Tex. Labor Code § 201.021
This is the official text of Tex. Labor Code § 201.021, part of Texas’s Labor Code — governs wages, workplace safety, and workers' compensation.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 201.021. GENERAL DEFINITION OF EMPLOYER.
Official statutory text
(a) In this subtitle, "employer" means an employing unit that:
(1) paid wages of $1,500 or more during a calendar quarter in the current or preceding calendar year; or
(2) employed at least one individual in employment for a portion of at least one day during 20 or more different calendar weeks of the current or preceding calendar year.
(b) The definition provided by this section does not apply to an employing unit covered by Section 201.023 or to farm and ranch labor covered by Section 201.028.
(c) An individual who performs a service in this state for an employing unit that maintains two or more separate establishments in this state is employed by a single employing unit for purposes of this subtitle.
(d) In this subsection, "franchisee" and "franchisor" have the meanings assigned by 16 C.F.R. Section 436.1. The definition of employer provided by this section does not apply to a franchisor with respect to:
(1) a franchisee; or
(2) a franchisee's employees.
(e) With respect to a specific claim for relief under this subtitle made by a franchisee or a franchisee's employee, Subsection (d) does not apply to a franchisor who has been found by a court of competent jurisdiction in this state to have exercised a type or degree of control over the franchisee or the franchisee's employees not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose of protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.
(1) paid wages of $1,500 or more during a calendar quarter in the current or preceding calendar year; or
(2) employed at least one individual in employment for a portion of at least one day during 20 or more different calendar weeks of the current or preceding calendar year.
(b) The definition provided by this section does not apply to an employing unit covered by Section 201.023 or to farm and ranch labor covered by Section 201.028.
(c) An individual who performs a service in this state for an employing unit that maintains two or more separate establishments in this state is employed by a single employing unit for purposes of this subtitle.
(d) In this subsection, "franchisee" and "franchisor" have the meanings assigned by 16 C.F.R. Section 436.1. The definition of employer provided by this section does not apply to a franchisor with respect to:
(1) a franchisee; or
(2) a franchisee's employees.
(e) With respect to a specific claim for relief under this subtitle made by a franchisee or a franchisee's employee, Subsection (d) does not apply to a franchisor who has been found by a court of competent jurisdiction in this state to have exercised a type or degree of control over the franchisee or the franchisee's employees not customarily exercised by a franchisor for the purpose of protecting the franchisor's trademarks and brand.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Texas?
Find a Texas lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.