San Antonio Lawyers for Sabine Pilot Cases
In Texas, a direct order from your employer will not excuse you from responsibility for breaking the law. However, you are protected from employer retaliation for refusal to commit an illegal act. This protection exists under a Texas law known as Sabine Pilot, and it applies to all private employees in our state.
At Kocurek & Krudop, P.C., in San Antonio, Texas, our lawyers provide aggressive advocacy and representation to employees who are treated unfairly by their employers. If you have suffered wrongfully fired for refusal to commit an illegal act, we offer a free initial consultation to discuss your case.
If you report illegal activity by a co-worker or employer: In Texas, you are only protected from retaliation for refusal to commit an illegal act. Unless you are a government employee, you can be fired if you report illegal activity by someone else.
Examples of Illegal Activities
Here are some examples of illegal acts that Texas employers have asked their employees to commit in the past:
- A bar ordering a bartender to serve minors
- A bar ordering a bouncer to admit minors
- A bug spray company telling employees to spray in the rain (even if the law prohibits it because of water runoff)
- A trucking company encouraging a driver to violate motor carrier regulations by driving more miles than are allowed without a rest break or asking the driver to falsify logbook entries
- An employer ordering an employee to violate environmental or safety laws
- A used car dealer telling a mechanic to roll back the odometer of a car
The first Sabine Pilot cases involved an employer who asked an employee to discharge a ship's bilge water into environmentally protected waters. The employee refused and was subsequently fired by his employer. The Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of the employee, saying that firing an employee for refusal to commit an illegal act was an exception to our state's employment at-will doctrine.
Contact Our Attorneys
To schedule a confidential consultation with a lawyer at our firm, call us locally at 210-767-2472, toll free at 888-694-8507 or fill out our contact form online. Our office is located in San Antonio, Texas.
