What employers submit can be shared with the employee and cannot be retracted. Before typing a single word, get the facts straight.
HR just forwarded a charge of discrimination, and three managers have already emailed me their "recollection" of what happened.
Texas Employers Trust Treaty Oak Employers' Law Group
Running a company with 150 to 600 employees means handling problems that smaller businesses never see. And when an EEOC charge, TWC complaint, DOL audit, or demand letter lands on the desk, the instinct is to explain, defend, or delegate it to someone who “knows what happened.” That instinct creates exposure. Treaty Oak Legal takes over the response process, builds a fact-based narrative, and keeps the business from making the kind of unforced errors that turn minor disputes into expensive litigation. The goal: resolve this efficiently, protect the record, and get back to running the company.
FAQs
Does hiring a lawyer make the company look guilty?
Agencies expect represented parties. For companies with hundreds of employees, legal counsel signals competence, not culpability. What raises eyebrows is a sloppy, inconsistent, or clearly template-driven response.
Can this be handled internally to save money?
Anything written becomes part of the file. Templates miss context, and context is where liability hides. The cost of cleaning up a self-inflicted wound almost always exceeds the cost of getting it right the first time.
What happens if the company just waits?
Waiting rarely makes employment matters disappear. Deadlines pass, default positions get assigned, and what started as a manageable dispute becomes an expensive problem with fewer exit ramps.
How quickly can this get resolved?
Speed depends on not making it worse first. Treaty Oak Legal operates on a 72-hour triage model: collect the facts, take over the interface, draft the response, and map the path forward. No theatrics, no unnecessary motions, no billing for busy work.
What if the company has EPLI coverage?
Many employers with 150 to 600 employees carry Employment Practices Liability Insurance but never think about it until after the response is already drafted. That sequence creates problems. Most policies require prompt notice, and some require insurer involvement before submitting a position statement. Treaty Oak Legal checks EPLI status on day one, coordinates with carriers when needed, and ensures the response strategy aligns with coverage requirements. Discovering a reporting deadline was missed after the fact is an expensive lesson that takes five minutes to prevent.
Why NOW
Delays Send a Message — Even When You Say Nothing
Agency response windows are measured in days, not convenience. Missing a deadline shifts leverage to the other side and limits options going forward.
Responses Get Shared With the Employee.
Agency and lawyer procedures allow position statements and non-confidential attachments to be released to the charging party upon request. Once submitted through the portal, there is no retraction option.
Your AI-Generated Responses Are Now Public Record
That polished, confident draft from a chatbot? It becomes part of the record because it is in the public domain. And it likely contains admissions or inconsistencies that no one caught before hitting enter.
The Employee Already Has a Lawyer.
When a demand letter arrives on attorney letterhead, the dynamic has shifted. The former employee is no longer venting or testing the waters. They have invested money, signed an engagement agreement, and committed to a process. That lawyer is now building a file, preserving evidence, and drafting timelines. Every day without a coordinated response is a day the other side gets further ahead. Matching their level of preparation is not escalation. It is basic risk management. Even if the lawyer is an AI bot, you need to move yesterday.
Every Email Becomes Evidence.
The “helpful” manager who emails their side of the story just created a document that may contradict the official response. Coordinating the narrative before anyone else weighs in is the difference between control and chaos.
The Law Firm that Employers Choose
What Charges of Discrimination Might I See?
- EEOC Charge
- EEOC Form 5, Charge of Discrimination
- Charge of Discrimination
- Texas Workforce Commission Charge of Discrimination
- TWC Civil Rights Division Charge of Discrimination
- TWCCRD Charge of Discrimination
What Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Audit Might I Receive?
- Wage and Hour Investigation Letter
- Wage and Hour Investigation Notice
- FLSA Audit, Fair Labor Standards Act Audit
- FLSA Compliance Investigation
- Department of Labor Audit
- DOL Compliance Audit
- DOL Wage Audit
- DOL Employment Practices Audit
- Wage and Hour Compliance Review
- Federal Wage and Hour Inspection
- DOL Labor Law Investigation
- Payroll Audit
- Wage Claim Investigation
- Labor Standards Enforcement Audit
- Workplace Pay Audit
- Overtime and Minimum Wage Audit
What Might I Get From an Attorney?
