Prepare for Significant Changes in Employment Law

Jackie Ford, a partner in the firm’s Houston office and a member of the labor and employment group, authored an article for the April 2016 edition of Texas Lawyer titled “Prepare for Significant Changes in Employment Law.”  The article highlighted a number of key changes that employers may face in the coming months around employee compensation, supervisor classifications and the use of independent contractors.

The article states:

“Businesses should be preparing now for significant—and, in some cases, expensive—adjustments to compensation and employment practices.

While neither the Texas nor the federal minimum wage (both currently $7.25 per hour) are changing any time soon, 30 states and the District of Columbia have instituted higher minimum wage rates, and 16 of those states increased their minimum wages again effective Jan. 1, 2016. Many cities and counties have also imposed their own higher minimum ages, some as high as $15 per hour. Amid this growing legislative focus on wages, the U.S. Department of Labor is poised to impose changes that will increase the number of employees eligible to receive overtime and boost the pay of millions.

Employees are generally exempt from federal overtime requirements if they perform certain types of ‘white collar’ job duties and are paid at or above a specified salary.”

To read the entire article, visit the Texas Lawyer website. (Subscription may be required).