Bill > HB669

This bill creates a new publicly accessible online database managed by the Texas Workforce Commission that will list employers who have been penalized for wage theft or related criminal offenses. The database will include employers who have been assessed administrative penalties for wage violations, ordered to pay wages but failed to comply, or convicted of specific wage theft offenses. For business entities, the database will list the business name and the names of owners actively involved in management. Before an employer is added to the database, they will receive 180 days' notice and have the opportunity to dispute their inclusion through an investigation process. An employer will remain on the database for three years unless successfully removed through the dispute process. Attorneys representing the state are required to report employers convicted of wage theft offenses to the commission. The bill specifies that a conviction includes guilty verdicts, guilty pleas, or deferred adjudication. The database must be established by December 1, 2025, and the law will take effect on September 1, 2025. The bill does not apply to contractors working under certain government or federal contracts that already have wage protection provisions.

Labor and Employment

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB669