Treaty Oak Employers' Law Group

10/02/2026

The 2026 Texas Super Lawyers list is out, and we’re proud to see Natalie R. Lynch, Founding Attorney of Treaty Oak Employers’ Law Group, recognized in Employment & Labor, again.

We’re proud to see her work representing employers and helping organizations navigate complex workplace issues recognized again this year.

Congratulations, Natalie.

10/02/2026

“𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘁.”

An employer’s obligation not to discriminate still applies.

The EEOC recently sued a Texas trucking and logistics company, alleging that it refused to hire older driver applicants because its liability insurance did not cover drivers over age 65. The agency also alleges that the policy imposed stricter driving-record requirements on applicants over 60.

The employer may not have created those restrictions. According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, they came from its insurance company.

𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿.

That is the takeaway. A requirement from an insurer, customer, vendor, or other third party does not eliminate an employer’s own obligation not to discriminate.

The allegations in this lawsuit have not been proven in court.

This content is for educational purposes and is not legal advice.

10/01/2026

Your DEI webpage may not be the document that creates the problem.

Your promotion rubric might be.

Hiring criteria, interview notes, succession-planning templates, employee resource group rules, and evaluation forms can all become relevant when an employment decision is challenged.

And simply creating more documentation is not the answer. Documentation needs to be consistent, tied to legitimate job-related criteria, and created as part of the ordinary process.

Our latest blog breaks down six areas employers should review before an agency or plaintiff's lawyer starts asking for the paperwork.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗴 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://treatyoaklegal.com/blog/dei-employment-compliance-internal-audit/

09/30/2026

Not every workplace investigation calls for coaching.

And treating coaching as the automatic next step can miss the point.

Coaching is best suited to issues where behavior can realistically change—communication, leadership style, conflict, reactivity—and where the person is capable of and at least somewhat open to making that change.

It is not a substitute for discipline when serious misconduct, intentional harm, or a complete lack of accountability is involved.

In Episode 4 of After the Finding, Dr. Lindsey Lee offers a better question for employers deciding what comes next:

𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲?

Sometimes accountability and coaching can work together—addressing the past while also focusing on what needs to change going forward.

𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗘𝗽𝗶𝘀𝗼𝗱𝗲 #𝟰: https://youtu.be/6V1maQ7o3rM

09/29/2026

Do your managers, your documentation, and your workplace practices tell the same story?

Three quarters into the year, it's a good question for employers to ask.

Policies may say one thing while managers have developed a different way of handling situations. Documentation may capture the final decision without explaining what happened along the way. Similar situations may be handled differently without anyone recording why.

Before Q4 gets busy, look back:
• Are similar situations being handled consistently?
• Does the documentation reflect what actually happened?
• Are managers following established processes?
• Have informal practices started replacing written ones?

The goal isn't perfection.

It's making sure workplace decisions can be understood and explained when they're viewed together.

𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀.

If your policies, documentation, and day-to-day practices aren't telling the same story, we can help identify the gaps and bring your workplace practices into alignment.

Treaty Oak works with employers on handbooks, policies, documentation practices, manager guidance, and workplace compliance.

TreatyOakLegal.com

09/28/2026

𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗨𝗧 𝗔𝗗𝗢𝗣𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗘 | 𝗔 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀.

𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲 𝗡𝗼. 𝟭𝟬: 𝗠𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝗮𝗳

Meet Melon Loaf.

Eight years of experience. Crate- and potty-trained. Works independently for several hours. Gets along well with people. Walks nicely on leash.

And sometime around 6:00 or 7:00 p.m., Melon Loaf puts himself to bed.

Management initially questioned his commitment.

Management was incorrect.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗬𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 𝗟𝗔𝗪 𝗟𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗢𝗡
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, covered nonexempt employees generally must be paid for work an employer “suffers or permits” them to perform.

That means an employer cannot simply adopt a policy prohibiting unauthorized overtime and then ignore employees who continue working after hours.

Finishing reports at home, responding to emails after the workday, or completing other compensable tasks can still be working time when the employer knows or has reason to believe the work is occurring.

Employers should establish clear working-hour expectations, require employees to accurately report their time, and train managers accordingly.

If an employee violates a rule against unauthorized work, address the policy violation separately. Do not solve it by failing to record compensable time.

Melon Loaf appears to understand the simpler version:

The workday eventually ends.

He is currently in foster and available for adoption through Austin Pets Alive! He is friendly, calm, enjoys walks and short rounds of fetch, loves his toys, and takes his evening schedule seriously.

Melon Loaf — APA-A-184079

https://www.austinpetsalive.org/adopt/dogs/apa-a-184079

Treaty Oak Employers Law Group helps employers navigate wage-and-hour compliance, workplace policies, and the management practices behind them.

treatyoaklegal.com

Attorney Advertising.

09/25/2026

Supporting the growth of AWI in Texas has been one of the most meaningful efforts of my career. -Natalie

🌟 AWI Local Circle Spotlight: Texas.

Meet the Texas Local Circle Convener, Natalie Stauffer Lynch!

“Going through AWI’s certificate process was essential for me at a time when my state had virtually no infrastructure for workplace investigators. AWI provided the training, standards, and professional community I needed to build a credible practice—and that foundation has stayed with me throughout my career.”

The Texas Local Circle will be held on October 6 and is an excellent opportunity for AWI members to gather and discuss current workplace investigation issues and build connections.
RSVP Today: https://www.awi.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2078829&group=

09/24/2026

A great few days in Wyoming.

Natalie Stauffer Lynch joined the 2026 Wyoming State Bar Annual Meeting & Judicial Conference to present “𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? 𝗗𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮, 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.”

The session focused on workplace complaints, investigation decisions, and the legal and practical consequences that can follow.

Thank you to the Wyoming State Bar for having Natalie and for the opportunity to be part of this year’s program.

09/24/2026

Can you tell when someone is lying?

Research suggests we're not nearly as good at it as we think.

For workplace investigators, that means credibility assessment should focus less on nervous behavior and “gut instinct” and more on good questions, communication content, context, and verifiable facts.

Our latest blog looks at what the science of deception detection can teach employers about better workplace investigations.

Read the full blog: https://treatyoaklegal.com/blog/credibility-assessment-workplace-investigations/

09/23/2026

𝐖𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤?

For smaller employers, creating one internally can seem straightforward. The challenge is knowing what belongs in it, what doesn't, and whether certain language could create unintended problems later.

In this 𝑯𝒆𝒚 𝑬𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒚𝒆𝒆: 𝑸&𝑨, Senior HR Consultant Amber Howard explains why an experienced second look can help identify potential red flags.

Watch the full conversation on our YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/qSjtbFpq4GU.