Updates from the Office of the Commissioner Representing Employers

Texas Employers,

Dallas employers and interns: Please join me at our Texas Intern Network conference at Dallas College on National Intern Day, July 31.

The event will connect students and local employers, bridging the gap between classroom learning and real-world job skills. Employers will gain access to resources and incentives to support paid internships, and students will learn about career pathways and work-based learning opportunities.

For employers, internships reduce hiring risk and improve confidence. For students and jobseekers, they open doors to meaningful careers with upward mobility. They are powerful tools in our economic toolbox—and when aligned well, they are win-wins.

I encourage you to bring your interns and participate in our employer-led mock interviews for students. Along with our partners Dallas College, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and Workforce Solutions Greater Dallas, we have a great day planned for you!

🔗 Register here: https://lnkd.in/ghx2fjDg

- Joe Esparza, Commissioner Representing Employers

Texas Business Minute

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2025 Texas Conference for Employers

July 10-11: Houston/Woodlands - Sign Up August 8: Abilene - Sign Up August 22: Round Rock - Sign Up September 5: Dallas

Employment-Related Legislation - 2025 By: William T. Simmons Legal Counsel to Commissioner Joe Esparza  The 2025 general session of the Texas Legislature resulted in several bills that will impact employers, the most important of which appear below. The list is organized into subject areas and shows the bill number and a summary of the most important provisions of the bill for employers. Human Resources - General HB 3153 Increased hiring and employment requirements for persons in direct contact with children at certain facilities. SB 2 Education service providers eligible for vouchers must perform a criminal history review of each employee. SB 571 Restricts the eligibility of certain contract employees to provide services to a public school and provides access to the registry of persons who are not eligible for employment at public schools. SB 2807 The employment status of a driver would be unaffected by the motor carrier’s use of safety technology or practices. Pay and Benefits HB 334 Relating to the establishment of a county employee family leave pool program. SB 1257 Requires health benefit plan coverage for gender transition adverse effects and reversals. SB 2237 Limits severance pay for certain political subdivision employees. Regulatory / Criminal Liability HB 1465 Enhances penalties for the criminal offense of invasive visual recording; provides for sex offender registration requirements for that offense. HB 2187 HHSC would provide an online portal for reports of mandatory overtime violations against nursing staff, as well as an administrative penalty schedule for various kinds of violations. HB 5061 Contractors and subcontractors of state agencies may not engage in surveillance of or undue influence toward state employees; steep fines and disbarment for violations; retaliation against whistleblowers prohibited; TWC must be notified of any lawsuits brought by complainants. HB 5629 Eases the occupational licensing of military spouses. SB 243 Strengthens enforcement of migrant labor housing regulations. SB 463 Expands the definition of facility covered by workplace violence prevention requirements to include intermediate care facilities for individuals with intellectual disabilities and state-supported living centers. SB 1318 Restricts covenants not to compete for physicians and certain health care practitioners. Unemployment Insurance HB 2760 Clarifies that a court appeal from a final TWC unemployment appeal decision may be filed in a county court at law or district court. HB 3698 Reinforces the importance of participation in reemployment services as a condition of eligibility for unemployment benefits. HB 3699 Restricts the definition of “last work” for unemployment claims to employers that meet coverage and liability requirements. HB 3700 Strengthens detection and prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse in all TWC programs. SB 1786 Aligns secondary school courses with post-secondary courses for advancement of state workforce needs; increases employer job data reporting requirements under TUCA Section 204.0025. The new employer reporting requirements take immediate effect and include the following data elements:  wage, industry, occupational field, full-time and part-time status, county of primary employment, remote work status, and other important employment information needed to assess the future workforce needs of the state, including which occupations lead to self-sufficient wages. Workers’ Compensation HB 2488 Allows contested workers' compensation case hearings to be conducted via videoconferencing. Workforce Development HB 2294 Relating to reimbursement rates for child-care providers participating in the Texas Rising Star Program. SB 462 Relating to establishing a child-care services waiting list priority for the children of certain child-care workers. Other Important Legal Developments

• Following a ruling by a federal court in Texas, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has returned to its previous rule stating that the minimum salary for a salaried exempt employee is $684/week (see https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fact-sheets/17a-overtime).
• DOL has stepped up its enforcement of other wage-related laws, including a prohibition against owners or managers of companies keeping any part of tips given to employees, and strict enforcement of restrictions on child labor (see https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd).
• The National Labor Relations Board enforces the National Labor Relations Act, certain provisions of which apply to all private-sector employers, even those in non-union settings. For the latest guidelines, see the NLRB website at https://www.nlrb.gov.
• TWC will be applying stricter requirements on claimants regarding work searches and other reemployment activities while filing for unemployment benefits and regarding reducing the risk of claim fraud.

What to Do When an Employee Quits
with Mario Hernandez

Many employers mistakenly believe an employee can't claim unemployment benefits if they quit. That's a myth. Legal Counsel Mario Hernandez shares practical steps employers can take to navigate these complex unemployment claims. Tune in for best practices like addressing complaints, keeping detailed records, and conducting exit interviews.

Click here to listen on Spotify

Texas Business Today is provided to employers free of charge

Texas Business Today is a monthly update devoted to a variety of topics of interest to Texas employers. The views and analyses presented herein do not necessarily represent the policies or the endorsement of the Texas Workforce Commission. Articles containing legal analyses or opinions are intended only as a discussion and overview of the topics presented. Such articles are not intended to be comprehensive legal analyses of every aspect of the topics discussed. Due to the general nature of the discussions provided, this information may not apply in each and every fact situation and should not be acted upon without specific legal advice based on the facts in a particular case.

Connect with the Office of the Commissioner Representing Employers

Email: [email protected]
Mail: Commissioner Representing Employers
101 E. 15th St., Rm 630
Austin, TX 78778