Employment Law z z
Manual
for Texas Cities
z z
2019z
Editor:z
Lauraz
Muellerz
Associate
BojorquezzLawz Firm,zP.C.z
www.texasmunicipallawyers.com
Updatedz Februaryz 2020
i
,Thez followingz questionsz andz answersz providez az layperson’sz explanationz ofz statez andz
federalz employmentz lawsz asz theyz applyz toz Texasz municipalz officialsz andz arez intendedz toz
providez generalz guidancez onz thez issues.z Thez Texasz Municipalz Leaguez Legalz Departmentz
isz alwaysz availablez toz answerz questionsz fromz cityz officials.z Youz canz contactz usz atz
(512)z 231-7400z orz emailz usz atz .z Whilez manyz peoplez workedz onz thisz
document,z twoz attorneysz contributedz greatlyz toz thez substancez ofz thisz handbook.z
Kathrynz Hoang,z whoz isz nowz az municipalz judgez inz Dallas,z Texas,z andz Evelynz (Njuguna)z
Kimeu,z bothz originallyz preparedz muchz ofz thez materialz inz thisz book.z Coriz
(Eggeling)z Webb,z formerz TMLz lawz clerk,z contributedz thez Affordablez Healthz Carez
Act.z Heatherz Ford,z TMLz Legalz andz Legislativez Assistant,z helpedz update,z edit,z andz
formatz thisz documentz forz 2019.
ii
,CHAPTERz 1—Hiringz andz Termination ........................................................................................... 1
Whoz isz responsiblez forz hiringz cityz employees? ........................................................................... 1
Doz Iz havez toz postz noticez ofz orz advertisez az cityz jobz opening? ............................................... 1
Whatz isz discriminationz inz hiring?................................................................................................... 3
Shouldz az cityz adoptz az hiringz policy? ............................................................................................ 3
Canz az cityz requirez anz applicantz forz employmentz takez az drugz testz beforez hiringz thez
applicant? ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Whatz canz az cityz askz aboutz priorz criminalz activityz onz az jobz applicationz orz inz anz interview?
............................................................................................................................................................ 4
Canz az personz relatedz toz az councilmemberz orz mayorz bez hiredz byz thez city? ......................... 5
Canz wez terminatez anz employeez ifz thez employeez isz onz workersz compensationz leavez orz
otherz injuryz leave? ........................................................................................................................... 7
Canz az cityz terminatez anz employeez whoz appliesz forz publicz officez orz otherwisez
participatesz inz politicalz matters? ................................................................................................... 7
CHAPTERz 2—Independentz Contractors........................................................................................... 9
Whatz isz thez differencez betweenz anz independentz contractorz andz anz employee? ...................... 9
Canz anz employeez workz bothz asz anz employeez andz anz independentz contractorz forz thez samez
city? .................................................................................................................................................. 10
Shouldz az cityz givez anz independentz contractorz az W-2? ............................................................ 11
Whatz happensz ifz anz employeez isz misclassifiedz asz anz independentz contractor? .................... 11
Whatz canz az cityz doz toz ensurez itz isz classifyingz itsz employeesz andz independentz
contractorsz correctly? ...................................................................................................................... 12
Isz az cityz liablez forz thez actsz ofz anz independentz contractorz whilez onz cityz business? .......... 12
Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 13
CHAPTERz 3—Compensationz andz thez Fairz Laborz Standardsz Act .......................................... 15
Whatz isz thez Fairz Laborz Standardsz Act? ..................................................................................... 15
Isz myz cityz requiredz toz complyz withz thez FLSA? ...................................................................... 15
Whatz isz thez minimumz wage? ....................................................................................................... 15
Whichz employeesz arez requiredz toz bez paidz overtime? ............................................................... 15
Howz canz thez cityz differentiatez betweenz exemptz andz nonexemptz employees? ....................... 15
Doz wez havez toz payz overtimez ifz anz employeez worksz morez thanz eightz hoursz inz az day? .. 16
Doz wez havez toz payz overtimez orz doublez timez ifz anz employeez worksz onz az statez orz federalz
holiday?............................................................................................................................................. 16
Canz wez payz ourz employeesz inz compensatoryz timez insteadz ofz overtime? ............................. 17
Whenz doesz thez cityz havez toz payz compensatoryz time? ............................................................. 17
Howz manyz hoursz ofz compensatoryz timez canz anz employeez earn? .......................................... 17
Doesz thez cityz havez toz givez employeesz az certainz amountz ofz sick,z vacation,z orz otherz paidz
timez off?........................................................................................................................................... 17
Doesz thez cityz havez toz givez employeesz breaks? ......................................................................... 18
Whatz isz thez differencez betweenz az part-timez andz az full-timez employee? ............................... 18
Doz wez havez toz payz employeesz forz thez timez theyz spendz waitingz “onz call”? ...................... 18
Canz az cityz deductz fromz anz employee’sz salaryz orz requirez anz employeez toz reimbursez thez
cityz forz damagez toz orz lossz ofz cityz equipment,z suchz asz az laptopz computerz orz cellularz
phone? .............................................................................................................................................. 19
Canz az cityz officialz bez heldz individuallyz liablez forz violationsz ofz thez Fairz Laborz Standardsz
iii
, Act? ................................................................................................................................................... 19
Arez cityz officialsz protectedz byz anyz immunityz whenz anz FLSAz claimz isz filedz againstz them?
