What is Employment Law in Texas?
Map courtesy of Geology.com except where noted.
Texas has a population of over 25 million people and is the second largest state by population and geographic size. Large industries like agriculture drive the state's economy. The Texas region was previously under Spanish colonial rule; at one point its official name was "Nuevo Reino de Filipinas: La Provincia de Texas".
A popular saying is "Everything is bigger in Texas". This is true even of the state's judicial court system, which is one of the most complicated in the entire U.S. This is because at each level, courts may be subdivided into separate civil and criminal branches. For example, most states only have a Supreme Court at the highest level; however, Texas has two courts of last resort, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and the Texas Supreme Court for civil cases.
The state of Texas maintains a special branch of law enforcement called the Texas Ranger Division. The Texas Rangers are commonly cited in popular media and have played a major role in many famous Texas criminal cases. A famous Texas civil case is Van Orden v. Perry (2005), which involved a Constitutional challenge of "religious symbols" located in front of the capitol building in Austin.
At times it may be necessary to hire a lawyer in Texas in order to navigate the multi-layered judicial system. Texas lawyers are skilled at processing claims in the different types of state courts. Working with a lawyer can help ensure that your legal needs are properly met.
Find a Employment Attorneys and Law Firms in the Largest TX Cities
At-Will and Contract Employment
Most job relationships in Texas are on the basis of "at will" employment, but in other cases there may be an employment contract with a set term. "At will" employment implies that either the employee or the employer may end the relationship at any point, so long as the reason for the termination is not illegal. If the employer and employee are working according to an employment contract, Texas employment law will govern the various clauses contained in the contract.
The Law of Discrimination in Texas
According to Texas law, employees may not discriminate against their employees regarding any phase of the employment, including hiring policies, workplace procedures, and termination. Texas's laws describe certain classes of people, which employers may not discriminate against. These categories can include gender, age, race, religion, disability, and national origin. The determination of what type of behavior is discrimination is generally a matter of some dispute, and many Texas attorneys specialize in workplace discrimination.
