Governor Perry signed SB 1024 eliminating a loophole that previously existed for a criminal theft of service charge. Under prior law, a party obtaining services from another under a promise to pay could avoid a criminal charge of theft of service so long as the party was making minimal payments. According to the bill’s analysis:
Theft of wages occurs when
Its getting near the end of the time to sponsor bills for consideration during this Texas legislative session. Here are the most recently enrolled bills potentially effecting Texas employers.
HB 2609 (Guillen) (relating to employment at or by certain facilities serving the elderly or persons with disabilities)
HB 2695 (Davis) (relating to acquiring Human Health
According to the New York Times, Texas will consider whether to adopt a "loser pays" rules for civil cases. The rule, similar to the English Rule, would that require the losing party in a civil case to pay the attorney’s fees and costs of the prevailing party. It is unclear whether this rule, if passed
The following employment-related bills were enrolled for consideration in the Texas Legislature over the past two weeks.
HB 1178 (Flynn) (Relating to employment protection for members of the state military forces).
HB 1219 (Miles) (Relating to the right of an employee to time off from work if the employee and/or the employee’s child is the victim
The blog has been updated with bills enrolled in the Texas Legislature the week of January 11, 2011 likely to effect Texas employers. This week’s bills include bills targeted at prohibiting workplace smoking; prohibitions against sexual orientation discrimination; payment of wages through payroll card accounts and a bill to require employers to use the federal
Senate Bill 314 was enrolled in the Texas Legislature and would exclude, from an employer’s unemployment tax account (i.e., no chargeback), unemployment benefits paid to an employee who left employment because he or she (or their immediate family member) is a victim of sexual assault. Bill text here.
On March 20, 2009 I posted an entry about several leave of absence bills pending in the Texas Legislature. Today I want to highlight a few other bills that will effect Texas employers if passed.
There are several pending bills in the Texas legislature that could effect the leaves of absence private employers must make available to their employees. Some of these types of leaves have already been passed in more liberal states such as California and Massachusetts. Pending leave of absence bills in the Texas legislature include: