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DFW Employment Law
You don't have to tolerate harassment to keep your job.
A hostile work environment and quid-pro-quo demands are illegal under federal and Texas law — and recent changes to Texas law give employees stronger protection and more time to act than ever before.
Sexual harassment at work is illegal under Title VII and the Texas Labor Code. It takes two main forms: quid pro quo (job benefits conditioned on sexual conduct) and a hostile work environment (severe or pervasive unwelcome conduct). As of recent changes to Texas law, employers with as few as one employee can be liable, individual harassers can be held personally responsible, and employees have up to 300 days to file.
Two kinds of unlawful sexual harassment
Quid pro quo — when a supervisor conditions a raise, promotion, schedule, or continued employment on submitting to sexual advances.
Hostile work environment — when unwelcome conduct (comments, touching, messages, images, repeated advances) is severe or pervasive enough to alter the conditions of your job. It can come from supervisors, coworkers, or even customers.
Texas's stronger protections
Recent amendments to the Texas Labor Code expanded employee rights: the law now reaches employers with even a single employee, allows individual harassers and supervisors to be held personally liable, and gives employees 300 days (rather than 180) to file a sexual-harassment charge. Texas also requires employers to take immediate and appropriate corrective action.
What to do now
Document everything: dates, what was said or done, who witnessed it, and any reports you made. Follow your employer's reporting process if you safely can — but know that the law protects you from retaliation for reporting. Then talk to a lawyer about your options.
Do I have a case?
If any of this sounds familiar, let's talk.
- A supervisor tied your job, raise, or schedule to sexual conduct.
- You face repeated unwelcome comments, messages, images, or touching.
- You reported harassment and your employer did nothing — or punished you.
- The conduct is making it hard to do your job or feel safe at work.
- You're being pressured to stay quiet about what happened.
Common questions
Straight answers.
What qualifies as sexual harassment?
Unwelcome sexual conduct that either conditions job benefits on submission (quid pro quo) or is severe or pervasive enough to create a hostile work environment. It can include comments, messages, images, touching, or repeated advances from supervisors, coworkers, or customers.
How long do I have to file in Texas?
Recent changes give employees up to 300 days to file a sexual-harassment charge under Texas law, and federal claims generally follow a 300-day deadline as well. It's still best to act quickly while evidence is fresh.
Can I sue the harasser personally?
Under the updated Texas sexual-harassment law, individual harassers and supervisors can be held personally liable — not just the company. This is a meaningful expansion of employee rights.
What if I didn't report it right away?
You may still have a claim. Many people understandably hesitate to report harassment. We can talk through your specific situation and the best path forward.
Areas we serve
Representing employees across Dallas–Fort Worth.
Serving employees across the Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex. Charges for the DFW area are handled through the EEOC Dallas District Office and the Texas Workforce Commission.
Take the first step
The sooner you have counsel, the more options you have.
Reaching out today can change the outcome.