Employee handbook requirements in Texas (2026)
A compliant Texas employee handbook layers Texas-specific policies on top of the
federal baseline.
Below are the 7 Texas-specific requirements in our library, plus the federal baseline that also applies.
Standard state
7 Texas-specific items
110 federal baseline items
Texas-specific handbook requirements
Policies driven by Texas state law that a handbook should address.
Texas Payday Law
Pay / Payroll
Texas requires final wages paid by next regular payday (voluntary separation) or within 6 days (involuntary).
Authority: Texas Payday Law, Tex. Lab. Code §§ 61.001-61.095; TWC Rule § 821.28 (final pay timing)
Texas Biometric Identifier Policy (CUBI)
Required
Biometric Information Privacy
Texas CUBI Act: written consent before capture; no sale; reasonable security; destruction within 1 year of purpose fulfilled or 1 year after last interaction.
Authority: TX Business and Commerce Code §§ 503.001 et seq. (Capture or Use of Biometric Identifier / CUBI)
Texas Meal/Rest Break Requirements (None Mandated)
Meal / Rest Breaks
Texas does not require employers to provide meal or rest periods to adult employees. When breaks are voluntarily provided: FLSA rules control compensation — rest breaks ≤20 min are compensable; bona fide meal periods (30+ min; completely relieved of duties) are not.
Authority: FLSA (no Texas meal/rest break requirement); TX Workforce Commission guidance; TX Health & Safety Code (nursing breaks for lactating employees only)
Texas Healthcare Non-Compete Restriction (SB 1318)
Confidentiality
Texas SB 1318 (effective September 1, 2025) restricts non-compete agreements for physicians and healthcare practitioners. For physicians: non-compete must not exceed 1 year in duration, must include a buy-out option (salary equivalent for restriction period), and must not be broader than necessary to protect legitimate business interests. For other healthcare practitioners: similar restrictions apply. Prior TX Covenants Not to Compete Act is amended to add these requirements.
Authority: Tex. Bus. & Com. Code §§ 15.50 et seq. (Texas Covenant Not to Compete Act); TX SB 1318 (2025 — physician non-compete reform); Texas Medical Board rules
Texas Responsible AI Governance Act (TX TRAIGA)
Required
AI Tools
Texas Responsible AI Governance Act (TRAIGA, effective January 1, 2026) regulates high-risk AI systems used in consequential employment decisions. Employers using AI for hiring, promotion, termination, performance evaluation, pay, or work assignment must: (1) ensure a human reviews or can override AI decisions; (2) provide notice to affected individuals; (3) not discriminate on protected class basis. No disclosure to employees required about specific AI systems. Attorney General enforcement with 60-day cure period.
Authority: TX HB 149 (2025) (Texas Responsible Artificial Intelligence Governance Act / TX TRAIGA); TX Gov. Code §§ 552A.001 et seq.; eff. Jan 1, 2025; TX AG enforcement
Texas NDA Prohibition — Sexual Assault and Abuse
Confidentiality
Texas SB 835 (effective September 1, 2025) prohibits non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that prevent an employee from disclosing facts regarding sexual assault or sexual abuse in the workplace. Any NDA or confidentiality clause that attempts to prohibit disclosure of facts related to sexual assault or abuse is void and unenforceable. Employers cannot require employees to sign such NDAs as a condition of employment.
Authority: TX SB 835 (2025) (TX NDA prohibition for sexual assault/abuse claims); TX Business & Commerce Code § 92.001 et seq.; Eff. Sept 1, 2025
Texas — No Paid Sick Leave Mandate
Paid Sick Leave
Texas has no statewide paid sick leave law. The major Texas city ordinances (Austin, San Antonio, Dallas) that attempted to require paid sick leave have been blocked or enjoined. As of 2026, no Texas locality has an enforceable paid sick leave ordinance. Employers operating in Texas are subject only to federal law and their own voluntary policies. If the employer voluntarily provides paid sick leave, the policy should clearly describe terms; FLSA applies to any leave that counts as compensable time.
Authority: TX H.B. 2127 (2023) (preemption of local employment ordinances); TX Payday Law (no PSL mandate); Tex. Gov. Code § 655.002 (preemption)
Generate a Texas-compliant handbook
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Federal requirements that also apply in Texas
110 federal baseline policies span these areas — every Pacta handbook includes them.
Assignment / Placement Agreement · 10
DOT / FMCSA Compliance · 10
Arbitration Agreement · 8
Code of Conduct · 6
Benefits · 5
Confidentiality · 5
Offer Letter · 5
Employee Classification · 4
Pay / Payroll · 4
Safety / Workers' Comp · 4
Separation / Final Pay · 4
Introduction / At-Will · 3
Timekeeping · 3
Accommodation (Disability) · 2
Assignment Lifecycle · 2
Drug-Free / Alcohol · 2
EEO / Protected Classes · 2
Expense Reimbursement · 2
Harassment · 2
Hiring / Onboarding · 2
Remote Work · 2
Social Media / Recording · 2
Three-Party Relationship · 2
AI Tools · 1
Arbitration · 1
Bereavement · 1
Driving / Vehicles · 1
Emergency Procedures · 1
Employee Records · 1
FMLA / Family Leave · 1
Gifts / Anti-Bribery · 1
Jury Duty Leave · 1
Lactation / Nursing Mothers · 1
Meal / Rest Breaks · 1
Military Leave · 1
Overtime · 1
Paid Sick Leave · 1
Pay Transparency · 1
Pay Transparency Notice · 1
Pregnancy / Parental Leave · 1
Salary Basis / Safe Harbor · 1
Voting Leave · 1
Texas handbook FAQ
Does Texas require employers to have an employee handbook?
No U.S. state requires an employee handbook outright. But Texas requires that a number of employment policies be provided to employees in writing, and a handbook is the standard, defensible way to do that. This page is informational only and is not legal advice.
What does a Texas employee handbook need to include?
A compliant handbook layers Texas-specific policies on top of the federal baseline (equal-opportunity, at-will, leave, anti-harassment, pay practices and more). The Texas-specific items are listed on this page; the exact set depends on your headcount, industry, and the localities you operate in.
How do I create a compliant Texas handbook?
Pacta's handbook generator builds a federal base plus a Texas state addendum tailored to your company, then returns a formatted draft you can edit. Every draft must be reviewed by qualified employment counsel before you distribute it to employees.
Handbook requirements in other states
This page is general information about Texas employment-policy requirements, not legal advice,
and may not reflect the most current law. AI-generated handbooks must be reviewed and approved by qualified
employment counsel licensed in the applicable jurisdiction(s) before distribution to employees.