The annual workforce conference hosted by The Texas Workforce Commission recognizes employers who collaborate with the local workforce system, designing initiatives that enhance community resources and foster the skills vital for Texas to sustain its competitive edge.
Employer Awards Nomination Guidelines
Nominees for Employer Awards must be private-sector employers operating a business within the local workforce development area and maintaining a favorable status overall, including compliance with the Texas Workforce Commission Tax department.
Nominations are limited to the Microsoft Forms links provided. To submit a nomination for an Employer Award, Boards must provide the following:
- Board contact information (contact name, email, etc.);
- Confirmation of acknowledgement from the Board Executive Director and Board Chair regarding the nomination submission;
- Nominee information (such as employer physical address, employer contact name, Federal Employer Identification Number, Unemployment Insurance Tax ID, etc.);
- Confirmation of the Board's recognition regarding the required TWC background reviews, such as unemployment insurance tax status, OSHA violations, and lawsuit activity;
- A narrative explaining how the employer, in collaboration with the Texas workforce system, has contributed to the goal of equipping employers and workers with the resources and skills necessary for Texas to maintain competitiveness;
- Supporting documentation, including endorsements or letters of support, print, electronic or video news coverage, correspondence, or other relevant supporting documentation; and
- Information required for the inclusion in conference materials.
Boards are required to submit nominations for Employer Awards through the Microsoft Forms nomination links provided on this page. Additionally, Boards have the option to utilize the planning document provided for each award category to prepare their responses prior to submission.
All nominations must be received on or before Friday, June 14, 2024. Questions regarding the awards may be sent to awards@twc.state.tx.us.
Microsoft Forms Submission Tips
Award nominations can be submitted through Microsoft Forms. To assist in preparing nomination responses, Boards are encouraged to follow the tips and reminders below.
- Use Google Chrome or Internet Explorer 11 when using Microsoft Forms.
- Nomination responses must be completed in one session within Microsoft Forms; there is no option to save progress.
- All fields within Microsoft Forms are required. If there is no response for a field, enter “N/A.”
- To facilitate planning of nomination responses, utilize the provided Word document accompanying each award description on this page. Complete the document, then copy and paste your responses into Microsoft Forms.
- When copying and pasting into Microsoft Forms, formatting will not transfer. After pasting, add paragraph breaks by using the Enter/Return key.
- There is no option to review submissions before clicking “Submit” to finalize the nomination on the last screen. However, you can use the “Back” and “Next” buttons to navigate through pages and review responses. We recommended Boards to utilize the provided Word document for planning responses.
- Click “Submit” to submit a nomination. Upon submission, a “thank you” message will appear on screen.
- Please be aware that documents cannot be uploaded directly in Microsoft Forms. Kindly send any supporting documents to awards@twc.texas.gov.
Award Categories and Judging Criteria
The Large Employer of the Year award honors a private-sector employer with 500 employees or more, whose endeavors and initiatives resulted in an exceptional impact on the state of Texas, as well as the employers, workers, and community in which the employer operates. This recognition honors the contributions of a large-scale employer that, as a supporter and partner of the Texas workforce system, has demonstrated innovative approaches in recruitment, training, and retention of employees; advancement of worker skills; job restructuring; providing child care solutions; utilization of technology; or engagement in community collaboration. The award focuses on employer excellence and operational outcomes that have positively impacted employers, workers and the local community, and has developed a close partnership with and successful use of Texas workforce system services.
Each Board may submit one nomination recognizing a large local employer.
- To help you plan: Large Employer of the Year Nomination Form Questions
- Microsoft Forms Link to Submit a Nomination: Large Employer of the Year Nomination Form
Judging Criteria
Judges will evaluate nominations based on the information provided. The nomination questions and possible points for each are:
Nomination Questions | Maximum Points |
| Describe in no more than 350 words why the Board is nominating this employer and how the employer’s efforts support its local workforce development area and the Texas workforce system’s goal of ensuring that both employers and workers have the resources and skills Texas needs to remain competitive. (Please note that some of this information will be used for the employer awards booklet, so provide as many specifics as possible.) | No points |
| Describe the employer’s involvement with and innovative approaches to best supporting the needs of the Texas workforce system. Include the scope of any initiatives, budget, human resource requirements, time invested, and time frames. | 20 |
| Explain how the Texas workforce system gains leverage, capacity, and advantages from these efforts. | 10 |
| Describe how the employer contributes to its local community. | 10 |
| Explain how others are using or might replicate these efforts. | 5 |
| Describe the employer’s economic impact or other measurable results, such as new business opportunities, job creation, upgraded worker skills, or improved new-hire retention, as they relate to workers, the local community, and the state of Texas within the past 12 months or most recent reporting period. | 25 |
| Describe the employer’s collaborative efforts with business organizations, educational partners, and/or labor organizations to improve local economic development | 20 |
| Describe the reasons job seekers would choose this employer over other employers. | 5 |
Provide documented endorsements or letters of support that highlight connections to one or more of the following:
| 5 |
The Small Employer of the Year Award honors a private-sector employer with fewer than 500 employees whose endeavors and initiatives resulted in an exceptional impact on the state of Texas, as well as the employers, workers, and community in which the employer operates. This recognition honors the contributions of a large-scale employer that, as a supporter and partner of the Texas workforce system, has demonstrated innovative approaches in recruitment, training, and retention of employees; advancement of worker skills; job restructuring; providing child care solutions; utilization of technology; or engagement in community collaboration. The award focuses on employer excellence and operational outcomes that have positively impacted employers, workers and the local community, and has developed a close partnership with and successful use of Texas workforce system services.
