Texas

Understanding Texas employment laws: What workers need to know

Published

2 years ago

August 6, 2024

Understanding Texas employment laws: What workers need to know

Navigating employment law in Texas is complex, largely due to the state’s strict employment-at-will doctrine.

This policy, which grants employers the right to fire employees for any reason—or none whatsoever—poses particular challenges for workers.

Attorney Gregg Rosenberg, Board Certified in Labor and Employment Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, sheds light on some critical aspects of Texas labor laws.

“One common issue we deal with in Texas is the employment-at-will doctrine,” explains Rosenberg. “This doctrine often gets confused with the concept of Texas being a right-to-work state, though the two are entirely different. Employment-at-will means an employer can terminate an employee for good reason, bad reason, or no reason at all.”

Rosenberg emphasizes the vulnerability of employees in scenarios where job offers are revoked before they even begin working, especially when significant life changes, like selling a home or relocating, are involved.

“In such cases, the employee is generally left without a remedy because Texas law does not require employers to treat employees or prospective employees fairly unless there is an express agreement,” he notes.

The best way to protect yourself in these situations is to secure an agreement in writing with the prospective employer.

“If an employer is unwilling to provide such an agreement, it should be a red flag for the employee,” advises Rosenberg. “Prospective employees need to ensure that there is some form of written assurance that their job will not be retracted, especially if they are giving up something significant to take the new position.”

For those who find themselves in a position where they have relied on a job offer that is later rescinded, Rosenberg explains that legal recourse is often limited.

“Unfortunately, cases based on detrimental reliance or promissory estoppel are not generally winnable in Texas, because the law imposes an obligation on the prospective employee to be aware of the at-will employment situation they are entering,” he says.

Rosenberg’s advice to prospective employees is clear.

“It’s always worth asking for an agreement. If the answer is no, it provides insight into how the prospective employer values the employee. The key takeaway is to understand that most employment situations in Texas are at-will, and the best way to protect oneself is to get any job-related promises in writing,” he said.

Understanding these nuances of Texas labor laws is crucial for employees and prospective employees alike. By being informed and proactive, workers can better navigate the challenges and ensure their rights are protected.

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Texas

Opal Lee’s granddaughter advocates for “Grandmother of Juneteenth” to be included in Texas curriculum

Published

9 hours ago

April 8, 2026

Press Room

Opal Lee’s granddaughter advocates for “Grandmother of Juneteenth” to be included in Texas curriculum

The granddaughter of Dr. Opal Lee, famously known as the “Grandmother of Juneteenth” was in Austin Tuesday to advocate for the inclusion her grandmother in Texas’ Juneteenth curriculum.

Dr. Lee is nearly 100 years old and lives in Fort Worth. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024 and was by President Biden’s side when he made Juneteenth a federal holiday in 2021.

“I want to petition for her to be a required person to study Juneteenth,” said granddaughter Dione Sims. “People that have to do with freedom, liberty, and unity; she’s the embodiment of that. Helping to get Juneteenth as a national holiday, I think deserves to be mentioned.”

Sims testified in front of the State Board of Education Tuesday night. A final decision is expected in June.

Lee, born in 1926, played a crucial role in making Juneteenth a federal holiday. The North Texas icon walked two and a half miles every Juneteenth to symbolize the two and a half years it took for enslaved people in Texas to learn they were free, after the Emancipation Proclamation. In 2016, she walked from Fort Worth to Washington, D.C., to raise awareness.

She didn’t participate in the 2025 walk after being hospitalized.

Lee has also been honored with a Barbie doll that celebrates her advocacy as part of its Inspiring Women collection.

Sims previously discussed expanding Lee’s walk across all 50 states, preserving her grandmother’s legacy with a walk in one city in each state.

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Texas

North Texas Iranian Americans fear for families amid Trump’s threats against Iran

Published

21 hours ago

April 7, 2026

Press Room

North Texas Iranian Americans fear for families amid Trump’s threats against Iran

Tensions are rising between the United States and Iran, as a deadline from President Donald Trump fuels concerns about potential military action.

Just hours before President Trump’s deadline for Iran to accept a deal or face military consequences, Iranian Americans in North Texas feared for their relatives on the ground, saying the focus should stay on the people of Iran.

“We’re in a wartime, so everyone’s worried and following the news,” said Homeira Hesami, the chairwoman for the Iranian American Community of North Texas. “The internet’s still being down, you know, we don’t have a very secure way to communicate with our family and friends back home, so sometimes, you know, they may be able to call out, but it’s very patchy.”

Tuesday, Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran does not open the Strait of Hormuz, following similar threats he made on Easter Sunday. TCU Political Science Professor Ralph Carter offered this perspective on the potential loss of life.

“In the worst-case scenario, President Trump carries out massive attacks against civilian targets, killing thousands or even millions of people, then I think Congress has to act,” said Carter.

Carter added that targeting an entire civilization could amount to a war crime and raises serious questions about Mr. Trump’s legal authority. He said this also shakes up the U.S.’s relationships with its allies.

“I do think that Iran will survive, whatever happens,” Carter said. “I think the Iranian people will be united in a rally around the flag phenomenon to defend their homeland against an aggressor, and I think, again, this is one of those things where a weaker power outlasts a stronger power, because the stronger power gets tired of the price they have to pay to try to get a victory.”

Hesami believes change in Iran must come from the Iranian people, not through foreign intervention.

“War has proven that sometimes it is not the solution, and the solution is relying on the Iranian people and their organized resistance,” she said.

Less than two hours before his deadline for Iran to either cut a deal with the U.S. or face massive strikes on its power plants, Mr. Trump said he agreed to a “double sided CEASEFIRE” with Iran.

“I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” the president wrote on Truth Social.

He said the ceasefire, which he agreed to at Pakistan’s request, was “subject to the Islamic Republic of Iran agreeing to the COMPLETE, IMMEDIATE, and SAFE OPENING of the Strait of Hormuz.”