On June 14, 2023, House Bill (HB) No. 915—a bill the Texas Legislature passed on May 30, 2023—became law.
As previously reported, HB 915 adds Chapter 104A, "Reporting Workplace Violence," to the Texas Labor Code and requires all employers, regardless of size, to "post a notice to employees of the contact information for reporting instances of workplace violence or suspicious activity to the [Texas] Department of Public Safety."
The law also requires each employer to post the notice (1) "in a conspicuous place in the employer's place of business"; (2) "in sufficient locations to be convenient to all employees"; and (3) "in English and Spanish, as appropriate."
Quick Hits
- On September 1, 2023, Texas employers will be required to post a notice to employees related to reporting instances of workplace violence or suspicious activity, but enforcement is unlikely until the Texas Workforce Commission issues the prescribed notice.
- The law does not require the Texas Workforce Commission to issue the prescribed notice until March 1, 2024.
The law will take effect on September 1, 2023, but the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) will have until March 1, 2024, to issue the prescribed notice for employers to post, so it is unlikely the TWC will enforce the requirement before then.
The codification of HB 915 follows the enactment of Senate Bill No. 240, which requires Texas healthcare facilities to adopt workplace violence prevention plans by September 1, 2024.
Key Takeaways
Once Texas's notice-posting law related to reporting workplace violence takes effect and the TWC issues the prescribed notice, Texas employers will have to post the notice as required, which may include posting not only in physical locations in the workplace for in-person employees, but also in electronic locations for remote employees.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
