Employer threatening to sue

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Texas
My husband and I started a pest control business after he was laid off a couple of years ago. We quickly realized that he would need a source of income until we got the business off the ground, as we only had/have a very small number of customers that consist of friends, neighbors, and acquaintances. He subsequently took a job with a company 35 miles away doing pest control work, however he did not tell his new employer about the business (which is under my name). The employer found out and fired him recently. My husband filed an unemployment claim, and his employer, through a friend of his who is a lawyer, apparently filed an appeal with TWC too late and it was dismissed. Now, apparently because the TWC appeal was unsuccessful, the lawyer is threatening him with court action for "unfair trade practices". Given that we kept our business completely separate and never, EVER "diverted" any customers from this employer, as he alleges, does his former employer have any legitimate grounds under the law for suing for financial damages for "unfair trade practices"?

Tell your hubby's ex-employer to bug off.

He doesn't have a piss-ant's chance....

ghilliedhu1 said:

Given that we kept our business completely separate and never, EVER "diverted" any customers from this employer, as he alleges, does his former employer have any legitimate grounds under the law for suing for financial damages for "unfair trade practices"?

Click to expand...

unless he signed a non-compete AND the employer can come up with a specific instance where he "diverted" a customer, then they have no case.

employer threatening to sue

There was no no-compete agreement OR customer diversion, so I guess I don't need to lose any sleep over this jerk! Thank you both for your input.