HBA-RAR H.B. 180 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 180 By: Longoria Economic Development 2/8/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, there are no statutes to protect individuals employed for 10 years or more from dismissal without cause by their employers. H.B. 180 prohibits employers from discharging employees without cause after 10 years of service. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Texas Workforce Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 54.003, Labor Code) of this bill. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subtitle B, Title 2, Labor Code, by adding Chapter 54, as follows: CHAPTER 54. RESTRICTION ON APPLICATION OF EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE TO CERTAIN EMPLOYEES Sec. 54.001. DEFINITIONS. Defines "employee" and "employer." Sec. 54.002. EXCEPTION FROM APPLICATION OF EMPLOYMENT-AT-WILL DOCTRINE. Prohibits an employer from discharging, except for cause, an employee who has been continuously employed by the employer for at least 10 years in any capacity. Sec. 54.003. REMEDIES. Provides that an employer who violates this chapter is liable for any loss of wages and employer-provided benefits incurred by the employee as a result of the violation and that the person discharged is entitled to reinstatement in the same or an equivalent position of employment with commensurate pay. Sec. 54.004. NOTICE; RULES. Requires employers to notify employees of their rights under this chapter by posting a prescribed sign in a prominent place in the workplace. Requires the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) to prescribe the sign's design and content and authorizes TWC to adopt the rules necessary to implement this chapter. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.