EDUCATION CODE
TITLE 2. PUBLIC EDUCATION
SUBTITLE D. EDUCATORS AND SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS
CHAPTER 22. SCHOOL DISTRICT EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS
SUBCHAPTER A. RIGHTS, DUTIES, AND BENEFITS
Sec.22.001.SALARY DEDUCTIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL DUES. (a) A school district employee is entitled to have an amount deducted from the employee's salary for membership fees or dues to a professional organization. The employee must:
(1)file with the district a signed written request identifying the organization and specifying the number of pay periods per year the deductions are to be made; and
(2)inform the district of the total amount of the fees and dues for each year or have the organization notify the district of the amount.
(b)The district shall deduct the total amount of the fees or dues for a year in equal amounts per pay period for the number of periods specified by the employee. The deductions shall be made until the employee requests in writing that the deductions be discontinued.
(c)The school district may charge an administrative fee for making the deduction. A fee imposed for making a salary deduction under this section may not exceed either the actual administrative cost of making the deduction or the lowest fee the district charges for similar salary deductions, whichever is less.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.
Sec.22.002.ASSIGNMENT, TRANSFER, OR PLEDGE OF COMPENSATION. (a) In this section, "school employee" means any person employed by a school district in an executive, administrative, or clerical capacity or as a superintendent, principal, teacher, or instructor.
(b)Any school employee's assignment, pledge, or transfer, as security for indebtedness, of any interest in or part of the employee's salary or wages then due or that may become due under an existing contract of employment is enforceable only:
(1)if, before or at the time of execution, delivery, or acceptance of an assignment, pledge, or transfer, written approval is obtained in accordance with the policy of the employing school district; and
(2)to the extent that the indebtedness it secures is a valid and enforceable obligation.
(c)A school district shall honor an assignment, pledge, or transfer fulfilling the conditions of Subsection (b) without incurring any liability to the school employee executing the assignment, pledge, or transfer. Payment to any assignee, pledgee, or transferee in accordance with the terms of the instrument constitutes payment to or for the account of the assignor, pledgor, or transferor. An assignment, pledge, or transfer is enforceable only to the extent of salary due or that may become due during continuation of the assignor's employment as a school employee.
(d)Venue for any suit against the employer of a school employee to enforce an assignment, pledge, or transfer of salary is in the county where the employing school is located.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.
Sec.22.003.MINIMUM PERSONAL LEAVE PROGRAM. (a) A state minimum personal leave program consisting of five days per year personal leave with no limit on accumulation and transferable among districts shall be provided for school district employees.School districts may provide additional personal leave beyond this minimum.The board of trustees of a school district may adopt a policy governing an employee's use of personal leave granted under this subsection, except that the policy may not restrict:
(1)the purposes for which the leave may be used; or
(2)the order in which an employee may use the state minimum personal leave and any additional personal leave provided by the school district.
(b)In addition to all other days of leave provided by this section or by the school district, an employee of a school district who is physically assaulted during the performance of the employee's regular duties is entitled to the number of days of leave necessary to recuperate from all physical injuries sustained as a result of the assault. At the request of an employee, the school district must immediately assign an employee to assault leave and, on investigation of the claim, may change the assault leave status and charge the leave against the employee's accrued personal leave or against an employee's pay if insufficient accrued personal leave is available. Days of leave taken under this subsection may not be deducted from accrued personal leave. The period provided by this subsection may not extend more than two years beyond the date of the assault. Notwithstanding any other law, assault leave policy benefits due to an employee shall be coordinated with temporary income benefits due from workers' compensation so that the employee's total compensation from temporary income benefits and assault leave policy benefits equals 100 percent of the employee's weekly rate of pay.
(c)For purposes of Subsection (b), an employee of a school district is physically assaulted if the person engaging in the conduct causing injury to the employee:
(1)could be prosecuted for assault; or
(2)could not be prosecuted for assault only because the person's age or mental capacity makes the person a nonresponsible person for purposes of criminal liability.
(c-1)Any informational handbook a school district provides to employees in an electronic or paper form or makesavailable by posting on the district website must include notification of an employee's rights under Subsection (b) in the relevant section of the handbook.Any form used by a school district through which an employee may request leave under this section must include assault leave under Subsection (b) as an option.
(d)A school district employee with available personal leave under this section is entitled to use the leave for compensation during a term of active military service. This subsection applies to any personal or sick leave available under former law or provided by local policy of a school district, including a home-rule school district.
(e)A school district, including a home-rule school district, may adopt a policy providing for the paid leave of absence of employees taking leave for active military service as part of the consideration of employment by the district.
