{"data":{"id":"us-tx/tex.-labor-code-61.019","jurisdiction":"us-tx","citation":"Tex. Labor Code § 61.019","heading":"FAILURE TO PAY WAGES; CRIMINAL PENALTY.","body":"(a) An employer commits an offense if:\n(1) at the time of hiring an employee, the employer intends to avoid payment of wages owed to the employee; and\n(2) the employer fails after demand to pay those wages.\n(b) An employer commits an offense if the employer:\n(1) intends to avoid payment of wages owed to an employee;\n(2) intends to continue to employ the employee; and\n(3) fails after demand to pay those wages.\n(c) An employer commits a separate offense under Subsection (b) for each pay period during which the employee earns wages that the employer fails to pay.\n(d) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree.\nActs 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1158, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.","path":["LABOR CODE","TITLE 2. PROTECTION OF LABORERS","SUBTITLE C. WAGES","CHAPTER 61. PAYMENT OF WAGES","SUBCHAPTER B. PAYMENT OF WAGES"],"source_url":"https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/LA/htm/LA.61.htm#61.019","current_through":"89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T01:47:24Z","sha256":"32c02e60ef677a2edd4c317c3d8a20620f2342123c972044fbd8c4925eaa7440","source_id":"us-tx","stale":false,"prev":"us-tx/tex.-labor-code-61.018","next":"us-tx/tex.-labor-code-61.020"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}