Texas Employee Handbook

When your company hires employees in Texas, you are required to comply with federal, state, and local employment laws. There are a variety of human resources and labor policies in the workplace that differ by state. Through your employee handbook, employers can easily document and distribute the correct policies to their employees to comply with the laws of each state.

Creating your Texas Employee Handbook is a useful way to explain important policies and procedures, mitigate legal risk, and introduce employees to the expectations and operating practices of the organization.

Mosey has compiled the relevant policies a company with employees in Texas must consider.

Texas Employee Handbook Policies

There are 6 state and local employee handbook policies in Texas.

Leaves of Absence

Texas Emergency Evacuation Leave Policy

You are permitted to take job-protected leave to participate in a general public evacuation ordered under an emergency evacuation order.

Texas Jury Duty Leave Policy

You are entitled to job-protected leave to serve as a juror. Unless directed otherwise by your manager, you should return to work at the completion of jury duty, even if for a partial day.

Texas Military Service Leave Policy

Employer provides unpaid military leave to employees if called to active duty or to engage in authorized military training.

Texas Voting Leave Policy

Employer provides you with up to two-hours of paid time off to vote on election days if you would not otherwise have two consecutive hours to vote outside of your working hours.

Privacy

Texas Social Media Privacy Policy

Generally, Employer is prohibited from accessing your personal social media accounts and will not discipline or terminate an employee for refusing to disclose their social media login information or for denying to provide access to their social media accounts.

Texas Electronic Monitoring Policy

Employee should be advised that all telephone conversations or transmissions, electronic mail or transmissions, or internet access or usage by an employee by any electronic device or system, including but not limited to the use of a computer, telephone, wire, radio or electromagnetic, photoelectronic or photo-optical systems may be subject to monitoring.

Federal Employee Handbook Policies

Regardless of which states you have employees in, there are required federal policies that must be included in your employee handbook. In addition to any state-specific policies, your employee handbook for Texas should contain the following federal policies.

• Anti-Harassment Policy
• Anti-Sexual Harassment Policy
• Anti-Retaliation Policy
• Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
• Reasonable Accommodation Policy

Handbook Policy Best Practices

In addition to the required federal policies, the following policies are best practices to include in your employee handbook.

• Prohibited Conduct Policy
• Violations Reporting Policy
• Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
• Weapons Policy
• Disciplinary Action Policy
• At-Will Employment
• Federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) Policy