Michael P. Maslanka

Specialization

• Age Discrimination Employment Act (ADEA)
• Discrimination
• Labor Relations
• Litigation
• National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
• Wage and Hour/FLSA

About Mike's Practice

Michael P. Maslanka believes that his role is twofold: to help clients manage the situation before the situation manages them and to make matters as simple and user-friendly as possible for them. He brings 28 years of experience to these dual goals, including being the lead trial attorney in claims under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, Title VII, and Texas noncompete law. Chambers USA states that he is a "strong, insightful thinker" and takes a "holistic approach" to resolving his client's challenges.

Education

• Tulane University, J.D., (cum laude), 1981
• Cornell University, B.S., 1978

Major Publications & Speaking Engagements

• Chief Author and Editor, Texas Employment Law Letter
• Interviewed, "Chris Krok Show: Johnny Dep Wins the Case!" June 1, 2022
• Author, "5th Circuit: One racial slur is enough to win lawsuit," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2022, and HR Daily Advisor, May 25, 2022
• Author, "Friday Night Lights meets Supreme Court: Will religious freedom get the game ball?" Texas Employment Law Letter, March 2022, and HR Daily Advisor, February 22, 2022
• Author, "Texas Supreme Court to nail down arbitration issue," Texas Employment Law Letter, February 2022, and HR Daily Advisor, January 11, 2022
• Quoted, "Employers in Limbo After Latest Development on OSHA's vax rule," HR Daily Advisor, November 8, 2021
• Author, "Three mental health mindsets: a short but useful guide," Texas Employment Law Letter, July 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, October 18, 2021
• Author, "What Governor's Antivaccine Mandate Order Means for Texas Employers," HR Daily Advisor, October 13, 2021
• Author, "Technology run amok: Client left holding bag after key e-mail sits in lawyer's junk folder," Texas Employment Law Letter, October 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, October 5, 2021
• Quoted, "OSHA Mulling Heat Safety Rule as Summer Temps Climb," HR Daily Advisor, August 2, 2021
• Interviewed, "Baylor Scott & White Requiring COVID-19 Vaccines for All Employees," Channel 5 NBC-DFW, July 28, 2021
• Author, "'You can be just a little bit pregnant,' says Texas court," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2021, and HR Daily Advisor, April 29, 2021
• Interviewed, "Can your employer require a COVID-19 vaccine?" Fox 4 KDFW-TV in Dallas, December 3, 2020
• Author, "Texas court dings employer over supervisor's candid PTSD conversation," Texas Employment Law Letter, September 2019, and Diversity Insight, December 16, 2019
• Quoted, "New SCOTUS Proemployee Ruling Not a Big Change for Employers," HR Daily Advisor, June 6, 2019
• Author, "Benefits litigation: Humana case may point to oncoming wave," Texas Employment Law Letter, April 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, May 17, 2018
• Author, "Federal appeals court holds transgender employees are protected under Title VII," Texas Employment Law Letter, April 2017, and Diversity Insight, April 5, 2018
• Author, "$608 in unpaid overtime cost Dallas employer $41,333 in attorneys' fees," Texas Employment Law Letter, January 2018, and HR Daily Advisor, February 19, 2018
• Author, "Dallas EEOC office 'hovers over' alleged age bias by TV station," Texas Employment Law Letter, November 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, December 28, 2017
• Author, "Employer makes 'lemonade' out of employee's FMLA lawsuit," Texas Employment Law Letter, September 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, November 6, 2017
• Quoted, "Training done right: Effective communication the key," HR Hero Line, October 20, 2017
• Author, "Off the hook for ADA discrimination claim? Not so fast, says Texas court," Texas Employment Law Letter, August 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, August 22, 2017
• Quoted, "Alt-right protests: Protected off-duty activity or cause for termination?" HR Hero Line, August 16, 2017
• Author, "But no one got hurt!" is no defense to age discrimination claims," Texas Employment Law Letter, June 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, July 28, 2017
• Author, "6 steps to avoid crashing and burning like American Airlines," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2017, and HR Hero Line, July 5, 2017
• Author, "Guarding at-will status: Texas employer's disability policy sabotages its handbook," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, June 27, 2017
• Author, "Stopping e-mail madness: Supervisor's mention of leave sends FMLA claim to trial," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2017, and Technology for HR, June 1, 2017
