Texas Commission on Human Rights Act — scope and coverage
Texas prohibits workplace discrimination through the Texas Commission on Human Rights Act (TCHRA), codified as Texas Labor Code Chapter 21. Under § 21.051, an employer commits an unlawful employment practice if, because of race, color, disability, religion, sex, national origin, or age, the employer fails or refuses to hire, discharges, or discriminates against an individual in connection with compensation or the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment, or limits, segregates, or classifies employees in a manner that would deprive them of employment opportunities.
TCHRA applies to employers with 15 or more employees for each working day in each of 20 or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year (§ 21.002(8)). This mirrors the federal Title VII threshold. State agencies, municipalities, and counties are covered regardless of size.
The Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division enforces TCHRA (§ 21.0015). TCHRA is modeled after federal civil rights statutes, and Texas courts routinely rely on federal precedent when interpreting Chapter 21.
Source: Tex. Lab. Code Ch. 21
TCHRA filing deadline — 180 days general, 300 days for sexual harassment
A complaint under TCHRA must be filed with the Texas Workforce Commission within 180 days of the alleged unlawful employment practice. The deadline is extended to 300 days for complaints alleging sexual harassment; this longer period applies to alleged sexual harassment occurring on or after September 1, 2021. The TWC dismisses untimely complaints. Because TCHRA requires exhaustion of administrative remedies before filing suit, missing the TWC deadline typically bars any later court action.
Source: Tex. Lab. Code § 21.202