State Lawyer’s Job Available After His Employer Tips Ended Up in Article
A lawyer who oversaw appeals of decisions involving employment benefits has been reassigned after his tips to employers ended up in a newspaper article.
Jonathan Babiak, deputy director of appellate services for the Texas Workforce Commission, advised employers at a June 25 conference that employers should give employees the option to resign rather than be fired, the Houston Chronicle reports. The workers might not realize they may be eligible for unemployment benefits, he said, and the companies don’t have to correct the misunderstanding.
The Chronicle reported Babiak’s comments in a July 8 story. The tips raised concerns because Babiak’s job as an appellate service lawyer requires unbiased decisions, the Chronicle says.
Babiak has since been reassigned to work as a lawyer in human resources. His former position, which paid more than $83,000, remains open.
The commission’s director of communications, Ann Hatchitt, explained the move. “At this time, TWC has chosen to utilize his skills in another area to meet other business needs of the agency,” she said in a statement provided to the newspaper.
