Worst employers in DFW: The blacklist thread

Let's save each other time and money. Which DFW employers should people avoid?

Ground rules:

• Share your experience, not rumors
• Be specific: what was bad and for which role/department
• It's okay to name names — this is salary transparency's cousin

Common patterns in bad DFW employers:

1. "We're a family" — Usually means: unpaid overtime expected, boundaries don't exist, guilt trips when you use PTO.

2. Unlimited PTO — In DFW, this often means "we track nothing but judge everything." Average days taken at companies with unlimited PTO: 10-12 (vs. 15-20 at companies with defined PTO). Source: SHRM data.

3. "Competitive salary" — If they won't give a range in the job posting, it's usually because the range is below market.

4. Rapid turnover on Glassdoor — If reviews mention "revolving door" or "new management every year," believe them.

How to research employers before accepting:

• Glassdoor (filter reviews for last 12 months only)
• Blind app (anonymous employee posts, especially good for tech)
• LinkedIn: search current employees, see average tenure
• Texas Workforce Commission: check for wage claims filed against the company

Sources:

• Glassdoor — employer review patterns
• SHRM — PTO usage studies
• Texas Workforce Commission — wage claim public records
• Blind — anonymous employer reviews
• BLS — DFW employment data for turnover benchmarks

What would you do?