Employer Awards
Nomination period is open from April 21, 2023, to June 19, 2023.
On this page:
Employer Awards Nomination Guidelines
Local Workforce Development Boards (Boards) may submit nominations for private-sector employers that operate a business in their local workforce development area and that are in good standing with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) Tax department.
Boards may nominate one private-sector employer for each employer category. Private-sector employers are employing units, as defined in Texas Labor Code §201.011(11), and include partnerships, associations, corporations, and educational and nonprofit institutions that are not:
- a political subdivision under TWC Chapter 821 Texas Payday rule §821.4;
- an individual or entity subject to Titles 2, 3, or 4 of the Texas Government Code; or
- a unit of government of another state, the United States, or a foreign nation.
The nominations must be submitted through the Microsoft Forms nomination links provided on this page. Nominations for Employer Awards require Boards to submit the following information:
- Board contact information
- Confirmation that the Board executive director and Board chair are aware of the nomination submission
- Employer nominee information
- Confirmation the Board is aware that TWC will conduct background reviews, such as unemployment insurance tax status, OSHA violations, and lawsuit activity
- A description of how the employer has worked with the Texas workforce system and met the goal of ensuring that employers and workers have the resources and skills that Texas needs to remain economically competitive
- Supporting documentation, including:
- endorsements or letters of support;
- print, electronic, or video news stories;
- correspondence;
- other relevant supporting documentation.
- Conference materials information
Additionally, Boards may use the planning document provided for each award category to plan responses prior to submission.
Board executive directors and Board chairs must be notified of all Workforce Award nominations submitted on behalf of the Board.
The Awards Committee will accept nominations until close of business on Monday, June 19, 2023.
Questions regarding the awards may be sent to awards@twc.texas.gov.
TWC notified system partners about the Texas workforce system’s Employer of the Year Awards and asked them to work with Boards to identify employers embodying innovation and partnership when addressing workforce needs.
Refer to the letter sent to system partners: Letter to System Partners
Award Submission Tips
Please refer to the following tips and reminders to best prepare nomination responses:
- Microsoft Forms supports the following browsers:
- Chrome
- Firefox
- Safari
- Microsoft Edge
- Most fields are required; however, if there is no response for a field, enter “N/A.”
- To help plan nomination responses, you may complete the Planning document provided with each award description on this page and then copy and paste responses into Microsoft Forms.
- Formatting does not transfer when you copy and paste into Microsoft Forms. Once you paste into Microsoft Forms, please add any paragraph breaks by using the Enter/Return key.
- There is no option to review your submission before clicking “Submit” on the final screen. Use the “Back” and “Next” buttons to navigate from page to page and review responses.
- Select “Submit” to submit the nomination. Upon submission of the nomination form, a thank-you message will appear on the screen.
Note: Documents may not be uploaded in Microsoft Forms. Please send any supporting documents to awards@twc.texas.gov.
Large Employer of the Year
The Large Employer of the Year Award honors a large private-sector employer whose efforts and initiatives have had an extraordinary effect on the state of Texas, workers, other employers, and the communities in which the employer does business. The nomination should recognize a large employer (500 employees or more) that is a customer of the workforce system and has created or used innovative approaches to best support the mission of the Texas workforce system to ensure Texas remains competitive in the global economy. The nomination should focus on initiatives that positively affect current workers, future workers, and/or workers with challenges that may make transitioning into the workforce difficult, such as Unemployment Insurance claimants, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients, Second Chance individuals, separating military personnel, and individuals with disabilities.
The nomination should highlight initiatives, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Training and retaining employees
- Upgrading worker skills
- Job creation or redesign
- Child care solutions
- Job sharing and telecommuting
- Activities with students, schools, colleges, training providers, and workforce education or development programs
- Community involvement and collaboration
Use the following document for planning purposes: Large Employer of the Year Award Planning Document
Use the Microsoft Forms link to submit a nomination: Large Employer of the Year Nomination Form
Small Employer of the Year
The Small Employer of the Year Award honors a small private-sector employer whose efforts and initiatives have had an extraordinary effect on the state of Texas, workers, other employers, and the communities in which the employer does business. The nomination should recognize a small employer (fewer than 500 employees) that is a customer of the workforce system and that has created or used innovative approaches to best support the mission of the Texas workforce system to help ensure Texas remains competitive in the global economy. The nomination should focus on initiatives that have a positive effect on current workers, future workers, and/or workers with challenges that may make transitioning into the workforce difficult, such as Unemployment Insurance claimants, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families recipients, Second Chance individuals, separating military personnel, and individuals with disabilities.
The nomination should highlight initiatives, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Training and retaining employees
- Upgrading worker skills
- Job creation or redesign
- Child care solutions
- Job sharing and telecommuting
- Activities with students, schools, colleges, training providers, and workforce education or development programs
- Community involvement and collaboration
Use the following document for planning purposes: Small Employer of the Year Award Planning Document
Use the Microsoft Forms link to submit a nomination: Small Employer of the Year Award Nomination Form
Veteran-Friendly Employer of the Year
The Veteran-Friendly Employer of the Year Award honors a private-sector employer whose efforts to recruit and hire veterans have had a significant effect on veterans in the local workforce development area and across the state.
The nomination should recognize an employer that is a customer of the workforce system and that has used innovative approaches to attract veterans. Nominations should focus on employers whose initiatives positively affect future and current veteran employees.
The nomination should highlight initiatives and programs, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Recruiting and hiring practices for attracting veterans
- Employer policies that give preference to hiring veterans (for example, veterans resource group)
- Policies that support veterans in the workplace
- The number of veterans employed by the employer and the number of veterans hired in the past year
- Programs and benefits designed to recruit veterans
At least 10 percent of the employer’s workforce must be veterans.
Use the following document for planning purposes: Veteran-Friendly Employer of the Year Award Planning Document
Use the Microsoft Forms link to submit a nomination: Veteran-Friendly Employer of the Year Award Nomination Form
HireAbility Employer of the Year
The HireAbility Employer of the Year Award honors a private-sector employer whose initiatives have positively impacted the state of Texas, workers, other employers, and the communities in which the employer does business by promoting successful employment opportunities for talented and dedicated Texans with disabilities. The nomination should recognize an employer that is a customer of the workforce system and uses innovative approaches to foster an inclusive workforce and hire Texans with disabilities. The nomination should focus on the employer’s initiatives that impact current and future workers. It should describe how the employer has worked with the Local Workforce Development Board (Board) and Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation Services staff to ensure access to Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) services, referrals, and employment opportunities for VR customers.
The nomination should highlight initiatives, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Recruiting and hiring practices that promote inclusivity and attract job seekers with disabilities
- Employer policies that encourage disability self-disclosure in the workplace
- Policies that support and advance employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities
- Inclusive training and retraining practices
- Programs and benefits designed to recruit workers with disabilities
Use the following document for planning purposes: HireAbility Employer of the Year Award Planning Document
Use the Microsoft Forms link to submit a nomination: HireAbility Employer of the Year Award Nomination Form
Local Employer of Excellence
The Local Employer of Excellence Award honors one private-sector employer in each local workforce development area (workforce area) whose efforts and initiatives, in relationship with the Texas workforce system, have had a positive effect on other employers, workers, and the community. The nomination should recognize one employer who, as a customer of and collaborator with the Local Workforce Development Board, created or used innovative approaches to support the Texas workforce system’s mission of ensuring that Texas remains economically competitive. Describe the nominee’s involvement with the Texas workforce system and how this partnership benefited the workforce area.
Use the following document for planning purposes: Local Employer of Excellence Award Planning Document
Use the Microsoft Forms link to submit a nomination: Local Employer of Excellence Award Nomination Form
