Employment Law

Winning an Unemployment Claim

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Our latest unemployment rate in the Gulf Coast is 8.2% or about 234,000 people, with many receiving unemployment benefits. To replenish the Unemployment Compensation Fund and pay those unemployment checks, the Texas Workforce Commission increased the employer tax rates. So, in addition to the bad economy that caused you to lay off and struggle to stay in business, you’ve got the burden of higher unemployment taxes. You’re liable for charges on employees you lay off, but don’t pay for those employees you deservedly fire. Continue reading “Winning an Unemployment Claim”

Down to the Bone

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Business is slow, profits are lean, and drastic measures seem necessary to keep going. Many businesses have laid off employees and are now operating down to the bone. Cutting hours or pay of essential staff may be necessary to survive? How do you pick? Ask the Magic 8 Ball or draw straws? Continue reading “Down to the Bone”

$7.25 an Hour a Done Deal

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As of July 24, 2009, the federal minimum wage increased to $7.25 an hour. Since Texas follows the federal rate, we now pay a minimum wage of $7.25 an hour also. The Texas Minimum Wage Act requires that you, the employer, provide all your employees with a written earnings statement containing information about their pay. The information on the statement allows employees to determine whether they have been paid correctly for that pay period. Continue reading “$7.25 an Hour a Done Deal”

Don’t Let A Barrier Be Your Barrier

How to market yourself when you have challenges in your work and personal history.

Tell me, is this you? Are you having a hard time finding a job because you have a criminal charge in your history? Do you find it hard to look for a job because you have three children that are not yet in school? Have you worked for a number of employers in the past couple of years and can’t seem to shake the job hopping? Continue reading “Don’t Let A Barrier Be Your Barrier”