At the beginning of the recession, Texas jobs appeared relatively safe compared to the rest of the country. However, recent figures in the oil and gas industry indicate that more Texas jobs are being cut on the backend of the recession.

According to the Texas Petro Index, the state's oil and gas sectors have shed more than 32,000 jobs in the first seven months of 2009. Based on these figures and other forecasts, some economists project that the Texas oil and gas sectors will likely get rid of thousands of more jobs before the end of the year.  

The 2009 losses represent one in ten employees in the Texas oil and gas industry. If you believe you have wrongfully lost your job in the oil and gas sectors, contact the Houston employment lawyers of the Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042. 

A Texas woman discovered last month that a different woman was using her identity to work at Quality Pork Processors. The woman from Plainview made the discovery when she received a letter from the IRS indicating $4,172 in taxes for the an unrecognized income.

The allleged identity thief, Eleazar Cruz-Chavez, and her husband, Gumaro Serrano-Vazquez were both charged. Eleazar received two counts of aggravated felony, while her husband received one count.

Both appeared in court and were indicted Monday. They will likely return to trial later this month if no settlement is reached.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of a work-related identity theft, contact the Houston employment attorneys of the Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042.  

As a hopeful sign that the economy is recovering, Texas employers added 37,900 payroll jobs in July. The July employment boost was the state's first gain since last October.  

Despite the gain, the state unemployment rate incrased from 7.5 percent to 7.9 percent, which compares the U.S. rate of 9.4 percent. The largest gains came in education, construction, and financial services. 

If you belive you have been fired unjustly, contact the Houston wrongful termination lawyers of the Ross Law Firm, P.C., at 800-634-8042.

Stanford financial adviser Leyla Wydler of Houston received a standing ovation from hundreds of Stanford investors after testifying against her bosses, as part of an $8 billion fraud case against Stanford and other investors. 

Wydler approached her bosses last year with worries about the safety of CDs the company was selling to clients. When Wydler persisted, she was fired from her job. After the firing she took her case to various securities regulators, including the SEC. 

She testified Monday in a Baton Rouge court, where losses by Louisiana investors are estimated at about $1 billion.

If you or anyone you know has been wronfully terminated for whistleblowing, contact the Houston employment attorneys of the Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042. 

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) provides financial protection for people with injuries than prevent them from serving an employment function. SSDI gives these people a range of assistance, including additional income, supplemental medical care, and support services. 

Obtaining SSDI, however, can be very difficult. According to some studies, about 60% of people who apply are denied. 

For those who are denied, other options often exist. These options include Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Disabled Widows and Widowers Benefits (DWB) and Disabled Adult Child Benefits (DAC).

If you or anyone you know is considering obtaining any of these types of government assistance, contact the Houston employment lawyers of the Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042.

Economic figures indicated that the U.S. economy lost only 247,000 jobs in July. That number marked the smallest losses in almost a year. 

For the first time since April 2008, the unemployment rate dropped, falling from 9.5 percent to 9.4 percent. The relatively positive unemployment news spurned all the leading consumer stocks to rise Friday.

Despite the slow down in unemployment, leading economists believe it will take years to replace the 6.7 million jobs lost during the recession. 

If you believe that you have been wrongfully terminated, contact the Houston employment lawyers of the Ross Law Firm, P.C., at 800-634-8042.

A Houston-based doughnut company was the latest victim in the federal government's crackdown on illegal immigration. Shipley Do-Nut Flour and Supply Company, Inc., was ordered Friday to pay a fine of $250,000, forfeit $1.334 million to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and put under court supervision for three years. 

The company pleaded guilty and settled the case with U.S. Attorney Tim Johnson last year, but the sentence was handed down in federal court August 7.

The company is headquartered in Houston, and supplies baking materials and support to stores in Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.

If you have information about illegal immigration at other companies, contact the Houston whistleblower lawyers of 800-634-8042.