When some people begin a new job, they are often required to sign non-compete agreements. These agreements are essentially a contract between an employer and employee, which prevent the employee from working for another competing company for a certain period of  time. 

While non-compete agreements typically end after a few years, they can limit a person's future job prospects. For instance, if an employee leaves a company at an accounting firm and has previously signed a non-compete agreements with that accounting firm, then it may be difficult for the person to find a similar accounting job without breaking the non-compete agreements. 

If you or anyone you know is preparing to negotiate a non-compete agreement, contact the Houston employment lawyers of the Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042.

Most companies are required to have procedures for reporting abuse, fraud, or corruption. These procedures are typically known as whistleblower procedures.

These procedures usually serve a dual purpose. On the one hand, they provide a reliable means for the company to learn of fraud from its employees. This is useful because many cases of fraud can only be detected on the employee level. 

On the other hand, these procedures typically proivde a safe way for employees to report abuse. In many cases, employees do not report fraud because they believe that such a report might cost them their jobs. Whistleblower procedures often protect against firings for reporting an alleged fraud. 

If you or anyone you know has been fired because of reporting a fraud, contact the Houston employment attorneys of the Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042. 

While the workplace typically involves many people working together, people still have certain rights in terms of how they are treated. One common mistreatment is sexual harassment. 

While sexual harassment can be inflicted on both genders, it typically occurs against women. It includes any type of behavior in which one person in the workplace makes intentional and unwelcome sexual advannces, inappropriate sexual requests, and other offensive behavior of a sexual nature.

If you have been a victim of sexual harassment, contact the Houston sexual harassment lawyer of the Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042.

Many laws that protect employees may not apply to some small businesses. As stated in important employee protection laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, businesses that have fewer than a certain number of employees may not prosecuted for certain types of discrimination. 

For instance, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects employees of businesses with 15 or more employees against discrimination based on race, religion, color, or national origin. However, businesses with fewer than 15 employees may not face prosecution in most cases. 

Under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, employers with 20 or more employees may not discriminate on the basis of age. However, employers with fewer than 20 employees may not face this charge. 

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of employment discrimination, contact the Houston discrimination lawyers of the Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042. 

A few years ago many people approaching retirement were looking forward to never working again. However, that dream may not be the reality for some elderly because of the recent economic crisis. 

The economic recession basically destroyed the wealth in many people's retirement and pension plans. Because they no longer have this wealth, many of them are considering working past normal retirement ages. 

If this occurs, then two things will happen. One, the average age of the workforce will increase because many older people will stay in jobs, while many younger people will be crowded out of those jobs. And two, many older people will not be able to get a job because companies may prefer to hire younger employees. 

If the second case occurs, then the company may be guilty of age discrimination. While age discrimination is difficult to prove, people who do not get a job and believe they were not hired because of their age should contact an attorney. 

If you believe you were not hired for a job because of your age, contact the Houston age discrimination lawyers of the Ross Law Group at 713-482-6910.

The Pennsylvania attorney general filed a lawsuit earlier this week to sue Turbine Airfoil Designs over a health insurance premium dispute. According to the lawsuit, the aircraft parts manufacture allegedly stopped paying its employees' health insurance premiums for five months. 

The civil lawsuit was filed on behalf of 90 employees in a former Harrisburg plant. According to court documents, the attorney general is seeking awards to compensate the former employees and cover their related health care expenses. 

If you or anyone you know has not received proper health insurance coverage from your employer, contact the Houston employment attorneys of the Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042.

The Houston metropolitan area fell in the city rankings for construction jobs. According to an analysis prepared by the Associated General Contractors of America, the Houston area lost about 21,600 construction jobs, an 11 percent decline from the same time last year. 

The analysis used U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which reported that 121,000 construction jobs, including mining  and logging, were lost in the last year. The lost jobs put Houston at number 145 out of the 337 metro areas studied. 

If you have lost a job in the construction industry, you may have a right to workers' compensation. Contact the Houston employment lawyers of the Ross Law Group at 800-634-8042.