Overview
SDM’s labor and employment practice offers its clients a wide range of services to address the difficult issues facing employers and individuals in today’s mobile economy. We represent and advise clients on all facets of the employment relationship in a wide array of industries including retail, high technology, manufacturing, telemarketing, telecommunications, and the legal and medical professions.
Employment Relations
Employers today face a complex maze of state and federal regulations that govern the workplace. SDM provides advice and counseling to clients on how to comply with these regulations in ways that are cost-efficient and effective, that promote a productive and satisfied workforce, and that prevent liability. Examples of issues on which we routinely advise clients include harassment and discrimination claims, e-mail policies and procedures, FMLA issues, employee terminations, drug and alcohol testing, wage and hour issues, management and employee training, employee privacy, and workforce reductions.
Effectively handling and preventing the raiding of corporate employees and the theft of information is also a major concern for employers, particularly in the area of high technology and emerging growth companies. Against that concern must be balanced the right of employees to pursue a profession. Our attorneys are skilled in representing and advising clients on issues related to noncompetition, nonsolicitation and nondisclosure agreements. While our first priority is to assist clients in achieving a mutually satisfactory resolution of the employment relationship without litigation, such as through the use of severance agreements, we are prepared to obtain injunctive relief at the courthouse, if necessary, to protect the interests of our clients.
Employment Litigation
SDM labor and employment attorneys have extensive experience in litigating employment disputes in federal and state courts across Texas as well as in other states. In addition, we routinely handle matters for our clients before various administrative agencies such as the Department of Labor, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Texas Commission on Human Rights, and the Texas Workforce Commission. SDM attorneys have successfully defended and litigated to favorable verdicts and settlements disputes in all areas of employment law, including claims of:
- Sexual harassment
- Discrimination
- Family and Medical Leave Act violations
- Retaliation
- Disability claims
- Defamation
- Wage and Hour violations
- Breach of contract
- Wrongful discharge
- Emotional distress claims