For eligibility in this award category, a small employer is defined as an independently-owned business with fewer than 500 employees, operating within the Board's local workforce development area (workforce area). A locally-owned franchise qualifies as a small employer if the business has fewer than 500 employees. However, businesses that are part of a chain owned and operated by a larger corporation would not qualify as small employers. Similarly, a large corporation with a small branch in the workforce area would not meet the criteria for a small employer.
Each Board may submit one nomination recognizing a small local employer.
- To help you plan: Small Employer of the Year Nomination Form Questions
- Microsoft Forms Link to Submit a Nomination: Small Employer of the Year Nomination Form
Judging Criteria
Judges will evaluate nominations based on the information provided. The nomination questions and possible points for each are:
Nomination Questions | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| Provide a clear and concise overview of no more than 350 words describing the employer’s contribution to its local workforce development area and the Texas workforce system’s goal of ensuring that both employers and workers have the resources and skills Texas needs to remain competitive. (Please note that some of this information will be used for the employer awards booklet, so provide as many specifics as possible.) | No points |
| Describe the employer’s involvement with and innovative approaches to best supporting the needs of the Texas workforce system. Include the scope of any initiatives, the budget, human resource requirements, time invested, and time frames. | 20 |
| Explain how the Texas workforce system gains leverage, capacity, and advantages from these efforts. | 10 |
| Describe how the employer contributes to the community. | 10 |
| Explain how others are using or might replicate these efforts. | 5 |
| Describe the employer’s economic impact or other measurable results relating to workers, the local community, and the state of Texas within the past 12 months or most recent reporting period (for example, new business, job creation, upgraded worker skills, and improved new-hire retention). | 25 |
| Describe collaborative efforts both inside and outside the workforce system with business organizations, educational partners, and labor organizations to improve local economic development. | 20 |
| Describe the reasons job seekers would choose this employer over other employers. | 5 |
Provide documented endorsements or letters of support that highlight connections to one or more of the following:
| 5 |
The Veteran-Friendly Employer of the Year Award acknowledges the endeavors of a private-sector employer with established hiring practices aimed at effectively recruiting and employing veterans.
This recognition acknowledges employers who have implemented innovative strategies in recruiting, hiring, and retaining veterans within their company. The award focuses on outcomes and initiatives that support both veteran employers and veteran job seekers.
Each Board may submit one nomination recognizing a veteran-friendly employer.
- To help you plan: Veteran-Friendly Employer of the Year Nomination Form Questions
- Microsoft Forms Link to Submit a Nomination: Veteran-Friendly Employer of the Year Nomination Form
Judging Criteria
Judges will evaluate nominations and award points based on the information provided. The nomination questions and possible points for each response are:
Nomination Questions | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| Provide a clear and concise overview of no more than 350 words describing the employer’s contributions to veterans in the Texas workforce system. | No points |
| Identify and describe the employer’s programs and benefits designed to recruit veterans, including innovative business practices used to increase veteran recruitment. | 20 |
| Describe the employer’s policies that give preference to hiring veterans, referring veterans, or include any other veteran-friendly policies. Provide the positive impact these policies have on the employer’s business results. | 10 |
| Describe the nominee’s initiatives that improve current and future veteran employees’ career opportunities. | 10 |
| Explain how other businesses may replicate these efforts. | 5 |
| Provide the number of veterans employed, the total number of employees, and the percentage of veterans employed. Include the number of veterans hired from January 2023 to December 2023 and the total number of employees hired during this time period. | 20 |
| Describe collaborative efforts with business organizations, educational partners, and community organizations to improve veteran employment opportunities in the nominee’s workforce area. | 15 |
| Identify any internal resources and/or activities that benefit employed veterans (for example, newsletters or resources to help with employment and/or other job-related assistance). | 5 |
| Is the employer a “We Hire Vets” employer? | 5 |
| Explain the reasons veteran job seekers would choose this employer over other employers. | 5 |
| Provide documented endorsements, newspaper articles, awards, or letters of support highlighting the nominee’s contribution to veteran-friendly employment. | 5 |
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 workers, the community, and other employers. Nominations should recognize an employer that, as a customer of its Local Workforce Development Board (Board), created or used innovative approaches to support the Texas workforce system’s mission statement and helped ensure that Texas remains economically competitive. Nominations should describe the employer’s involvement with the Texas workforce system and how this partnership benefitted its workforce area.
