Sec. 661.062.  ENTITLEMENT TO PAYMENT FOR VACATION TIME.  (a)  A state employee who, at any time during the employee's lifetime, has accrued six months of continuous state employment and who resigns, is dismissed, or otherwise separates from state employment by a state agency other than an institution of higher education is entitled to be paid for the accrued balance of the employee's vacation time as of the date of separation, if the individual is not reemployed by the state in a position under which the employee accrues vacation leave during the 30-day period immediately following the date of separation from state employment.  A state employee who, at any time during the employee's lifetime, has accrued six months of continuous state employment and who resigns, is dismissed, or otherwise separates from state employment by an institution of higher education is entitled to be paid for the accrued balance of the employee's vacation time as of the date of separation.
(b)  A separation from state employment includes a separation in which the employee:
(1)  leaves one state agency to begin working for another state agency, if one or more workdays occur between the two employments and the individual is not reemployed by the state in a position under which the employee accrues vacation leave during the 30-day period immediately following the date of separation from state employment;
(2)  moves from a position in a state agency that accrues vacation time to a position in that agency that does not accrue vacation time, if the agency agrees to pay the employee for the accrued balance of the employee's vacation time;
(3)  moves from a position in a state agency that accrues vacation time to a position in another state agency that does not accrue vacation time, if the other state agency refuses to credit the employee for the balance of the employee's vacation time as of the date of the move;
(4)  moves from a position in a state agency that does not accrue vacation time to a position in another state agency that does not accrue vacation time, if the other state agency is not authorized or refuses to credit the employee for the balance of the employee's vacation time as of the date of the move;  or
(5)  holds two or more positions, and separates from one that accrues vacation time, if the agency agrees to pay the employee for the accrued balance of the employee's vacation time.
(c)  A separation under Subsection (b)(4) applies only with respect to the position from which the separation occurs.
(d)  State employment is continuous for purposes of Subsection (a) while the employee is entitled to be paid a regular state salary, except that continuity of state employment is not interrupted while the employee is on a leave of absence without pay for less than one calendar month.
(e)  The following are not entitled to payments under this subchapter:
(1)  an individual who holds an office that is normally filled by vote of the people;
(2)  an independent contractor or an employee of an independent contractor;
(3)  an operator of equipment or a driver of a team whose wages are included in the rental paid by a state agency to the owner of the equipment or team;
(4)  an individual employed on a piecework basis;  or
(5)  an individual covered by:
(A)  the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan One;
(B)  the Judicial Retirement System of Texas Plan Two;  or
(C)  the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, other than an individual described by Section 661.061(2)(E) or (F).
(f)  Payment for accrued vacation leave for employees of the legislative branch, including employees of the lieutenant governor, is determined as follows:
(1)  for employees of either house of the legislature, a member of the legislature, or the lieutenant governor, by the presiding officer of the appropriate house of the legislature;  and
(2)  for employees of a legislative agency, by the administrative head of the agency.
Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 268, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.  Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 76, Sec. 5.19, eff. Sept. 1, 1995;  Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1035, Sec. 43, eff. Sept. 1, 1997;  Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 279, Sec. 18, eff. Sept. 1, 1999;  Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 118, Sec. 2.06, eff. Sept. 1, 2001.