Our lawyers at Galo Law do charge a small consultation fee. This drastically reduces the number of consultations needed, as it allows us to dedicate a member of our team to your case right off the bat. With a dedicated attorney, we can move through your case at a much faster pace, helping to reduce the stress, time, and money.

A dedicated attorney not only speeds the process up but gives you a person to talk to about your case. They can explain the legal issues that are at hand and take the time to ensure you understand everything that is happening with your case, as we know more than most that the Austin, TX law system can be very difficult to navigate at times.

Contact Our Labor and Employment Law Attorneys Today

If you believe you have experienced workplace harassment, unlawful pay/overtime structure, or wrongful termination at your previous place of work, then seeking legal representation is the best option for you. It will help you know your rights and give you all the knowledge to decide on your next steps.

Galo Law Firm has been a reputable name when it comes to employment law since 1994. Our team works with clients in employment law cases on a daily and is ready to support you as well. You deserve to be treated equally and with respect whilst at work. If you haven’t experienced this, then we want to fight for you.

Contact Galo Law Firm today and arrange a consultation with an Austin employment lawyer at 210-361-8043.

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