Justia Labor & Employment Law Opinion Summaries

M-I and NOV compete, providing solid-control equipment to the oil-and-gas industry, including mesh screens that filter solid matter from drilling fluid. In 2012, Russo became business development manager of M-I’s screen division and obtained in-depth knowledge of M-I’s bidding strategies, pricing, customer preferences, solid-control systems, and deployment strategies. In 2014, Russo left M-I to become NOV’s screen division global product line manager. M-I sent Russo a letter, asserting breach of a non-compete agreement he executed when he joined M-I . Russo sought a declaration that the agreement was unenforceable. M-I counterclaimed for breach of the agreement, breach of fiduciary duty, misappropriation of trade secrets, and tortious interference, and asserted third-party claims against NOV. At a hearing on M-I’s application for a temporary injunction, M-I sought to establish its trade secrets by Moore’s oral testimony, and requested that everyone, except counsel, experts, and Russo be excluded from the courtroom. The trial court denied M-I’s request. Concerned about disclosing Moore’s testimony, M-I obtained a recess to petition the court of appeals for a writ of mandamus. M-I submitted, in camera to the court of appeals, Moore's affidavit detailing her proposed testimony . Russo and NOV objected to the affidavit as an ex parte communication. The court of appeals denied their motion for access, along with M-I’s mandamus petition. The Texas Supreme Court conditionally granted mandamus relief. The trial court erred in concluding that the exclusion of NOV’s designated representative from portions of the hearing involving trade secrets would violate due process without balancing the competing interests and must, on remand, conduct that balancing. The court also abused its discretion when it ordered the Moore affidavit disclosed without reviewing it in camera. View "In re M-I, L.L.C." on Justia Law

Plaintiff began working for BNSF Railway Company’s predecessor-in-interest in 1974 and, approximately five years later, began to ride on locomotives as a breakman. While riding on the locomotives, Plaintiff alleged that he suffered long-term vibratory exposure resulting in an occupational injury. Plaintiff sued BNSF under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) and the Locomotive Inspection Act (LIA) to recover damages. After a jury trial, the trial court rendered judgment awarding Plaintiff $1.9 million in costs and damages. BNSF appealed, arguing that there was no evidence to support the jury’s finding that Plaintiff’s lawsuit was timely filed. The court of appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court reversed and rendered judgment that Plaintiff take nothing, holding that Plaintiff’s claim was time-barred. View "BNSF Railway Co. v. Phillips" on Justia Law

Michael McMillen, an attorney who served as Deputy Counsel for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG), prepared a memorandum concluding that the Commission’s practice of obtaining payments from certain recipients of Medicaid benefits lacked legal justification. McMillen submitted the memorandum to the Deputy Inspector General for the Commission and asserted that he made a noter report to the head of the OIG Internal Affairs Division and to the Commission’s Executive Commissioner. McMiller was later terminated. McMillen sued the Commission and its Executive Commissioner under the Whistleblower Act, alleging retaliatory discharge. Defendants filed a plea to the jurisdiction, arguing that McMillen’s allegations were not sufficient to invoke the Act and waive immunity. The trial court denied the plea. The court of appeals reversed, concluding that McMillen did not report to an appropriate law-enforcement authority under the Act. The Supreme Court reversed, holding that the reported-to persons in this case were an appropriate law-enforcement authority under the Act. Remanded. View "McMillen v. Tex. Health & Human Servs. Comm’n" on Justia Law

Plaintiff sued BNSF Railway Company, his employer, under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act and the Locomotive Inspection Act to recover damages for a latent occupational injury. After a jury trial, the trial court rendered judgment awarding Plaintiff $1.9 million in costs and damages. BNSF appealed, arguing that Plaintiff’s lawsuit was untimely. The court of appeals affirmed, concluding that because there was conflicting evidence in the record concerning when the injury occurred, the jury was entitled to weigh that evidence and reach its finding that Plaintiff’s lawsuit was timely filed. The Supreme Court reversed and rendered judgment that Plaintiff take nothing, holding that no evidence supported the jury’s finding that Plaintiff timely filed his lawsuit. View "BNSF Ry. Co. v. Phillips" on Justia Law

Plaintiff sued Defendant for breach of contract and for wrongfully discharging him in retaliation for filing a workers’ compensation claim in good faith. Plaintiff’s breach of contract claim related to Defendant’s failure to remit accrued vacation pay upon his termination. A jury found in Plaintiff’s favor. The trial court rendered judgment in favor of Plaintiff, awarding him past and future lost earnings, employee benefits, and other damages. Defendant appealed the portion of the judgment on the retaliation claim. The court of appeals affirmed. The Supreme Court reversed and rendered a take-nothing judgment in favor of Defendant on Plaintiff’s retaliation claim, holding that no evidence supported the jury’s verdict on that claim. View "Kingsaire, Inc. v. Melendez" on Justia Law