Jacob M Monty

About Jacob's Practice

Jacob M. Monty is the founding and managing partner of Monty & Ramirez LLP and is Board Certified in Labor and Employment by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. His distinguished career involves the representation of employers in litigation matters in Texas and California and his expertise in handling labor issues in Hispanic workforces. He represents employers in federal and state courts in civil cases and in investigations and audits conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Homeland Security-Citizenship and Immigration Service (DHS-CIS), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). In these cases, Jacob specializes in employee allegations of wage and hour violations, invasion of privacy, wrongful discharge and discrimination based on age, race, sex, national origin, disability, and other protected classes, as well as traditional labor matters including collective bargaining agreements and executive employment contracts. Jacob also advises clients on all aspects of immigration compliance by providing counsel on Form I-9 issues, the use of E-verify, identity theft indicators, and changes in the law regarding federal and state identification documentation. Jacob’s broad industry experience extends to clients in the restaurant, manufacturing, health, retail, food and entertainment industries, private and public education systems, and government entities. Jacob also offers a comprehensive selection of manager training courses.

Work Accomplishments

• Represented a Mexico City grocery store chain during a two-year corporate campaign by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, and successfully kept the company union-free
• Represented companies in two of the three largest ICE raids in U.S. history
• Designed policies and procedures that helped high-profile companies maintain union-free status, despite aggressive organizing by unions in California, Texas and Illinois

