EMPLOYEES

(a) The department may employ personnel as the duties of the department require. The commissioner shall provide to the department's employees, as often as necessary, information regarding their qualifications for employment and their responsibilities under applicable laws relating to standards of conduct for state employees. (b) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall develop a system of annual performance evaluations that are based on documented employee performance. All merit pay for department employees must be based on the system established under this subsection. (c) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall develop an intraagency career ladder program that addresses opportunities for mobility and advancement for employees within the department. The program shall require intraagency postings of all positions concurrently with any public posting. (d) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee shall prepare and maintain a written policy statement to assure implementation of a program of equal employment opportunity under which all personnel transactions are made without regard to race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin. The policy statement must include: (1) personnel policies, including policies relating to recruitment, evaluation, selection, appointment, training, and promotion of personnel that comply with the requirements of Chapter 21, Labor Code; (2) a comprehensive analysis of the department work force that meets federal and state guidelines; (3) procedures by which a determination can be made about the extent of underuse in the department work force of all persons for whom federal or state guidelines encourage a more equitable balance; and (4) reasonable methods to appropriately address those areas of underuse. (e) A policy statement prepared under Subsection (d) of this section must cover an annual period, be updated annually and reviewed by the Texas Commission on Human Rights for compliance with Subsection (d)(1) of this section, and be filed with the governor's office. (f) The governor's office shall deliver a biennial report to the legislature based on the information received under Subsection (e) of this section. The report may be made separately or as a part of other biennial reports made to the legislature.