LABOR CODE
SUBTITLE D. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
CHAPTER 81. WORK AND FAMILY POLICIES
§ 81.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
(1) "Clearinghouse" means the Work and Family Policies
Clearinghouse.
(2) "Commission" means the Texas Employment
Commission.
(3) "Committee" means the Work and Family Policies
Advisory Committee.
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
§ 81.002. WORK AND FAMILY POLICIES ADVISORY
COMMITTEE. (a) The Work and Family Policies Advisory Committee
shall advise the commission on:
(1) dependent care and other employment-related
family initiatives for public and private employers and employees;
(2) options for including dependent care as a state
employee benefit; and
(3) any other employment-related family issues.
(b) The executive director of the commission shall appoint
the members of the committee, to be composed of not more than 12
members. The committee must be composed of corporate, consumer,
and provider representatives from the public and private sectors.
(c) A member of the committee may not receive compensation
for service on the committee but is entitled to reimbursement for
necessary and reasonable expenses incurred while traveling on
official committee business, subject to any limitation on
reimbursement provided by the General Appropriations Act for a
state employee. Service on the committee is not state employment
for any purpose.
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended
by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1225, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts
2001, 77th Leg., ch. 761, § 14, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.
§ 81.003. WORK AND FAMILY POLICIES CLEARINGHOUSE. The
Work and Family Policies Clearinghouse is within the commission.
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
§ 81.004. CLEARINGHOUSE POWERS AND DUTIES. (a) The
clearinghouse shall provide technical assistance and information
on dependent care and other employment-related family issues to
public and private employers, state agencies, policymakers, and
individuals.
(b) The clearinghouse shall conduct research on child care
and other employment-related family issues in the state and compile
the results of that research. In fulfilling its obligations under
this subsection, the clearinghouse:
(1) may contract with other public or private
entities;
(2) shall select specific research topics after
consulting with the committee and considering the committee's
recommendations; and
(3) shall report annually on its research under this
subsection to the governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the
house of representatives.
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
§ 81.0045. DEPENDENT CARE GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The
clearinghouse may establish a grant program to provide funds to
public or private persons to conduct demonstration dependent care
projects.
(b) The clearinghouse shall adopt rules governing the
submission and approval of grant requests and the cancellation of
grants.
(c) To receive a grant, a person whose grant is approved
must execute an interagency agreement or a contract with the
clearinghouse. The contract must require the person receiving the
grant to perform the services as stated in the approved grant
request. The contract must contain appropriate provisions for
program and fiscal monitoring.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 305, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
§ 81.0046. PROMOTION OF EMPLOYEE DEPENDENT CARE
BENEFITS. In providing technical assistance and information under
this chapter, the clearinghouse shall encourage employers to
provide employee dependent care benefits by:
(1) promoting the economic benefits realized by
employers who provide dependent care benefits, including decreased
absenteeism and turnover rates, greater productivity, and federal
and state tax incentives;
(2) advertising the availability of federal and state
tax incentives for employee dependent care benefits; and
(3) providing technical assistance to employers who
establish employee dependent care benefit programs, including
assistance in obtaining federal and state tax incentives.
Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1038, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
§ 81.005. DEPOSIT OF MATERIALS. Materials on
employment-related family issues that are published by state
agencies may be deposited with the clearinghouse for distribution
to employers, job applicants, and other interested persons.
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
§ 81.006. WORK AND FAMILY POLICIES FUND. (a) The work
and family policies fund is in the state treasury. Money in the
fund is derived from fees deposited as required by Sections
191.0045 and 191.022(f), Health and Safety Code, and Section
118.015(b), Local Government Code, and may be used only for:
(1) the operation of the clearinghouse;
(2) research conducted by the clearinghouse under
Section 81.004; and
(3) other uses specifically authorized by law.
(b) The clearinghouse shall administer the work and family
policies fund.
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended
by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 305, § 5, eff. Sept. 1, 1995.
§ 81.007. RULES. The commission by rule may adopt
procedures to implement functions under Sections 81.004, 81.005,
and 81.006(b). In adopting rules under this section, the
commission shall consider the recommendations of the clearinghouse
staff.
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
§ 81.008. GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. (a) The
clearinghouse may accept a gift or grant from a public or private
entity to fund any activity under this chapter.
(b) The commission may accept a donation of money, services,
or property only if the commission determines that the donation
furthers the lawful purposes and objectives of the commission under
this chapter and the donation is accepted in an open meeting by a
majority of the voting members of the commission. The donation must
be reported in the public records of the commission with the name of
the donor and the purpose of the donation.
Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, § 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.
§ 81.009. WORK-FAMILY FACILITATOR. The clearinghouse
may assign an employee to serve as a work-family facilitator who
shall be responsible for assisting state agencies in developing
work policies that assist agency employees in meeting their
responsibilities to their work and to their families.
Added by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1225, § 2, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.
