A law that is aimed at preventing discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgendered employees and applicants was recently introduced and is being debated by lawmakers in Texas.
S.B. 237, which was introduced by Senator Leticia Van de Putte, would ban employment discrimination regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression, making it illegal to not hire people or segregate them in the workplace due to these qualities. It is currently pending in the senate. The bill would also allow victims of employment discrimination to file a complaint but not civil lawsuits.
Currently, only discrimination based on race, religion, disability, origin, and sex is prohibited in Texas.
Unfortunately, many people in Austin continue to be subjected to illegal discrimination in the workplace. If this has happened to you, contact the legal team at The Melton Law Firm, by calling (512) 330-0017. We may be able to help you take action against those who unfairly discriminated against you.
In a serious move to end certain types of workplace discrimination, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced on June 13 that he will co-sponsor the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.LGBT Pride Month
In an official statement, Reid said he will make sure to do everything possible to get the bill passed in the Senate as he believes that “no one should face discrimination in their workplace based on sexual orientation.” Reid became the 50th legislator to cosponsor the Employment Nnon-Discrimination Act.
President Obama also showed support for the bill in a reception honoring LGBT Pride Month.
If you or someone you know is being discriminated against in the workplace, our legal team at The Melton Law Firm, can defend your rights. Discuss your situation with us by calling (512) 330-0017 today.
After having his discrimination lawsuit dismissed by a lower court, Vic Gardner, a former employee with the Texas Attorney General’s Office, has filed an appeal, stating that upon discovering Gardner was gay at a Halloween party, his boss created a hostile work environment, resulting in Gardner’s eventual resignation.
His claim states that the discrimination started when Gardner was assumed as a gay by his supervisor after he dressed up as a geisha girl at a Halloween party in their office. Gardner was supposedly treated differently by his supervisor, who reportedly admitted to having a “religious objection” to Gardner’s sexual orientation, after the party and was habitually disciplined, causing him to resign in February 2013.
In his appeal, Gardner is seeking damages for lost income, medical bills, and emotional suffering.
Our legal team at The Melton Law Firm, understands that facing sexual discrimination in the workplace can cause personal and professional suffering. Learn how we may be able to help you hold your employer responsible by calling (512) 330-0017 to discuss your legal options.
A former professor in Dallas claims that she was wrongfully fired from her job after reporting sexual harassment against her superior.
Former Southern Methodist University professor Patricia Davis filed a complaint on April 9 alleging that she was terminated from her post after reporting her former superior Rick Halperin of acting inappropriately towards women in the university. She states that university administrators did not take her seriously and she was fired a day after she asked for an appeal. According to the termination letter, Davis made false accusations of sexual harassment and worked poorly with the program and other staff.
Davis also said in her suit that she was warned by Halperin to look for another job if ever she told anyone about his conduct.
Not only are employees protected from sexual harassment in the workplace, but they should also receive protection from being wrongfully terminated for reporting such misconduct. Thus, if you have been unfairly fired and/or subjected to harassment in the workplace, our lawyers at The Melton Law Firm, can fight for your rights. Call us at (512) 330-0017 to discuss your situation.
A former UT track coach has claimed that she was discriminated against because of her age and gender and is filing complaints against the university’s athletic department.
According to the documents filed with the Texas Workforce Commission and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, track Coach Bev Kearney resigned on January 5th after learning that she would be terminated for an inappropriate relationship with one of her athletes back in 2002. Kearney claimed she was verbally abused and was falsely accused of NCAA violations. Kearney also said she was not getting the same significant pay increases that the white male coaches were receiving.
Kearney would have ranked as the third highest paid track coach in the country if she had completed this school year, according to the Austin-American Statesman.
At The Melton Law Firm, our lawyers understand all too well how limiting and frustrating dealing with gender discrimination can be, either as a man or woman. As such, if you are enduring such a situation, call (512) 330-0017 to discuss your options for restitution.