.......................................................................................................................................................... 20
Isz az cityz councilz authorizedz toz givez anz employeez az bonus? .................................................. 20
Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 21
CHAPTERz 4—Compensationz forz Publicz Safety ......................................................................... 23
Arez therez specialz FLSAz rulesz thatz applyz toz policez officersz andz firez fighters? ................... 23
Canz az cityz everz havez az totalz exemptionz fromz overtimez forz firez andz policez personnel? ... 23
Whichz firez andz policez employeesz arez countedz towardsz thez fivez employeesz usedz toz
calculatez thez exemption? ............................................................................................................... 23
Howz doesz thez 207(k)z exemptionz work? ..................................................................................... 24
Whichz lawz enforcementz andz firez protectionz employeesz canz bez coveredz byz thez 7(k)z
exemption? ........................................................................................................................................ 24
Arez therez anyz employeesz whoz engagez inz lawz enforcementz activitiesz thatz arez notz
coveredz byz thez 7(k)z exemption? ................................................................................................ 25
Doz “firez activities”z includez employeesz whoz arez paramedicsz andz firez fighters? ................... 25
Doesz thez 7(k)z exemptionz applyz toz volunteerz firez departments? .............................................. 25
Canz az statez lawz orz ordinancez givez morez overtimez benefitsz thanz thez FLSAz requires? ...... 25
Isz az policez chiefz consideredz exemptz underz thez executivez orz administrativez test? ............... 26
Doz wez havez toz payz ourz policez andz firez fightersz az minimumz amount? ............................... 26
Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 27
CHAPTERz 5—Leavez includingz Familyz andz Medicalz Leavez Act ............................................ 29
Whatz isz thez Familyz andz Medicalz Leavez Act? ........................................................................... 29
Isz myz cityz coveredz byz thez FMLA? ............................................................................................ 29
Whichz employeesz arez eligiblez forz leavez underz thez FMLA? .................................................... 29
Whatz isz az cityz requiredz toz doz ifz itz isz coveredz byz thez FMLAz butz doesz notz
havez anyz employeesz whoz arez eligiblez forz FMLAz leave?...................................................... 29
Whatz typesz ofz eventsz qualifyz forz leavez underz thez FMLA? .................................................... 30
Whatz benefitsz doz eligiblez employeesz enjoyz underz thez FMLAz forz qualifyingz events? ........ 30
Whatz intermittentz leavez benefitsz doesz anz employeez receivez underz thez FMLA? .................. 30
Whatz happensz whenz anz employeez returnsz fromz FMLAz leave?............................................... 31
Amz Iz requiredz toz payz anz employeez whoz isz onz leavez underz thez FMLA? ........................... 31
Whatz noticez requirementsz mustz az cityz providez toz employeesz underz thez FMLA? ............... 31
Whatz happensz ifz az cityz violatesz anz employee’sz FMLAz rights?.............................................. 32
Canz az cityz officialz bez personallyz liablez forz violationsz ofz thez Familyz Medicalz Leavez Act?
.......................................................................................................................................................... 32
Arez cityz officialsz protectedz byz anyz immunityz whenz anz FMLAz claimz isz filedz againstz them?
