Texas Workforce Commission

Texas Workforce Commission headquarters

The Texas Workforce Commission is a governmental agency in the U.S. state of Texas that provides unemployment benefits and services related to employment to eligible individuals and businesses.[1]

For employers, TWC offers recruiting, retention, training and retraining, and outplacement services, as well as valuable information on labor law and unemployment insurance, tax-saving programs and labor market planning. For job seekers, TWC offers career development information, job search resources, training programs, and administers the unemployment benefits program.

TWC's online job-matching system, WorkInTexas.com, features thousands of opportunities for Texas jobseekers and qualified applicants for Texas employers.

One large program, the Skills Development Fund, is Texas' premier job–training program providing training dollars for Texas businesses to help workers learn new skills and upgrade existing skills.

Through TWC's new "Texas Back to Work" program, employers can earn up to $2,000 for each new employee they hire who has been receiving unemployment insurance.

TWC also administers the Texas Payday Law, Texas Child Labor Law and Child Care Services. TWC works with 28 Local Workforce Development Boards to provide employment assistance and promote self-sufficiency for customers. The boards oversee the delivery of child care services, employment and training programs for welfare recipients, as well as planning employment services in their area's Texas Workforce Centers. They also direct the services called for under the Workforce Investment Act.[2] The agency is headquartered in Downtown Austin.[3]

TWC is also responsible for administering the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act to investigate and regulate unlawful forms of discrimination in employment in the state of Texas. The Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (TCHRA) is codified in chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code although it is commonly still referred to as the TCHRA. The TCHRA/chapter 21 of the Texas Labor Code empowers the TWC similar to the federal Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) with analogous responsibilities at the state level.

Corruption

In 2013, a Fort Worth TWC employee was sentenced to six months in federal prison for identity theft and mail fraud. Deshon Haynes diverted unemployment insurance of deceased individuals and at least five other claimants. Haynes was also required to pay full restitution.

In 2011, the TWC was involved in a data breach exposing personal information of 3.5 million Texans, Encryption procedures to conceal Social Security, names, addresses, and other identifying material had not been utilized. The Texas Attorney General and the FBI reviewed security procedures

References

  1. ↑ What is the Texas Workforce Commission? Texas Workforce Commission. Retrieved on October 19, 2009.
  2. ↑ Compact With Texans Texas Workforce Commission. Retrieved on March 26, 2010.
  3. ↑ Chairman's Corner. Texas Workforce Commission. Retrieved on October 19, 2009.
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