Certifications

• Board Certified — Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization

Languages

• English
• Spanish

Education

• University of Houston, J.D., 1993
• University of Arlington, B.A., 1991

Major Publications & Speaking Engagements

• Editor, Texas Employment Law Letter
• Author, "Kindness is free--and frugal: preventing harassment at work," Texas Employment Law Letter, November 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, November 16, 2021
• Author, "Self-improvement to cult initiation: how not to lead a training session," Texas Employment Law Letter, June 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, June 24, 2021
• Interviewed, "Hispanic Recruiting Trends," HR Works Podcast, June 15, 2021
• Author, "Netflix's 'Keeper Test' shows how to be proactive with terminations," Texas Employment Law Letter, April 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, March 17, 2021
• Quoted, "Employers Expected to Resume Diversity Training Plans as EO Fizzles," HR Daily Advisor, January 12, 2021
• Author, "How to address fertility issues in workplace," Texas Employment Law Letter, October 2020, and HR Daily Advisor, October 20, 2020
• Quoted, "Supreme Court Ruling Called Win for DACA Recipients and Employers," HR Daily Advisor, June 18, 2020
• Interviewed, "COVID-19 Update on Immigration Freeze Part 2," HR Works Podcast, May 8, 2020
• Interviewed, "COVID-19 Update on Immigration Freeze Part 1," HR Works Podcast, May 1, 2020
• Author, "Immigration policy tips: Don't ask, don't probe unless . . .," Texas Employment Law Letter, August 2019, and Diversity Insight, October 17, 2019
• Author, "No-match letters making a comeback," Texas Employment Law Letter, January 2019, and Diversity Insight, August 14, 2019
• Author, "Beware of phishing attacks--even law firms can be hoodwinked," Texas Employment Law Letter, June 2019, and HR Daily Advisor, August 1, 2019
• Author, "Texas employers, get ready for spike in biometric privacy lawsuits," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2019, and HR Daily Advisor, June 27, 2019
• Author, "Dreamers' nightmare leaves them stuck on the ground," Texas Employment Law Letter, June 2019, and Diversity Insight, May 16, 2019
• Author, "E-Verify: what employers should know before enrolling," Texas Employment Law Letter, January 2019, and HR Daily Advisor, February 1, 2019
• Author, "Privacy on social media? Texas hospital says no after anti-vax nurse leaks measles diagnosis," Texas Employment Law Letter, November 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, October 18, 2018
• Quoted, "Immigration, Travel Ban Debates Put Focus on National Origin Discrimination," Diversity Insight, July 12, 2018
• Author, "Civil rights law opens door for DACA recipients to file alienage discrimination claims," Texas Employment Law Letter, June 2018, and Diversity Insight, June 8, 2018
• Author, "Releasing information to ICE can land you in hot water--just ask Motel 6," Texas Employment Law Letter, March 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, April 12, 2018
• Author, "Unpermitted Internet use at work can be catastrophic for both employees and employers," Texas Employment Law Letter, February 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, March 15, 2018
• Quoted, "Immigrant father in Houston 'Out of Time' case given a reprieve," Houston Chronicle, January 10, 2018
• Author, "High court: Self-publication of defamation not recognized in Texas," Texas Employment Law Letter, December 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, January 26, 2018
• Author, "Employers, beware: Facility issues may result in violations of Title VII," Texas Employment Law Letter, February 2016, and Diversity Insight, October 15, 2017
• Quoted, "Tears, Anger and a Promise to Fight Back as Trump Ends DACA," NBC News, September 5, 2017
• Quoted, "Prevent discrimination against immigrant workers with sound I-9 practices," HR Hero Line, August 4, 2017
• Author, "Employment verification nightmares: fake I-9s, bad Social Security numbers, and reverification catch-22," Texas Employment Law Letter, February 2016, and HR Hero Line, July 12, 2017
• Quoted, "Getting medical excuse policies right: Know what kind of note you can require," HR Hero Line, March 24, 2017
• Quoted, "As political tensions rise, employers need to take care responding to protests," HR Hero Line, February 24, 2017
• Author, "Are rules for same-sex marriage about to change in Texas?" Texas Employment Law Letter, February 2017, and Diversity Insight, February 6, 2017
• Quoted, "Use of hidden surveillance cameras in workplace comes with pros, cons," HR Hero Line, January 27, 2017
• Quoted, "It's time to cozy up to the new I-9," Human Resources News, January 3, 2016
• Author, "The hacker (in the office) next door," Texas Employment Law Letter, September 2016, and Technology for HR Blog, December 14, 2016
• Author, "The employer's guide to the new Form I-9," Texas Employment Law Letter, November 2016, and HR Hero Line, December 7, 2016
• Author, "Day-rate dilemma: You still have to pay day-rate workers overtime," Texas Employment Law Letter, June 2016, and HR Hero Line, September 30, 2016
• Author, "Classifying workers in the gig economy," Texas Employment Law Letter, January 2016, and Technology for HR Blog, September 1, 2016
• Author, "What Supreme Court's split decision on immigration reform means for employers," Texas Employment Law Letter, July 2016, and Diversity Insight, June 24, 2016
• Author, "Employers must meet new safety data requirement by June 1," Texas Employment Law Letter, April 2016, and Human Resources New, May 13, 2016
• Quoted, "Know what to do when a workplace injury prompts an OSHA investigation," HR Hero Line, February 12, 2016
• Author, "Houston fails to adopt HERO," Human Resources News, November 4, 2015
• Quoted, "Houston council faces deadline on repeal of equal rights ordinance," Human Resources News, August 4, 2015
• Panelist, Texas Lawyer’s Labor & Employment Roundtable, September 2007
• Avoiding the Top Five Legal Mistakes
• Immigration Compliance and Options for Employers
• Avoiding Wrongful Discharge Claims
• Progressive Discipline That Works
• Hispanics in the Workforce: Management’s New Awareness
• Family and Medical Leave Act Compliance
• Sexual Harassment Avoidance
• Complying With Wage and Hour Laws
• Preventing Workplace Violence
• Keeping Your Company Union-Free

Professional Recognition

Awards and Recognitions

• Selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers, 2008-2011
• Named one of Houston’s Top Lawyers by H Texas Magazine, 2006-2009
• AV Peer Review Rated: Martindale-Hubbell

Professional Activities

• Member, Building Service Contractors Association International
• Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Service (BCIS) Roundtable of the District Director of the Houston office
• Board Member, Hispanic Alliance for Progress
• Board Member, Greater Houston Restaurant Association, 1998-2002
• Board of Advisors, Hispanic Alliance for Progress Institute
• Outside Counsel, Mexican Consulate in Houston on labor issues
• Member, American Bar Association and State Bar of Texas, Labor and Employment Law Section
• Member, American Law Institute
• Chair, Latino-Jewish Alliance for Secure America, JINSA

Appointments

• University of Houston Board of Regents, 2008-2013 (Appointed by Governor Perry)
• Board of Directors for the Texas Mutual Insurance Company, 2005-2011 (Appointed by Governor Perry)
• Board of Directors of the Border Environment Cooperation Commission (BECC) and North American Development Bank (NADB), 2005 (Appointed by President Bush)
• Texas Private Security Board, 2004-2005 (Appointed by Governor Perry)
• Texas Private Security Board, 1999-2004 (Appointed by then Governor Bush)

Admitted to Practice

• State Courts of Texas
• Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals
• Texas Southern District Court
• Texas Northern District Court
• Texas Eastern District Court
• Texas Western District Court