Dallas Senior Trial Attorney Deontae Wherry

Every Fourth of July, we celebrate the words that launched a nation: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” Fireworks light the sky, families gather, and we honor the idea that no person is born above another. But behind the barbecues and parades lies a promise that Americans are still working to keep. The declaration that all people are created equal was not a description of the world as it was in 1776. It was a goal, a challenge handed down to every generation that followed. Nowhere is that challenge more alive than in the American workplace.

This year marks a milestone: 250 years since the Declaration of Independence. As we celebrate this 250th anniversary, we are reminded that the fight the Founders began is not finished. The words on that parchment set a standard we are still reaching for, and every generation, including ours, is called to carry it forward.

The post Independence Day: The Unfinished Fight for Equality appeared first on Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog.

Dallas Employment Trial Lawyer Harjeen Zibari

I often hear people say things like, “My [insert relation] sued for this, and they won.” As a lawyer, my ears perk up because I think this means that I have some good case law to look at, or a different kind fact pattern to be on the look at for when selecting cases. However, I soon learned that when people say this to me, they’re usually referring to settlements. And I’m glad that the person was so happy with the outcome that they describe it as a win. But, I’m a lawyer and I’m going to be persnickety: a settlement is different than a verdict, although both bring closure, they’re very different. I’m not even saying one is better than the other. But, it’s an important distinction to make, especially when it comes to confidentiality concerns and how the resolution can be discussed with others.

This blog discusses the difference between a settlement and a verdict.

The post Did Your Neighbor Really Sue and Win? The Difference Between a Verdict and a Settlement appeared first on Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog.

Rachel Bethel Dallas
Trial Attorney

Most people understand that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADAAA) protects employees with physical or mental disabilities. But many workers do not realize that the ADAAA also protects workers who are simply perceived as having a disability, even if they have no actual impairment at all. This is called the “regarded as” prong of disability coverage.

The ADAAA defines “disability” in three distinct ways. A worker is protected if they:

The post Are You “Regarded as Disabled” in Your Workplace? appeared first on Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog.

Dallas Employment Trial Lawyer Cassidy Monska

You worked up the courage to report sexual harassment at work. Maybe it took weeks, maybe longer. You filed the complaint, cooperated with HR’s investigation, and then waited.

Then came the result you didn’t expect: your employer concluded that no harassment had occurred. And shortly after that came something even worse. You were fired, demoted, or suddenly found yourself on a performance improvement plan for the first time in your career.

The post “They Said It Wasn’t Harassment” – Why Your Employer Still Can’t Fire You for Reporting It appeared first on Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog.

Dallas Senior Trial Attorney Deontae Wherry

Juneteenth started right here in Texas. On June 19, 1865, Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with General Order No. 3 and finally announced freedom for the enslaved people of Texas, more than two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Texas was the first state to recognize Juneteenth as an official holiday in 1980, and Congress made it a federal holiday in 2021.

Is Juneteenth a Paid Holiday for You?

The post Juneteenth and Your Rights at Work in Texas appeared first on Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog.

Dallas Employment Trial Lawyer Riley Carter

When an employer crosses the line from negligent to malicious, punitive damages are one of the most powerful tools an employee has. But the statute you sue under can mean the difference between a $50,000 ceiling and an unlimited verdict. Here’s a quick guide to how punitive damages work in Texas employment cases under federal and state law.

Federal Law: Title VII vs. § 1981

The post Title: Punitive Damages in Texas Employment Cases: Why the Statute You Sue Under Matters appeared first on Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog.

Dallas Senior Trial Attorney Deontae Wherry

The Supreme Court has once again reshaped the landscape of Civil Rights in America, and the implications could reach far beyond the ballot box. In a decision that effectively guts a key pillar of the Voting Rights Act, the Court has signaled that states are now free to dilute the voting power of racial minorities through gerrymandering so long as they call it “partisanship” instead of “racial bias.”

It is one more example of a Court’s intent on stepping back from its role in protecting minority groups from majority overreach. The maps will still be drawn to silence minorities. The harm will still fall on the same communities. The only difference is the label on the package.

The post Discrimination Rebranded: What the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Decision Means for Texas Employees appeared first on Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog.

Dallas Employment Trial Lawyer Harjeen Zibari

The legal system is complicated. There are many terms and lots of jargon that gets thrown around, and it can be overwhelming to parse through it all. There are three avenues that come up a bit in civil litigation, particularly in employment law. This blog will explain what litigation, arbitration, and mediation mean, how they’re different, and how they interact.

Litigation:

The post Litigation, Arbitration, Mediation: Oh My! What Does it All Mean? appeared first on Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog.

Rachel Bethel Dallas
Trial Attorney

Imagine that you’re at work. You learn that you’re being denied an accommodation. The sexual harassment won’t stop after your report. A paycheck isn’t adding up. It might be tempting to type the whole story into an AI site and ask, “Do I have a case?” It’s fast, it’s free, and the answer sounds right. After all, it’s written in legalese! What could go wrong?

Quite a bit actually. AI tools can be useful for plenty of things, but advice on your employment is not one of them.

The post AI & Your Employment Dispute appeared first on Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog.

Dallas Senior Trial Attorney Deontae Wherry

When Jane walked out of her office in Plano for the last time, she felt both relieved and uneasy. For nearly a year, she had documented what she believed was discrimination at work. She filed a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), saved emails, kept notes, and waited.

Weeks passed. Then months.

The post Before You Ask for a Right to Sue: A Texas Employee’s Story appeared first on Dallas Employment Lawyer Blog.