• Author, "Texas TV station gets cloudy reception from court on ADA claim," Texas Employment Law Letter, April 2017, and HR Daily Advisor, May 25, 2017
• Author, "Comey debacle a lesson in how not to accomplish a firing," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2017, and HR Hero Line, May 16, 2017
• Quoted, "'Gotta catch 'em': Employers dealing with Pokemon Go mania," HR Hero Line, July 29, 2016
• Author, "At the epicenter of life, death, and work: 4 tough questions for employers after Dallas," Texas Employment Law Letter, July 2016, and Diversity Insight, July 14, 2016  
• Author, "ADA: Texas court faults employer for dropping accommodation ball," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2016, and HR.BLR.com, June 28, 2016
• Author, "Texas employer escapes $8M verdict for temporary employee's injury," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2016, and HR.BLR.com, June 22, 2016
• Author, "Termination tips: making a hard situation easier," Texas Employment Law Letter, July 2015, and HR Hero Line, June 17, 2016
• Author, "FMLA: Shifting reasons for termination lock prison into jury trial," Texas Employment Law Letter, February 2016, and HR.BLR.com, March 22, 2016
• Author, "Managing performance: 3 radical ideas," Texas Employment Law Letter, April 2015, and Diversity Insight, December 20, 2015
• Author, "Texas court: Is 'shoulder shrug' basis for termination?" Texas Employment Law Letter, November 2015, and HR.BLR.com, December 17, 2015
• Author, "Texas employer's 'Ken and Barbie' concept leads to lawsuit," Texas Employment Law Letter, October 2015, and HR.BLR.com, December 9, 2015
• Author, "Lunch break gives Texas employers indigestion," Texas Employment Law Letter, October 2015, and HR.BLR.com, November 30, 2015
• Author, "Texas court grants reputational damages to police officer," Texas Employment Law Letter, September 2015, and HR.BLR.com, October 27, 2015
• Author, "Missing wording in employment lawsuit costs Texas lawyer $339,000," Texas Employment Law Letter, July 2015, and HR.BLR.com, August 19, 2015
• Author, "Age discrimination: Is 6-year age difference discrimination?" Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2015, and HR.BLR.com, June 15, 2015
• Author, "Texas FMLA claim dismissed in open-and-shut case," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2015, and HR.BLR.com, June 11, 2015
• Author, "Civil rights: Houston court socks employee with $44,049 in attorneys' fees," Texas Employment Law Letter, May 2015, and HR.BLR.com, May 20, 2015
• Author, "Dallas HR manager's FLSA retaliation claim gets tossed," Texas Employment Law Letter, March 2015, and HR.BLR.com, April 27, 2015
• Author, "Racial discrimination: Texas court goes back to the basics," Texas Employment Law Letter, March 2015, and HR.BLR.com, April 21, 2015
• Author, "Interrupting gender bias: Fire away!" Texas Employment Law Letter, October 2014, and Diversity Insight, March 15, 2015
• Author, "Daughter's Facebook post tanks Dad's settlement agreement," Texas Employment Law Letter, March 2014, and Technology for HR Blog, March 24, 2014
• Quoted, "Disgruntled employees: What are the risks, what are the remedies?" HR Hero Line, October 4, 2013
• Quoted, "Pretty or plain? What matters when employers evaluate jobseekers?" HR Hero Line, June 14, 2013
• Former Editor, Texas Workers' Comp Reporter
• Co-author, Advising Zeus - And Other Deities
• Author, Human Resources Forms with Commentary (1998, Warren Gorham & Lamont)
• Author, Guide to Employee Discipline and Termination (1997, Warren Gorham & Lamont)
• Author, Texas Employers' Guide to Employee Handbooks and Personnel Policy Manuals (1996, M. Lee Smith Publishers)
• Author, How to Avoid Legal Pitfalls in Hiring & Firing in Texas (1995, M. Lee Smith Publishers)
• Co-author, chapter on hiring process, Texas Employment Law (1999, James Publishing)
• Contributor, Texas Lawyer
• Author, "The Complete Lawyer: A Balanced Approach to Life and the Law," Texas Bar Journal (1995)
• Author, "The Top Ten Rules of Effective Client Communications," Texas Bar Journal (2000)
• Contributor, Dallas Business Journal (monthly column)
• Author, "Maslanka's Field Guide to the FMLA," American Lawyer Media (2009)

Professional Recognition

• Received AV rating by Martindale-Hubbell
• Selected as a "Texas Super Lawyer" by Texas Monthly and Law & Politics Media (2003, 2006)
• Selected as one of the best lawyers in Dallas by "D" Magazine (2001-2011)
• Listed in The Best Lawyers in America
• Listed in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business

Admitted to Practice

• Texas
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
• U.S. District Courts for the Eastern, Northern, Southern and Western Districts of Texas