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Texas Payroll/Personnel Resource

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Agency-Specific Provisions
Goods and Services Provided to Employees

The Legislature has authorized specific state agencies to provide various goods and services to certain employees as follows:

Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) Meals

TDCJ employees assigned to work inside correctional facilities or on travel status may receive up to two free meals per shift, and employees residing in employee dormitories may receive three free meals per day. Other employees must be charged at least one dollar per meal.

State funds cannot be used to grow, purchase, prepare or provide food products for employees to use at their homes.

TDCJ Laundry Services

The agency may launder or dry clean the uniforms of correctional officers at no charge. TDCJ may not launder or dry clean other employee clothing or provide other services unless fees are charged to recover the cost of providing the services.

Other Information

The Board of Criminal Justice must adopt a written policy relating to meals and laundry services specifying the criteria used to award these benefits to employees, and develop a system to account for all costs related to these benefits and all revenues from collection of fees. Whenever practical, fees for employee services will be made by payroll deduction.

Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD)

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) will collect for services rendered to employees and guests by a deduction from the recipient’s salary or by cash payment in advance. Deductions and other receipts for these services from employees and guests are appropriated to the facility. Refunds of excess collections are made from the appropriation the collection was deposited to.

TJJD may compensate interns, chaplains in training and student nurses with housing facilities, meals and laundry service in exchange for services rendered. Food service personnel and volunteer workers may also be provided with free meals.

All Health and Human Services Agencies

Health and human services agencies will collect for services rendered to employees and guests by a deduction from the recipient’s salary or by cash payment in advance. Deductions and other receipts for these services from employees and guests are appropriated to the facility. Refunds of excess collections are made from the appropriation the collection was deposited to.

State-supported living centers, state mental health hospitals, the Rio Grande State Center or the Texas Center for Infectious Disease may provide free meals for food service personnel and volunteer workers, and may furnish housing facilities, meals and laundry service in exchange for services rendered by interns, chaplains in training and student nurses.

Sources

General Appropriations Act (GAA), Riders 8-9 and 11 in the appropriations to the Department of Criminal Justice; GAA, Rider 11 in the appropriations to the Juvenile Justice Department; GAA, Article II, Section 17 (special provisions relating to all health and human services agencies).