Even among the best-managed companies, the employer-employee relationship has the potential for misunderstandings that can quickly unravel into costly litigation that negatively impacts a business, mission, and work environment. Whether it’s a routine hire gone awry, a wage and hour dispute, a health care reform issue, confusion about an employment law, or enforcement of a non-disclosure agreement, CMW is here to answer your questions and address your concerns.
With complex employment laws and regulations being created and interpreted, we stay on top of the compliance challenges, litigation risks, market trends and technological advances that are a part of the evolving workplace. Taking into consideration the specific demands of your company’s industry, goals, and values, CMW works proactively to help you support a culture that reduces legal exposure, complies with the latest laws and regulations, and avoids specific situations that can give rise to claims.
Our services include:
- Counselling on the legal implications of routine employment decisions involving hiring, disciplining, evaluating and providing accommodations and leaves of absence, enforcing employment policies, reductions in force, and terminations
- Drafting customized employment policies and handbooks and employment agreements addressing complex non-solicitation, non-disclosure, and non-compete provisions
- Investigating complaints by whistleblowers or complaints of harassment or discrimination
- Auditing employment practices, including employment policies and handbooks, payroll practices, I-9s, and document retention
- Training managers and employees on best workplace practices
Should you ever face an employment-related claim, we provide a thorough and early case assessment that evaluates and balances any risks with the claim and your needs. Although many clients prefer cost-effective solutions, if litigation is unavoidable, we are prepared to work efficiently and relentlessly on behalf of our clients.
Our seasoned lawyers consult and regularly handle cases in all major areas of federal and state employment litigation, informally, in courts and before commissions throughout the state of Texas, including:
- Employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation – We defend employers against claims that employees have been subjected to discrimination, harassment, a hostile work environment, retaliation, wrongful termination, or other adverse employment actions under any of the state or federal statutes.
- Family and medical leave – We defend employers that have been accused of violating The Family and Medical Leave Act, which requires certain employers to provide eligible employees with specific amounts of unpaid leave time.
- Wage and hour issues – We defend employers against allegations of wage and hour violations, including class and collective actions, for unpaid overtime, employee misclassification, improper deductions, working off the clock, and other violations. We also provide risk management advice and recommendations for preventive measures, which are informed by our extensive litigation experience in this area.
- Non-disclosure or non-compete – We assist in drafting agreements to protect trade secrets and are prepared to litigate those issues if necessary. Our firm is increasingly called on to consult with employers on these issues, based on our considerable litigation experience to bear on the implementation of preventative measures, such as injunctive relief, which we have obtained successfully on numerous occasions.
- Tort claims – We defend companies against common law tort-based claims, including defamation, invasion of privacy, and assault.
