Full question:
The Pastor of our church was very inappropriate in several ways. He has less than 15 employees. I was told that he had to have 15 employees to punish him on a federal level. Is there something I can do on a state level? I was his personal assist for 6 months and was never paid like promised. He has embarrassed me and slandered me. What can I do?
- Category: Civil Actions
- Subcategory: Defamation
- Date:
- State: Texas
Answer:
The number of employees an employer has affects the applicability of federal laws. For instance, under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, an employer must have 15 or more employees for a claim to be valid. Similarly, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act requires 20 or more employees for claims.
Slander involves making false statements that harm someone's reputation. To prove slander, you must show: 1. a defamatory statement; 2. it was published to third parties; and 3. the speaker knew or should have known it was false. In the workplace, slander claims can arise from statements in performance evaluations, discharge letters, or meetings. Employers often defend against these claims by proving the statements were true or were made under qualified privilege, which protects honest assessments of an employee's performance. However, this privilege can be lost if the statements were made with malice or knowledge of their falsity.
If your pastor failed to pay you as promised, you may have a breach of contract claim. Depending on the amount owed, you could file a claim in small claims court. Check with your local clerk of court for specific jurisdictional limits.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.