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This is a very uncertain time for employers in Texas. One of the key issues employers are facing is how to pay employees who cannot work because they have the coronavirus, have to self-quarantine, have been ordered to shelter in place, or have children at home because school and daycare have been suspended. Guidance on these issues is coming forth daily.

A limited partnership is just another type of partnership. It is different from a general partnership because it has both general partners and limited partners. A limited partnership is also considered a distinct entity from its partners.

The safest course of action is to be prepared to comply. If you think that telling your employees now (if you already haven’t told them) about likely payroll changes on Dec. 1 will lead to a smoother transition, if an injunction or summary judgment finding the rules unlawful is not issued, go ahead and notify them.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has begun pursuing in earnest charges and lawsuits based on sex discrimination under Title VII for sexual orientation and transgender discrimination.

According to a January report from the large national employment law firm, Seyfarth-Shaw*, the value of class-based employment-related litigation and enforcement actions reached an all-time high in 2015.

The fight continues between employers and the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and state employment agencies over who can truly be classified as independent contractors. Misclassification can be tragic for employers. Don't let your business be one of the targets.

These anticipated changes are likely to have a significant impact on employers across all industries, particularly those employers with a lot of front­‐line managers and assistant managers classified as exempt and those employers that use the professional and administrative exemption for many of their entry­‐level positions.

The Supreme Court reasoned there is a distinction between these activities. That is, if employees must don or doff certain clothing or gear to perform their essential job functions adequately or safely, then the time spent doing that is compensable because it is integral to the principal job functions.

Employers frequently will use a Severance Agreement and Release when terminating an employee as a means to head off possible post-termination legal claims. Such agreements always have been subject to stringent requirements to be valid and enforceable.

The old adage often applies: don’t try to be a penny smart by not paying for minor amounts of time and end up a pound poor when the back wages, doubling for penalties under the FLSA, and possibly attorney’s fees are all added in. True, the really big dollar awards or settlements are against major employers, but the result can be just as devastating to a small business.