.......................................................................................................................................................... 32
Mayz anz eligiblez pregnantz employeez orz eligiblez employeez familyz memberz takez
FMLAz whilez expectingz az child? ................................................................................................ 32
Mayz anz eligiblez employeez takez FMLAz toz takez carez ofz az newborn?.................................... 33
Arez employersz requiredz toz providez specialz accommodationsz forz employeesz whoz
arez breastz feedingz mothers?......................................................................................................... 33
Howz oftenz doz employersz havez toz allowz nursingz employeesz toz takez az break? .................... 33
Doesz az nursingz employeez needz toz bez paidz forz breaksz usedz forz expressingz breastz milk? . 33
iv
Manual
for Texas Cities
z z
2019z
Editor:z
Lauraz
Muellerz
Associate
BojorquezzLawz Firm,zP.C.z
www.texasmunicipallawyers.com
Updatedz Februaryz 2020
i
,Thez followingz questionsz andz answersz providez az layperson’sz explanationz ofz statez andz
federalz employmentz lawsz asz theyz applyz toz Texasz municipalz officialsz andz arez intendedz toz
providez generalz guidancez onz thez issues.z Thez Texasz Municipalz Leaguez Legalz Departmentz
isz alwaysz availablez toz answerz questionsz fromz cityz officials.z Youz canz contactz usz atz
(512)z 231-7400z orz emailz usz atz .z Whilez manyz peoplez workedz onz thisz
document,z twoz attorneysz contributedz greatlyz toz thez substancez ofz thisz handbook.z
Kathrynz Hoang,z whoz isz nowz az municipalz judgez inz Dallas,z Texas,z andz Evelynz (Njuguna)z
Kimeu,z bothz originallyz preparedz muchz ofz thez materialz inz thisz book.z Coriz
(Eggeling)z Webb,z formerz TMLz lawz clerk,z contributedz thez Affordablez Healthz Carez
Act.z Heatherz Ford,z TMLz Legalz andz Legislativez Assistant,z helpedz update,z edit,z andz
formatz thisz documentz forz 2019.
ii
,CHAPTERz 1—Hiringz andz Termination ........................................................................................... 1
Whoz isz responsiblez forz hiringz cityz employees? ........................................................................... 1
Doz Iz havez toz postz noticez ofz orz advertisez az cityz jobz opening? ............................................... 1
Whatz isz discriminationz inz hiring?................................................................................................... 3
Shouldz az cityz adoptz az hiringz policy? ............................................................................................ 3
Canz az cityz requirez anz applicantz forz employmentz takez az drugz testz beforez hiringz thez
applicant? ............................................................................................................................................ 3
Whatz canz az cityz askz aboutz priorz criminalz activityz onz az jobz applicationz orz inz anz interview?
............................................................................................................................................................ 4
Canz az personz relatedz toz az councilmemberz orz mayorz bez hiredz byz thez city? ......................... 5
Canz wez terminatez anz employeez ifz thez employeez isz onz workersz compensationz leavez orz
otherz injuryz leave? ........................................................................................................................... 7
Canz az cityz terminatez anz employeez whoz appliesz forz publicz officez orz otherwisez
participatesz inz politicalz matters? ................................................................................................... 7
CHAPTERz 2—Independentz Contractors........................................................................................... 9
Whatz isz thez differencez betweenz anz independentz contractorz andz anz employee? ...................... 9
Canz anz employeez workz bothz asz anz employeez andz anz independentz contractorz forz thez samez
city? .................................................................................................................................................. 10
Shouldz az cityz givez anz independentz contractorz az W-2? ............................................................ 11
Whatz happensz ifz anz employeez isz misclassifiedz asz anz independentz contractor? .................... 11
Whatz canz az cityz doz toz ensurez itz isz classifyingz itsz employeesz andz independentz
contractorsz correctly? ...................................................................................................................... 12
Isz az cityz liablez forz thez actsz ofz anz independentz contractorz whilez onz cityz business? .......... 12
Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 13
CHAPTERz 3—Compensationz andz thez Fairz Laborz Standardsz Act .......................................... 15
Whatz isz thez Fairz Laborz Standardsz Act? ..................................................................................... 15
Isz myz cityz requiredz toz complyz withz thez FLSA? ...................................................................... 15
Whatz isz thez minimumz wage? ....................................................................................................... 15
Whichz employeesz arez requiredz toz bez paidz overtime? ............................................................... 15
Howz canz thez cityz differentiatez betweenz exemptz andz nonexemptz employees? ....................... 15
Doz wez havez toz payz overtimez ifz anz employeez worksz morez thanz eightz hoursz inz az day? .. 16
Doz wez havez toz payz overtimez orz doublez timez ifz anz employeez worksz onz az statez orz federalz
holiday?............................................................................................................................................. 16
Canz wez payz ourz employeesz inz compensatoryz timez insteadz ofz overtime? ............................. 17
Whenz doesz thez cityz havez toz payz compensatoryz time? ............................................................. 17
Howz manyz hoursz ofz compensatoryz timez canz anz employeez earn? .......................................... 17
Doesz thez cityz havez toz givez employeesz az certainz amountz ofz sick,z vacation,z orz otherz paidz
timez off?........................................................................................................................................... 17
Doesz thez cityz havez toz givez employeesz breaks? ......................................................................... 18
Whatz isz thez differencez betweenz az part-timez andz az full-timez employee? ............................... 18
Doz wez havez toz payz employeesz forz thez timez theyz spendz waitingz “onz call”? ...................... 18
Canz az cityz deductz fromz anz employee’sz salaryz orz requirez anz employeez toz reimbursez thez
cityz forz damagez toz orz lossz ofz cityz equipment,z suchz asz az laptopz computerz orz cellularz
phone? .............................................................................................................................................. 19
Canz az cityz officialz bez heldz individuallyz liablez forz violationsz ofz thez Fairz Laborz Standardsz
iii
, Act? ................................................................................................................................................... 19
Arez cityz officialsz protectedz byz anyz immunityz whenz anz FLSAz claimz isz filedz againstz them?
