These agencies exist for a reason. Use them.
Filing a complaint is free. You don't need a lawyer. The agencies below investigate on your behalf. Here's which one handles what.
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Handles. Discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age (40+), disability, or genetic information. Also covers harassment and retaliation for reporting discrimination.
Time limit. 300 days from the date of the incident (in Texas, because Texas has a state agency that cross-files). Do not wait until the last month.
How to file.
- Go to the EEOC Public Portal and create an account.
- Submit an inquiry online. You'll describe what happened, when, and who was involved.
- The EEOC will contact you, usually within a few weeks, to discuss whether to move forward with a formal charge.
- You can also visit the San Antonio field office (which covers the Austin area) in person.
What happens next. The EEOC investigates. They may mediate, pursue the case, or issue a "right to sue" letter that lets you take the matter to court. You don't pay for their investigation.
Texas Workforce Commission
Handles. Wage claims (including disputes over accrued PTO payouts), discrimination complaints (cross-filed with EEOC), and employment law violations under Texas statutes.
Time limit. 180 days for discrimination claims. Wage claims should be filed within 180 days of the pay date when the violation occurred.
How to file a wage claim.
- Visit the TWC Payday Law page.
- Download and complete the wage claim form.
- Submit it online, by mail, or by fax.
- Include any supporting documentation: pay stubs, the old PTO policy, the new PTO policy, emails about changes.
Voting coercion (Tex. Elec. § 276.001)
Handles. Employer retaliation against employees based on how they voted or their refusal to disclose their vote. This is a criminal statute (third-degree felony), not an administrative complaint. There is no single agency that accepts a complaint form for this.
Important context. As of April 2026, no reported prosecution under Section 276.001 has ever occurred in Texas. The law exists and the conduct it describes is serious, but the enforcement path is narrow and untested.
Enforcement options.
- File a report with the Texas Secretary of State, who serves as the chief election officer and can refer matters to the Attorney General's Election Fraud Unit.
- Present sworn affidavits to the Travis County District Attorney. Under Election Code 273.001, if two or more registered voters present sworn affidavits alleging criminal conduct in connection with an election, the DA is required by statute to investigate.
- Contact the Texas Attorney General's office, which has concurrent jurisdiction over election offenses.
Important. The value of documenting voting pressure goes beyond this one statute. The pattern of conduct is relevant as evidence in other claims (NLRA, EEOC, and in any potential litigation). Save the emails regardless.
National Labor Relations Board
Handles. Unfair labor practices, including employer interference with your right to discuss working conditions, retaliation for concerted activity, or policies that restrict Section 7 rights.
Time limit. Six months from the date of the violation.
How to file.
- Go to the NLRB charge filing page.
- You can file online, in person at the nearest regional office, or by mail.
- Describe the unfair labor practice and provide any documentation.
These agencies handle different things. If your situation involves both discrimination and interference with Section 7 rights, you can file with the EEOC and the NLRB. They don't conflict. The EEOC and TWC already cross-file discrimination complaints automatically.
Do you need a lawyer?
Not to file. All of these agencies accept complaints directly from employees. A lawyer can help if your case goes further, but the filing itself is designed for regular people. Fill out the form. Tell the truth. Attach what you have.
Do you have to go through HR first?
A lot of employee handbooks tell you to report complaints up the chain. One version of that process goes: supervisor, then Executive Vice President, then Chief Financial Officer, then Chief Executive Officer, then Agency Owner. That is a long chain.
Some employees assume they have to exhaust that process before going anywhere else. They don't. The EEOC, NLRB, and TWC all accept complaints directly from employees. No internal report required. No prerequisite. You can go internal, external, or both. That decision is yours.
You are never required to report internally before filing with a government agency. Government agencies exist precisely because internal processes don't always work. They don't condition their help on whether you tried the in-house route first.
There are real reasons to skip the internal process. If the people you would report to are the same people involved in what happened, internal reporting puts you in front of the problem, not above it. That is a reasonable thing to consider.
There are also reasons to report internally, even if you plan to file externally too. Internal reporting creates a record that you raised the issue. If retaliation follows, that record can matter. But it is not required. It is a strategic choice, not a legal obligation.