(f)A public school employee who retains any sick leave accumulated under former Section 13.904(a), as that section existed on January 1, 1995, is entitled to use the sick leave provided under that section or the personal leave provided under Subsection (a) in any order to the extent that the leave the employee uses is appropriate to the purpose of the leave.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 936, Sec. 1, eff. June 18, 1997; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1015, Sec. 1, eff. June 15, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 971, Sec. 2, eff. June 20, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 19 (S.B. 522), Sec. 1, eff. May 12, 2009.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 379 (H.B. 1470), Sec. 1, eff. June 19, 2009.
Sec.22.004.GROUP HEALTH BENEFITS FOR SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. (a) A district shall participate in the uniform group coverage program established under Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, as provided by Subchapter D of that chapter.
(b)A district that does not participate in the program described by Subsection (a) shall make available to its employees group health coverage provided by a risk pool established by one or more school districts under Chapter 172, Local Government Code, or under a policy of insurance or group contract issued by an insurer, a company subject to Chapter 842, Insurance Code, or a health maintenance organization under Chapter 843, Insurance Code.The coverage must meet the substantive coverage requirements of Chapter 1251, Subchapter A, Chapter 1364, and Subchapter A, Chapter 1366, Insurance Code, and any other law applicable to group health insurance policies or contracts issued in this state.The coverage must include major medical treatment but may exclude experimental procedures.In this subsection, "major medical treatment" means a medical, surgical, or diagnostic procedure for illness or injury.The coverage may include managed care or preventive care and must be comparable to the basic health coverage provided under Chapter 1551, Insurance Code.The following factors shall be considered in determining whether the district's coverage is comparable to the basic health coverage specified by this subsection:
(1)the deductible amount for service provided inside and outside of the network;
(2)the coinsurance percentages for service provided inside and outside of the network;
(3)the maximum amount of coinsurance payments a covered person is required to pay;
(4)the amount of the copayment for an office visit;
(5)the schedule of benefits and the scope of coverage;
(6)the lifetime maximum benefit amount; and
(7)verification that the coverage is issued by a provider licensed to do business in this state by the Texas Department of Insurance or is provided by a risk pool authorized under Chapter 172, Local Government Code, or that a district is capable of covering the assumed liabilities in the case of coverage provided through district self-insurance.
(c)The cost of the coverage provided under the program described by Subsection (a) shall be paid by the state, the district, and the employees in the manner provided by Subchapter F, Chapter 1579, Insurance Code.The cost of coverage provided under a plan adopted under Subsection (b) shall be shared by the employees and the district using the contributions by the state described by Subchapter F, Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, or Subchapter D.
(d)Each district that does not participate in the program described by Subsection (a) shall prepare a report addressing the district's compliance with this section.The report must be available for review, together with the policy or contract for the group health coverage plan, at the central administrative office of each campus in the district and be posted on the district's Internet website if the district maintains a website, must be based on the district group health coverage plan in effect during the current plan year, and must include:
(1)appropriate documentation of:
(A)the district's contract for group health coverage with a provider licensed to do business in this state by the Texas Department of Insurance or a risk pool authorized under Chapter 172, Local Government Code; or
(B)a resolution of the board of trustees of the district authorizing a self-insurance plan for district employees and of the district's review of district ability to cover the liability assumed;
(2)the schedule of benefits;
(3)the premium rate sheet, including the amount paid by the district and employee;
(4)the number of employees covered by the health coverage plan offered by the district; and
(5)information concerning the ease of completing the report.
(e)Repealed by Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1312, Sec. 99(1), eff. September 1, 2013.
(f)A school district that does not participate in the program described by Subsection (a) may not contract with an insurer, a company subject to Chapter 842, Insurance Code, or a health maintenance organization to issue a policy or contract under this section, or with any person to assist the school district in obtaining or managing the policy or contract unless, before the contract is entered into, the insurer, company, organization, or person provides the district with an audited financial statement showing the financial condition of the insurer, company, organization, or person.
(g)An insurer, a company subject to Chapter 842, Insurance Code, or a health maintenance organization that issues a policy or contract under this section and any person that assists the school district in obtaining or managing the policy or contract for compensation shall provide an annual audited financial statement to the school district showing the financial condition of the insurer, company, organization, or person.
(h)An audited financial statement provided under this section must be made in accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner of insurance or with generally accepted accounting principles, as applicable.
(i)Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a district participating in the uniform group coverage program established under Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, may not make group health coverage available to its employees under this section after the date on which the program of coverages provided under Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, is implemented.
(j)This section does not preclude a district that is participating in the uniform group coverage program established under Chapter 1579, Insurance Code, from entering into contracts to provide optional insurance coverages for the employees of the district.
(k)Notwithstanding any other law, an employee of a district participating in the uniform group coverage program under Subsection (a) or providing group health coverage under Subsection (b) whose resignation is effective after the last day of an instructional year is entitled to participate or be enrolled in the uniform group coverage plan or the group health coverage through the earlier of:
(1)the first anniversary of the date participation in or coverage under the uniform group coverage plan or the group health coverage was first made available to district employees for the last instructional year in which the employee was employed by the district; or
(2)the last calendar day before the first day of the instructional year immediately following the last instructional year in which the employee was employed by the district.