- Demand Letter
- Representation Letter
- Notice of Representation
- Litigation Hold Letter
- Litigation Hold Notice
- Complaint or Report of Discrimination
What Demands May I Get Related to Health or Family?
- Request for Leave
- Request for Sick Leave
- Request for Maternity Leave
- Request for Time Off to Attend a Doctor Appointment
- Request for Time Off for a Non-work-related Injury, Illness, or Condition
- Request for Time Off for a Family Member’s Injury, Illness, or Condition
- Request for Accommodations
- Request to Modify or Change an Accommodation
- Request for Family or Medical Leave
What Letter Types May Be Received Because of a Wage Claim?
- Demand for Unpaid Wages
- Demand for Unpaid Commissions
- Demand for Unpaid PTO
- Demand for Last Paycheck
- Demand for Final Wages
What Letters May Be Received Related to an Unemployment Insurance (UI) Benefits Request or Appeal?
- Unemployment Claim
- Notice of Discrimination, Sexual Harassment, or Hostile Work Environment Complaint from an Employee
- Demand for Arbitration
- Lawsuit Filing Notification, State or Federal Court Citation or Service of Process
"Consistently great service and expertise. They're especially good at spotting potential problems before they become actual nightmares."
Chris Scott
"A fantastic, high-level law firm that provides exemplary representation for its clients. I highly recommend Treaty Oak Employers' Law Group and Natalie Lynch - you can't go wrong."
Ross Pitcoff
"Treaty Oak Legal provides great legal help on employment issues. They are caring lawyers who will protect the business while treating employees with respect, which makes complex, emotional issues much easier to resolve."
Adam Rossen
See Why Employers Call Treaty Oak First
Strategic Speed Without Legal Theater
Treaty Oak Legal triages in 72 hours and focuses on decision points, not billable churn. The approach is quick, least-cost, and strategic. That means avoiding over-lawyering, prioritizing moves that reduce exposure fastest, and skipping the ego-driven battles that inflate fees without improving outcomes.
- 72-hour intake and triage process
- No unnecessary motions or filings
- Focused on resolution pathways, not prolonged disputes
- Clear timelines and defined deliverables
Built for Owner-Operator Companies
Internal politics matter when ownership is shared. Treaty Oak Legal understands the "we don't pay extortion" mindset and frames recommendations in ways that preserve principles while preventing exposure. The goal is protecting the company and the leadership reputation, not picking sides between partners.
- Experience with multi-owner decision dynamics
- Communication calibrated for skeptical stakeholders
- Options framed around precedent and principle
- Leadership reputation factored into strategy
Multi-State, Multi-Industry Fluency
Licensed in Texas, North Carolina, Wyoming, and Colorado. Experienced with healthcare accommodations, construction wage and hour issues, tech services remote worker disputes, and professional services performance conflicts. TWC workshare agreements with EEOC mean state and federal matters often overlap. Treaty Oak Legal navigates both.
- Healthcare: accommodations, leave, trauma-related workplace behavior
- Construction: classification, wage and hour, inconsistent documentation
- Tech services: remote supervision, Slack and email record management
- Professional services: performance disputes, retaliation framing
No-Cause Findings Are the Goal
The most common successful outcome is the agency closing the matter with a no-cause determination. That means the investigation ends, the company can move forward, and the file reflects a fact-based defense. Treaty Oak Legal builds responses designed for that result.
- Fact-based narratives backed by documentation
- Responses structured for agency review standards
- Clean records that support future defenses if needed
- Realistic expectations about what "winning" looks like
"One wrong sentence could follow the company for years."
Everything submitted to an agency or opposing counsel becomes part of a permanent record. Treaty Oak Legal drafts responses designed to close matters cleanly, not create future ammunition.
"This feels like an accusation, not a process."
It does. Running a company, paying well, maintaining standards, and still getting a formal complaint feels personal. Treaty Oak Legal helps restore control without letting emotion drive the response.
Why Choose Treaty Oak
When the Stakes Are Personal and Professional
"The partner thinks we should fight on principle."
Principle and pragmatism can coexist. Defending the company's position vigorously does not require maximizing legal fees or rejecting every resolution path. Treaty Oak Legal presents options that satisfy both concerns.
"There is no time for a months-long legal project."
Neither does Treaty Oak Legal have appetite for one. The model is triage first, resolve efficiently, and avoid the kind of drawn-out disputes that distract leadership and drain resources.