A mobility aids retailer in New Braunfels has recently settled a disability discrimination suit after they fired a manager of a store in New York.
The New York-based manager filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) after he was fired by his company The Scooter Store upon requesting a leave of absence to mend his psoriatic arthritis. The manager allegedly stated in the complaint that the store violated the ADA. The EEOC helped the manager filed the suit after the company failed to resolve the dispute through commission’s conciliation process.
The Scooter Store has settled to pay the manager an amount of $99,000, which is a part of five-year consent decree to work with managers on avoiding discrimination.
Unfortunately, instances like this, in which employees are discriminated against by their employers happen with far too much regularity. Our lawyers at The Melton Law Firm, fight to protect those employees who have been discriminated against for their disability or other qualities. Call 512-330-0017 to discuss your regrettable situation with a professional who may be able to fight for you.
The federal government has launched an investigation against the Bastrop Independent School District for alleged racial discrimination after Bastrop Community Activist Steve Miller filed a complaint.
Miller says he is happy the Department of Education is investigating the school district, but isn’t exactly sure it will make up for all of the wrongs that have been done over the years.
“We have supervisors calling other employees, in the presence of other employees, using the “N” word,” said Miller.
Bastrop residents staged a peaceful protest in May 2011 after repeated incidents of racial discrimination against employees and students. This happened after the Bastrop middle school principal called out African-American students for poor exam scores.
Miller filed the complaint with the Texas NAACP in August 2011 before the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights got involved. The OCR has asked for human resource records in the district over the past two years related to hiring practices and other areas of interest.
If you have been a victim of racial discrimination, or any other form of discrimination, at your place of work, let the legal team at The Melton Law Firm, help you fight for justice. Call today at (512) 330-0017 to discuss your situation in more detail.
Carolyn Ruffin, a female machinist in Lufkin, Texas, filed lawsuit claiming she was unfairly terminated from her job after complaining she was sexually harassed.
Ruffin, 38, said in her lawsuit that she was terminated the day after she complained about the sexual harassment to the company vice president. Ruffin was an employee of Lufkin Industries as a machinist under the Power Transmission Division. The discrimination began when she started working with the Giddings and Lewis Boring machine. One example of the harassment that Ruffin states she endured was comments from a male coworker that women should not be working in a machine shop.
Lufkin Industries is facing charges of violating Title VII for sexual harassment, sex discrimination, and retaliation.
No one should have to endure sexual harassment in the workplace. However, when a person is subjected to such treatment, those responsible should be held accountable. Call our employment lawyers of The Melton Law Firm, today to discuss how we can help you seek retribution.
A recent lawsuit has been filed by a female truck driver and claims that she is the victim of gender discrimination in the workplace after she was allegedly fired for complaining about her supervisor.
The lawsuit states that the woman’s supervisor showed her pornographic videos while she and him were traveling in a semi-truck together from Utah to Texas. The two were on their way back to Texas from a training seminar in Utah when he showed her the video while they were pulled over on the side of the road.
The woman then notified headquarters of the company, Central Refrigerated Service Inc., about the incident. The woman was then left at the Texas rest stop and picked up by a female employee in order to be taken home.
When she arrived back to her office, she was told that she was fired. The lawsuit was filed on Oct. 24 in the Eastern District of Texas and claims that the company discriminated against her by creating a sexually hostile environment and then terminating her when she spoke up about it.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against a chain restaurant in Texas called Bayou City Wings for allegedly discriminating against pregnant employees.
The restaurant’s policy forced pregnant women to stop working within the first trimester of their pregnancy, even though this is illegal.
One woman, who worked as a server and manager for three years, was laid off when she became pregnant, even though she has a note from her doctor stating that she was cleared to work until at least her 36th week. According to the lawsuit, at least eight other women were also laid off due to this pregnancy policy. The affected women are currently seeking monetary compensation through this lawsuit.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of pregnancy discrimination, contact the Austin employment lawyers of The Melton Law Firm today by calling 512-330-0017.
