Houston Wrongful Termination Attorney

Have You Been Wrongfully Dismissed? Call (713) 352-3433 Today!

Our wrongful termination lawyers in Houston understand that your career is a significant part of your life and that the income you earn supports the lifestyle that you and your family enjoy. If your employer fires you for reasons that violate federal and state labor laws, you need to stand up for yourself, your career, and your wellbeing. With a Houston wrongful termination attorney from Shellist Lazarz Slobin by your side, you can take legal action against your employer.

We represent employees, independent contractors, and executives in high-stakes employment law disputes, including Presidents, CEOs, and other members of the C-Suite in businesses throughout Greater Houston. No matter what role you held, you have the right to employment with protections against wrongful dismissal. As a team of trial attorneys with extensive legal experience, we are not afraid to take your case to court, if need be.

When you choose our Houston wrongful termination lawyers to represent you, we can:

• Obtain and file important documentation and paperwork needed for your case.
• Investigate the circumstances of your firing to obtain crucial evidence.
• Respond to inquiries or challenges from your employer.
• Negotiate settlement offers on your behalf.

Contact Shellist Lazarz Slobin at (713) 352-3433 for a consultation with a wrongful termination attorney in Houston. Se habla español.

Understanding Wrongful Termination in Texas

Texas, like so many other states, is an at-will employment state. In a brief summary, an “at-will employment state” allows the termination of employees for essentially any reason, including no reason given, at any time. On the other hand, employees of an at-will employment state can quit at any time without needing to provide a specific reason for doing so. However, there are significant exemptions and protections from federal employment laws. If a worker in an at-will employment state is terminated or dismissed for a reason listed as an exemption, it is a wrongful termination.

Key Sources of Wrongful Termination

• Discrimination: Workers in all states are protected by a set of federal rules that establish specific classes that cannot be considered in relation to employment, hiring, and termination. For example, religion, race, age, and gender are commonly cited as federally protected classes. Some states even have expanded lists with more protections.
• Harassment: Your legal protections also extend to incidents of harassment. If you have been dismissed due to being harassed, based on a federally protected class or otherwise, then you likely have a wrongful termination case on your hands. You can also seek compensation and justice if you were pressured to voluntarily quit due to continual harassment that went unaddressed by your employer or supervisor.
• Retaliation: Workers in all industries have the right to report illegal behavior or employment violations conducted by their employers and supervisors. Any sort of negative action — including removal from positive benefits — taken against a worker who does report such behaviors is retaliation. When retaliation leads to or includes dismissal, it constitutes wrongful termination. A common example of retaliation-based termination is when an employee complains of wage and hour issues like unpaid overtime and is suspiciously laid off later.
• Contract Violation: Some workers are bound by an employment contract that disallows termination unless specific circumstances are met. Employers have a heightened duty to show valid reasoning for dismissing a worker with an employment contract, or they may breach the contract and open themselves up to a wrongful termination lawsuit.