The Department of Labor (“DOL”) just issued its long-anticipated Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding overtime pay. The new rule proposes an increase to the existing salary threshold for employees to be eligible for overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

If you, or someone you know, was in active military service from 2003-2015 and suffered hearing loss of any amount and/or tinnitus, contact LKC trial attorney Bradley Leger immediately. We are working on these cases now. 3M knowingly sold defective earplugs to the military and veterans have suffered as a result. Our firm feels strongly about military veterans and their rights. You can contact LKC trial attorney Bradley Leger directly at bleger@lkclawfirm.com or 832-761-7201.

Mr. J. Patrick Cohoon with Leger Ketchum & Cohoon, PLLC has been elected to membership in the Fellows of the Texas Bar Foundation. Fellows of the Foundation are selected for their outstanding professional achievements and their demonstrated commitment to the improvement of the justice system throughout the state of Texas.

Attorney Bradley L. Leger, partner at the law firm of Leger Ketchum & Cohoon, PLLC, has filed a product liability lawsuit on behalf of his client, the Plaintiff, alleging that a number of severe and debilitating complications were caused by a defective hernia mesh, the Ethicon Prolene Mesh.

Leger Ketchum & Cohoon, PLLC trial attorney Bradley Leger filed a product liability wrongful death lawsuit against GM on behalf of a Texas family who lost their 66 year old mother when she was killed in a June 24, 2017 rollover crash.

Federal whistleblower laws, which extend to private sector employees, could be heading for a huge overhaul during the upcoming U.S. Supreme Court term.“Whistleblowers” and the anti-retaliation protections afforded them are hot topics in our political landscape, and Texas is no exception.

Pursuant to state and federal laws, new hires and re-hires have long since been reported to the Employer New Hire Reporting Operations Center in the Texas Office of the Attorney General. Previously, “employees” were defined by whether federal income taxes were withheld from their wages. As a result, employers had not been required to report the hiring (or re-hiring) of individuals properly classified as “independent contractors” under these mandates.

On June 23, 2017, President Trump signed the “Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017”. A full text can be found electronically at: https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-bill/1094/text. This legislation received broad bipartisan support in Congress, passing the House by a 368-55 margin and receiving a unanimous vote in the Senate. Politicians, concerned citizens, and veterans’ groups have lauded its passing, believing that such a measure is necessary to enact changes to the VA’s employee infrastructure and turn around the much-maligned agency.

Pursuant to state and federal laws, new hires and re-hires have long since been reported to the Employer New Hire Reporting Operations Center in the Texas Office of the Attorney General. Previously, “employees” were defined by whether federal income taxes were withheld from their wages. As a result, employers had not been required to report the hiring (or re-hiring) of individuals properly classified as “independent contractors” under these mandates. However, effective May 1, 2017, the Office of the Attorney General implemented new reporting rules that could impact many Texas employers. The definition of “employee”, for the purposes of this report, has significantly changed. As it pertains to new hire reporting, the definition of “employee” has been broadened to include those individuals hired as independent contractors. Accordingly, Texas employers must submit new hire reports on both traditional employees and independent contractors within 20 calendar days of their hiring.

The Federal Water Pollution Control Act (“Clean Water Act”) was passed in 1972. It was estimated that, at the time of its passage, over 60% of the nation’s waters had become unsafe for fishing or swimming. The stated goal of the Clean Water Act (“CWA”) was to reduce pollution and restore the biological, chemical and physical integrity of our nation’s waters. The law sought to achieve a zero discharge of pollutants into “navigable waters” by 1985 and fishable and swimmable waters by 1983. A noble goal indeed, and, while great strides have been made towards restoring our nation’s waters, we have not achieved the goals of the CWA. This short article is focused on the controversy surrounding the definition of “waters of the United States” in an attempt to explain the issue in an abbreviated, nontechnical manner.