(l)If an employee's resignation is effective after the last day of an instructional year, the district may not diminish or eliminate the amount of a contribution available to the employee under Chapter 1581, Insurance Code, before the last date on which the employee is entitled to participation or enrollment under Subsection (k).
(m)Notwithstanding any other law, group health benefit coverage provided by or offered through a district to district employees under any law is subject to the requirements of Sections 1501.102-1501.105, Insurance Code.This section applies to all group health benefit coverage provided by or offered through a district to district employees, including:
(1)a standard health benefit plan issued under Chapter 1507, Insurance Code; and
(2)health and accident coverage provided through a risk pool established under Chapter 172, Local Government Code.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1416, Sec. 37, eff. Sept. 1, 1997; Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 1540, Sec. 28, eff. Sept. 1, 1999; Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1187, Sec. 3.18, eff. Sept. 1, 2001; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 785, Sec. 56, eff. Sept. 1, 2003; Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 10A.511, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.
Amended by:
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 386 (S.B. 1448), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 728 (H.B. 2018), Sec. 11.108, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 899 (S.B. 1863), Sec. 18.01, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1359 (S.B. 1691), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2005.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 108 (H.B. 973), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1230 (H.B. 2427), Sec. 14, eff. September 1, 2007.
Acts 2009, 81st Leg., R.S., Ch. 103 (H.B. 1364), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2009.
Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 370 (S.B. 155), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011.
Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1312 (S.B. 59), Sec. 99(1), eff. September 1, 2013.
Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 931 (S.B. 1664), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2017.
Sec.22.005.HEALTH CARE PLAN AND FUND. (a) The board of trustees of a school district may establish a health care plan for employees of the district and dependents of employees.
(b)In implementing the health care plan, the board shall establish a fund to pay, as authorized under the plan, all or part of the actual costs for hospital, surgical, medical, dental, or related health care incurred by employees of the district or any dependent whose participation in the program is being supported by deductions from the salary of an employee. Under the plan, the fund also may be used to pay the costs of administering the fund. The fund consists of money contributed by the school district and money deducted from salaries of employees for dependent or employee coverage. Money for the fund may not be deducted from the salary of a school district employee unless the employee authorizes the deduction in writing. The plan shall attempt to protect the school district against unanticipated catastrophic individual loss, or unexpectedly large aggregate loss, by securing individual stop-loss coverage, or aggregate stop-loss coverage, or both, from a commercial insurer.
(c)The board may amend or cancel the district's health care plan at any regular or special meeting of the board. If the plan is canceled, any valid claim against the fund for payment of health care costs resulting from illness or injury occurring during the time the plan was in effect shall be paid out of the fund. If the fund is insufficient to pay the claim, the costs shall be paid out of other available school district funds.
Added by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 260, Sec. 1, eff. May 30, 1995.
Sec.22.006.DISCRIMINATION BASED ON JURY SERVICE PROHIBITED. (a) A school district may not discharge, discipline, reduce the salary of, or otherwise penalize or discriminate against a school district employee because of the employee's compliance with a summons to appear as a juror.
(b)For each regularly scheduled workday on which a nonsalaried employee serves in any phase of jury service, a school district shall pay the employee the employee's normal daily compensation.
(c)An employee's accumulated personal leave may not be reduced because of the employee's service in compliance with a summons to appear as a juror.
Added by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 656, Sec. 1, eff. Aug. 30, 1999.
Sec. 22.007.INCENTIVES FOR EARLY RETIREMENT. A district may not offer or provide a financial or other incentive to an employee of the district to encourage the employee to retire from the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1359 (S.B. 1691), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2005.
Sec. 22.011.REQUIRING OR COERCING EMPLOYEES TO MAKE CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS. (a)A school district board of trustees or school district employee may not directly or indirectly require or coerce any school district employee to:
(1)make a contribution to a charitable organization or in response to a fund-raiser; or
(2)attend a meeting called for the purpose of soliciting charitable contributions.
(b)A school district board of trustees or school district employee may not directly or indirectly require or coerce any school district employee to refrain from:
(1)making a contribution to a charitable organization or in response to a fund-raiser; or
(2)attending a meeting called for the purpose of soliciting charitable contributions.
Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 284 (H.B. 1682), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011.
SUBCHAPTER B. CIVIL IMMUNITY
Sec.22.051.DEFINITION; OTHER IMMUNITY. (a)In this subchapter, "professional employee of a school district" includes:
(1)a superintendent, principal, teacher, including a substitute teacher, supervisor, social worker, school counselor, nurse, and teacher's aide employed by a school district;