Background checks - Texas

Summary of differences between federal and state regulations

Arrest and conviction record inquiries

Texas has no laws or regulations specifically prohibiting arrest or conviction record inquiries.

State

Contacts

Employer immunity from disclosure claims

Texas Workforce Commission

Arrest record inquiries

Texas Commission on Human Rights

Texas Department of Public Safety

Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Conviction record inquiries

Texas Commission on Human Rights

Texas Department of Public Safety

Regulations

Employer immunity from disclosure claims

Texas Labor Code, Title 3, Chapter 103, Disclosure by employer of information regarding certain employees or former employees

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/SOTWDocs/LA/htm/LA.103.htm

Texas Labor Code, Title 2, Chapter 52, Subchapter D, Section §52.031, Blacklisting offense; penalty

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/SOTWDocs/LA/htm/LA.52.htm#52.031

Vernon’s Texas Civil Statute, Title 83, Chapter 12, Article §5196, Discrimination

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/SOTWDocs/CV/htm/CV.83.12.htm#5196

Arrest record inquiries

Texas Family Code, Title 3, Chapter 58, Subchapter A, Section §58.003, Sealing of records

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/SOTWDocs/FA/htm/FA.58.htm#58.003

Texas Code of Criminal Procedure, Title 1, Chapter 55, Article §55.01, Right to expunction

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/SOTWDocs/CR/htm/CR.55.htm#55.01

Texas Health & Safety Code, Title 9, Subtitle A, Chapter 765, Criminal history record information checks of employees of residential dwelling projects

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/SOTWDocs/HS/htm/HS.765.htm

Texas Government Code, Title 4, Subchapter F, Chapter 411, Section §411.118, Access to criminal history record information: employer at residential dwelling project

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/SOTWDocs/GV/htm/GV.411.htm#411.118

Conviction record inquiries

Texas Family Code, Title 3, Chapter 58, Subchapter A, Section §58.003, Sealing of records

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/SOTWDocs/FA/htm/FA.58.htm#58.003

Texas Health & Safety Code, Title 9, Subtitle A, Chapter 765, Criminal history record information checks of employees of residential dwelling projects

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/SOTWDocs/HS/htm/HS.765.htm

Texas Government Code, Title 4, Subchapter F, Chapter 411, Section §411.118, Access to criminal history record information: employer at residential dwelling project

http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/SOTWDocs/GV/htm/GV.411.htm#411.118

Federal

Contacts

Employer immunity from disclosure claims

None.

Arrest record inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Conviction record inquiries

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

Regulations

Employer immunity from disclosure claims

None.

Arrest record inquiries

None; however, EEOC published the enforcement guidance, Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, on April 25, 2012.

Conviction record inquiries

None; however, EEOC published the enforcement guidance, Consideration of Arrest and Conviction Records in Employment Decisions Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, on April 25, 2012.