.......................................................................................................................................................... 20
Isz az cityz councilz authorizedz toz givez anz employeez az bonus? .................................................. 20
Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 21
CHAPTERz 4—Compensationz forz Publicz Safety ......................................................................... 23
Arez therez specialz FLSAz rulesz thatz applyz toz policez officersz andz firez fighters? ................... 23
Canz az cityz everz havez az totalz exemptionz fromz overtimez forz firez andz policez personnel? ... 23
Whichz firez andz policez employeesz arez countedz towardsz thez fivez employeesz usedz toz
calculatez thez exemption? ............................................................................................................... 23
Howz doesz thez 207(k)z exemptionz work? ..................................................................................... 24
Whichz lawz enforcementz andz firez protectionz employeesz canz bez coveredz byz thez 7(k)z
exemption? ........................................................................................................................................ 24
Arez therez anyz employeesz whoz engagez inz lawz enforcementz activitiesz thatz arez notz
coveredz byz thez 7(k)z exemption? ................................................................................................ 25
Doz “firez activities”z includez employeesz whoz arez paramedicsz andz firez fighters? ................... 25
Doesz thez 7(k)z exemptionz applyz toz volunteerz firez departments? .............................................. 25
Canz az statez lawz orz ordinancez givez morez overtimez benefitsz thanz thez FLSAz requires? ...... 25
Isz az policez chiefz consideredz exemptz underz thez executivez orz administrativez test? ............... 26
Doz wez havez toz payz ourz policez andz firez fightersz az minimumz amount? ............................... 26
Resources .......................................................................................................................................... 27
CHAPTERz 5—Leavez includingz Familyz andz Medicalz Leavez Act ............................................ 29
Whatz isz thez Familyz andz Medicalz Leavez Act? ........................................................................... 29
Isz myz cityz coveredz byz thez FMLA? ............................................................................................ 29
Whichz employeesz arez eligiblez forz leavez underz thez FMLA? .................................................... 29
Whatz isz az cityz requiredz toz doz ifz itz isz coveredz byz thez FMLAz butz doesz notz
havez anyz employeesz whoz arez eligiblez forz FMLAz leave?...................................................... 29
Whatz typesz ofz eventsz qualifyz forz leavez underz thez FMLA? .................................................... 30
Whatz benefitsz doz eligiblez employeesz enjoyz underz thez FMLAz forz qualifyingz events? ........ 30
Whatz intermittentz leavez benefitsz doesz anz employeez receivez underz thez FMLA? .................. 30
Whatz happensz whenz anz employeez returnsz fromz FMLAz leave?............................................... 31
Amz Iz requiredz toz payz anz employeez whoz isz onz leavez underz thez FMLA? ........................... 31
Whatz noticez requirementsz mustz az cityz providez toz employeesz underz thez FMLA? ............... 31
Whatz happensz ifz az cityz violatesz anz employee’sz FMLAz rights?.............................................. 32
Canz az cityz officialz bez personallyz liablez forz violationsz ofz thez Familyz Medicalz Leavez Act?
.......................................................................................................................................................... 32
Arez cityz officialsz protectedz byz anyz immunityz whenz anz FMLAz claimz isz filedz againstz them?
.......................................................................................................................................................... 32
Mayz anz eligiblez pregnantz employeez orz eligiblez employeez familyz memberz takez
FMLAz whilez expectingz az child? ................................................................................................ 32
Mayz anz eligiblez employeez takez FMLAz toz takez carez ofz az newborn?.................................... 33
Arez employersz requiredz toz providez specialz accommodationsz forz employeesz whoz
arez breastz feedingz mothers?......................................................................................................... 33
Howz oftenz doz employersz havez toz allowz nursingz employeesz toz takez az break? .................... 33
Doesz az nursingz employeez needz toz bez paidz forz breaksz usedz forz expressingz breastz milk? . 33
iv
