89R41 KKR-F     By: Guillen H.B. No. 1843       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to requirements regarding an employee's normal weekly   hours of work under the shared work unemployment compensation   program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 215.022(a), Labor Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  The commission may approve a shared work plan if:                (1)  the plan:                      (A)  applies to and identifies a specific affected   unit;                      (B)  identifies the employees in the affected unit   by name and social security number and describes how the employees   will be notified in advance of the plan, if feasible;                      (C)  provides an estimate of the number of   employees who would be laid off if the employer does not participate   in the shared work plan;                      (D)  reduces the normal weekly hours of work for   an employee in the affected unit by at least 10 percent but not more   than 50 [40] percent;                      (E)  applies to at least 10 percent of the   employees in the affected unit; and                      (F)  permits eligible employees to participate in   training;                (2)  the employer certifies that the implementation of   a shared work plan and the resulting reduction in work hours is in   lieu of layoffs that would:                      (A)  affect at least 10 percent of the employees   in the affected unit; and                      (B)  result in an equivalent reduction in work   hours;                (3)  the employer certifies that:                      (A)  if the employer currently provides fringe   benefits, the fringe benefits continue for employees in the   affected unit unless those benefits are not continued for employees   not participating in the shared work plan; and                      (B)  participation in the shared work plan is   consistent with the employer's obligations under state and federal   law; and                (4)  the employer agrees to furnish the commission   reports relating to the operation of the plan as requested by the   commission and any other information the United States secretary of   labor determines is appropriate.          SECTION 2.  Section 215.041(b), Labor Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (b)  An individual is eligible to receive shared work   benefits for a week in which:                (1)  the individual is employed as a member of an   affected unit subject to a shared work plan that was approved before   that week and is in effect for that week;                (2)  the individual is able to work and is available for   additional hours of work or for full-time work with the   participating employer; and                (3)  the individual's normal weekly hours of work have   been reduced by at least 10 percent but not more than 50 [40]   percent, with a corresponding reduction in wages.          SECTION 3.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies   only to an initial shared work plan or a shared work plan   modification submitted by an employer to the Texas Workforce   Commission on or after the effective date of this Act. An initial   shared work plan or a shared work plan modification submitted   before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law as it   existed on the date the plan or modification was submitted, and the   former law is continued in effect for that purpose.          (b)  A shared work plan modification submitted to the Texas   Workforce Commission on or after the effective date of this Act that   modifies a shared work plan approved by the commission before the   effective date and would reduce an individual's normal weekly hours   of work more than 50 percent is considered to be a substantial   modification under Section 215.025, Labor Code, and the modified   plan must be evaluated and approved by the commission as provided by   that section before implementation.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.