Articles Posted in Employment

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Every Texas-based business must have an employee handbook, from startups hiring their first employee to established firms reviewing current policies. Enlisting the help of a seasoned Texas employment attorney is key in creating or revising an effective handbook that keeps companies in compliance and avoids litigation. The Structure Law Group offers extensive legal expertise, catering to technology companies and other innovative businesses in Texas.

What Is an Employee Handbook?

In brief, an employee handbook is a collection of policies and procedures that an employer gives employees. The specific contents of an employee handbook will vary from employer to employer. But the basic idea is that an employee should be able to review their employee handbook and understand what you, as the employer, expect from them in the performance of their jobs.

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It’s often said that employees are a company’s most valuable asset. Your Texas company likely has several key employees essential to running your operations. So management understandably wants to protect itself if one leaves for another job.

Historically, in Texas and elsewhere, companies have used non-compete agreements to temporarily restrict a key employee’s ability to compete directly against them. The law surrounding non-competes is quite complicated, so it is essential to seek qualified legal advice. The Texas employment attorneys at Structure Law Group can assist you in drafting, reviewing, and enforcing non-compete agreements to ensure that they meet all state law requirements.

Three Requirements in Texas

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AdobeStock_914410371-300x200Most Bay Area businesses aim to embrace diversity and inclusion as integral parts of their core values. However, these objectives are often not well-defined. For instance, a company might be committed to diverse hiring in terms of gender and ethnicity, but they may still face challenges in fostering inclusion. Additionally, many managers find it challenging to measure and communicate the precise benefits of diversity and inclusion to their superiors or board.

At Structure Law Group, we believe that diversity and inclusion are not just marketing buzzwords. Rather, they are goals that many businesses must meet for professional and legal reasons. The Silicon Valley employment attorneys at Structure Law Group can advise you on this and other issues related to the recruitment and management of employees.

How Diversity Can Drive Your Business to Greater Success

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2025 brought several new employment laws in Oregon that significantly impact workplace policies and operations. These changes address a range of topics, from wage requirements to worker classification and family leave. Below is a summary of the most important updates that Oregon employers should be aware of, ranked from most to least significant.

1. Paid Family and Medical Leave Expansion

Effective January 1, 2025, Oregon’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance (PFMLI) Program has gone significant updates. These include increases in the maximum weekly benefit for employees and broader eligibility for part-time and seasonal workers. Strengthened anti-retaliation protections were introduced, ensuring that employees returning from leave are protected, and that job reinstatement rights are clearer.

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AdobeStock_1099092318-300x132California’s 2024 legislative session concluded with Governor Gavin Newsom approving several critical bills that will impact workplace policies starting January 1, 2025. These new laws cover a broad spectrum of areas, including anti-discrimination protections, paid family leave, freelance worker rights, and more. Employers need to review and update their policies, handbooks, and training programs to ensure compliance. Below are some of the most notable updates for 2025.

1. Minimum Wage Increase for 2025

Starting January 1, 2025, California’s statewide minimum wage will increase to $16.50 per hour for all employers, regardless of size. This increase is part of the state’s ongoing effort to keep up with the cost of living and ensure fair wages for workers.

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AdobeStock_164449269-300x2001. Some corporations undertake extreme Corporate Social Responsibility (“CSR”) initiatives, such as pledging to donate a significant portion of their profits to social causes or implementing radical environmental sustainability measures. While these practices can enhance a business’s  reputation, they are not always without legal and financial risks.

Legal Implications:

  • Fiduciary Duty: Companies must balance their CSR goals with their fiduciary duties to shareholders. Excessive spending on CSR initiatives could lead to legal challenges if shareholders believe it adversely affects their returns.
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AdobeStock_439037030-300x215Businesses of any size can benefit from the services of an experienced San Jose employment attorney. The employment lawyers at Structure Law Group represent companies ranging from one-member LLCs to Fortune 500 firms employing thousands of workers. Here are just a few examples of what our employment attorneys can do for you and your business.

Making Sure You Have Effective Employment Practices

The moment that your company employs its first worker, whether it is a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor, you incur a number of legal obligations and responsibilities. These relationships require effective management both from a personal and a legal perspective. A qualified employment attorney can help you with the latter in a number of ways, including but not limited to:

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AdobeStock_277580884-300x200No matter what size Texas business you run, social media has become critical for brand visibility, customer engagement, and market insight. Compared to traditional advertising channels, social media is a cost-effective marketing tool that builds brand loyalty, targets specific audiences, and provides a platform for direct customer interaction, which drives sales and growth.

Social media is essential for staying competitive in today’s digital landscape, and companies need a social strategy. This includes figuring out how your business should use social media to promote its goods and services. It also means establishing the right social media policy for your employees.

Many Texas employers are uncertain of their rights when regulating employees’ social media use. Indeed, there are a number of potential traps that an uninformed employer may fall into when attempting to come up with a consistent set of rules. A qualified Structure Law Group Texas employment attorney can assist you in drafting, reviewing, and revising a social media policy that can work for both management and your employees.

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Artificial intelligence (“AI”) is rapidly transforming the workplace, with significant implications for hiring and employment practices. While AI can offer potential benefits such as efficient and streamlined operations, boosted workforce productivity, improved decision-making, and enhanced employee experience, it can also introduce significant legal challenges. This article examines some of the key legal considerations that businesses operating in Texas should address as they navigate the evolving AI landscape for hiring and employment practices. By understanding these challenges and implementing proactive strategies, Texas-based businesses can harness the power of AI while mitigating legal risks and ensuring fair employment practices.

The Growing Use of AI in Employment

Employers are increasingly utilizing AI-powered platforms in recruitment to identify potential candidates. Algorithms are used to assess candidate profiles, sometimes making initial decisions about their suitability for a role. Automated interviews conducted entirely or partially by AI are becoming more common, employing natural language processing and facial recognition to analyze candidate responses. Beyond hiring, AI tools are also being used in performance evaluations, helping to assess employee strengths, weaknesses, and potential areas for development.

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AdobeStock_505784791_Editorial_Use_Only-300x200Although platforms like Slack and Teams have become indispensable tools for modern collaboration, their widespread adoption raises crucial legal and compliance challenges for organizations. These platforms store a vast amount of user data, including messages, files and even employee metadata. They are subject to stringent data privacy regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). The GDPR has stricter regulations for EU citizen data privacy, demands explicit opt-in consent and grants extensive data subject rights like access and erasure. On the other hand, the CCPA, which is focused more on California residents, prioritizes data transparency and consumer control through access, deletion and opt-out mechanisms for data sales. Yet/overall, both regulations emphasize the importance of user empowerment regarding their data, requiring organizations to implement robust data protection measures and obtain informed consent for data storage and usage.

While conversation platforms offer significant collaboration benefits, their use necessitates navigating data privacy and compliance complexities. As such, organizations must prioritize user rights by:

  • Informed User Consent: Organizations must obtain explicit user agreement for data storage and usage. This involves clearly outlining the types of personal data collected, the purpose of collection, and how the data will be used in accordance with data privacy regulations.
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