Pursuing Justice For Employees

Facing illegal mistreatment is something no worker should ever have to put up with. If you believe your employer isn’t respecting your rights, put an experienced advocate in your corner.

I am attorney Michael Kerensky, and I care deeply about helping employees in the Houston area. I harness my experience and my knowledge of Texas employment law to fight discrimination and other employer misconduct. Turn to me when you need help seeking justice in the workplace.

Experienced Legal Support For Workers

About 20 years ago, I became interested in representing clients who had been harassed or fired at work illegally. Since then, I have handled cases for employees involving:

• Sexual harassment
• Racial discrimination
• Age discrimination
• Gender discrimination
• Whistleblower claims
• Retaliation claims

I am here for you when you need experienced representation focused on pursuing the fair and just compensation you deserve.

What To Know About Employment Law Claims

If this area of law has brought you to this part of my website, here are a few things I have learned about this type of claim:

• The time period is short to file these claims. You should consult a lawyer as soon as possible if you think you have a claim against your employer.
• Don’t wait to get fired. If you think that your employer is building a case against you dishonestly and the real reason they are trying to get rid of you is discrimination on the basis of gender, race, religion or ethnicity, the sooner you get a lawyer involved the better.  There are things that can be done to fight back against the power play of your supervisor and sometimes save your job.
• Is your claim valid? Just because your employer made your life miserable by harassing you to the point where you had to quit, that does not mean you don’t have a claim. You may have been subjected to “constructive discharge” which the courts recognize as the same as a regular termination by the employer.
• Document….Document….Document. Print, save and protect emails, voicemails, texts or anything else that it relevant to your claim of harassment or discrimination. You may be fired soon and after that, you will lose access to valuable information to prove your case.
• Just because you were fired for a false reason, does not mean you have a claim. You only have a claim if the true reason you were fired was discriminatory. Discrimination is proven usually by showing one class of workers is getting better treatment than another.
• You don’t have to quit or be fired to make an employment claim. For example, you were passed over for promotion because of your age; or you are being harassed sexually by a co-worker or retaliated against because you reported him; or you realize the men in the office are getting paid more than the women for the same type of work; you can start a claim while you are still working for your employer. Admittedly, this is a hard row to hoe, but I have seen it done successfully.
• Sexual harassment is broader than the quid pro quo proposition from your boss, “have sex with me or else.” Sexual harassment can be retaliation after a consensual affair is broken off and your boss retaliates. Sexual harassment can include rude remarks, unwanted touching, dirty jokes, catcalls, etc. This is called a “hostile working environment” claim. The harassment has to be pervasive and intolerable. A stray remark here and there does not make a case.
• Racial discrimination cases seldom involve overt racism. You do not need a racial epithet or a noose hanging in your locker to win your case. Discrimination is usually proven by evidence that answers the question, “as compared to what?” Is there a difference between how minorities are being treated on advancement or pay raises or disciplinary actions vs Caucasians or vice versa when the decision maker is a minority.
• In age discrimination cases, you still hear the discriminatory remarks like, “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” or “he is too old school” or “getting a lot of snow up there on your peak John.” Employers are only recently becoming savvy about how to detect and prevent age discrimination and remarks like these are often a part of these cases.
• Retaliation happens. Retaliation cases involve employees who either report that they are victims of discriminatory decisions or illegal harassment or co-employees who speak up in support of a co-worker who is the victim of these illegal actions.
• In most employment cases, attorney’s fees are recoverable if you win a verdict against your employer.

As these points underscore, employment law claims can get very complex. I can guide you through every step, always looking out for your rights and best interests.

Get The Honest Answers You Need

Call 713-280-3274 or send a message for a free consultation regarding your case if you think you have been the victim of workplace discrimination or other misconduct. I am ready to answer your questions and help you understand your rights and options.