Fired or punished for speaking up in Texas?
The TCHRA retaliation and Sabine Pilot wrongful discharge may protect employees from retaliation and wrongful termination. Deadlines, filing routes, and available remedies depend on what happened and which law applies.
You can request a review even if you are not sure whether the conduct legally qualifies, never reported it to HR, or still work for the employer.
Updated August 2026
- Fired, demoted, scheduled less, or disciplined after reporting a workplace issue
- Punished after requesting leave or an accommodation
- Fired for refusing unlawful conduct
- Terminated for a reason protected by state or federal law
Texas prohibits retaliation under Labor Code § 21.055 and recognizes a narrow Sabine Pilot claim when an employee is fired solely for refusing to commit an illegal act carrying criminal penalties. A state retaliation complaint generally must reach TWC within 180 days; the federal EEOC window is 300 days.
Wrongful-termination information by city in Texas
Select your city for locally relevant filing information, agency routes, and a case review with your state already selected.
- AustinWrongful-termination information
- DallasWrongful-termination information
- El PasoWrongful-termination information
- Fort WorthWrongful-termination information
- HoustonWrongful-termination information
- San AntonioWrongful-termination information
Texas at a glance.
- Governing law
- TCHRA retaliation and Sabine Pilot wrongful discharge, Tex. Lab. Code § 21.055; Sabine Pilot Service, Inc.
More detail
v. Hauck - Coverage
- Chapter 21 retaliation generally applies to employers with 15 or more employees.
More detail
The narrow Sabine Pilot court claim does not use Chapter 21's employee-count threshold. - State retaliation charge
- 180 days to file a Chapter 21 retaliation complaint with the TWC Civil Rights Division under Tex. Lab. Code § 21.202.
- Federal EEOC retaliation charge
- 300 days for a federal Title VII retaliation charge because Texas is a deferral state.
- Court claim
- A Chapter 21 action requires exhaustion, must be filed within 60 days after the right-to-sue notice, and may not be filed later than 2 years after the administrative complaint. A Sabine Pilot claim proceeds directly in court and requires a separate limitations analysis.
- After right-to-sue
- 60 days from the Chapter 21 right-to-sue notice.
- Damages
- $50,000 to $300,000 in combined compensatory and punitive damages under Chapter 21, based on employer size.
More detail
Back pay and equitable relief are outside those caps. - State retaliation agency
- Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division (TWC CRD)
What may be available under Texas law on retaliation and wrongful termination.
- Back pay, interest, and equitable relief on a successful Chapter 21 retaliation claim.
- Compensatory and punitive damages subject to the Chapter 21 cap schedule.
- Sabine Pilot tort damages depend on the loss and proof under that narrow court claim.
- Attorney's fees where authorized by the governing statute or another enforceable basis.
- Tex. Lab. Code § 21.055 protects opposition to discriminatory practices and participation in covered proceedings.
- Sabine Pilot is narrow: it addresses discharge for the sole reason that the employee refused to perform an illegal act carrying criminal penalties.
- The TWC retaliation charge and Sabine Pilot tort are separate routes.
Where to file in Texas.
Civil Rights Division (mailing)
101 E 15th StreetAustin, TX 78778
(888) 452-4778
Sabine Pilot wrongful-discharge claim
The narrow Sabine Pilot claim proceeds directly in court. A related Chapter 21 retaliation claim ordinarily requires TWC or EEOC exhaustion.
Deadlines are shorter than most people expect. Share what happened in about two minutes. The firm will review your submission and contact you about possible options and next steps. There is no cost or obligation to request a review.
The same conduct can break more than one law.
What happened to you in Texas may also amount to a separate claim, with its own protections and its own deadlines. Each of these is worth checking before anything lapses.
Common questions.
Is every illegal or unfair Texas firing a Sabine Pilot claim?
No. Sabine Pilot is narrow and generally requires discharge solely because the employee refused to perform an illegal act carrying criminal penalties.
Does the 300-day Texas sexual-harassment period apply to retaliation?
Do not assume so. The vetted state retaliation deadline is 180 days, although the federal EEOC retaliation window may be 300 days.