Each Board may nominate one private-sector employer for this award. 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.
To be eligible for this award, a nominee must operate a business within its workforce area, have one or more employees, and be in good standing overall with the TWC Tax department. Each Board may set its own additional criteria.
- To help you plan: Local Employer of Excellence Nomination Form Questions
- Microsoft Forms Link to Submit a Nomination: Local Employer of Excellence Nomination Form
The HireAbility Employer of the Year Award honors a private-sector employer that has positively impacted the state of Texas, workers, other employers, and the communities in which the nominated employer does business by promoting successful employment opportunities for talented and dedicated Texans with disabilities. Nominations should recognize an employer that is a customer of the workforce system, uses innovative approaches to foster an inclusive workforce, and hires Texans with disabilities. Responses should focus on the employer’s initiatives that impact current and future workers. Each nomination should describe how the nominated employer has worked with its Local Workforce Development Board (Board) and Texas Workforce Solutions Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services staff to ensure access to VR services, referrals, and employment opportunities with the nominated employer for VR customers.
Each nomination should highlight initiatives including, but not limited to, the following:
- Recruiting and hiring practices that promote inclusivity and attract qualified 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 qualified workers with disabilities
Each Board may nominate one private-sector employer for this award. 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.
To help you plan: HireAbility Employer of the Year Nomination Form Questions
Microsoft Forms Link to Submit a Nomination: HireAbility Employer of the Year Nomination Form
Judging Criteria
Judges will evaluate nominations and award points based on the information provided. The nomination questions and possible points for each response are:
Nomination Questions | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| Provide a clear and concise overview of no more than 350 words describing the employer’s contributions to individuals with disabilities in the Texas workforce system. | No points |
| Identify and describe the employer’s programs or benefits designed to recruit qualified individuals with disabilities. These may include innovative business practices used to increase recruitment. | 20 |
| Describe the positive and significant impacts hiring individuals with disabilities has had on the employer’s business results. | 20 |
| Indicate how the employer’s innovative methods or initiatives improve the career opportunities of current and future employees with disabilities. | 20 |
| Provide the total number and percentage of employees with disabilities employed by the nominee. | 10 |
| Describe the employer’s community activities that benefit employees with disabilities, as well as other community partners and individuals. | 10 |
| Describe the nominee's collaborative efforts with business organizations, educational partners, or community organizations that improve employment opportunities for job seekers with disabilities in the local workforce development area. | 10 |
| Explain how other employers may replicate these efforts in their hiring initiatives. | 5 |
| Provide documented endorsements, newspaper articles, or letters of support highlighting the nominee’s contributions to successful employment opportunities for talented and dedicated Texans with disabilities. | 5 |
The All-Star College of the Year Award honors a community college, technical college, or Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service that has improved the Texas workforce system and its local community by identifying, creating, and contributing to worker skills enhancement and training that best supports business needs. This higher-education partner focuses on skills gaps and uses innovative approaches to best support the Texas workforce to remain economically competitive.
Local Workforce Development Boards (Boards) are encouraged to submit one nomination for the All-Star College of the Year Award. The nominee must currently have a Skills Development Fund grant.
Each nomination should highlight examples of the qualifications listed, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Partnership efforts with employers or local workforce development areas (workforce areas)
- Planning and designing training programs that meet the needs of employers
- The impacts that the program or grant-funded skills training has had on the workforce area
- The number of trainees that have benefited or will benefit from the training program
- How the training program fits into TWC’s greater workforce development strategy
TWC will review the nominee’s performance data to ensure that the grantee is meeting compliance and all other related requirements.
To help you plan: All-Star College of the Year Nomination Form Questions
Microsoft Forms Link to Submit a Nomination: All-Star College of the Year Nomination Form
Judging Criteria
Judges will evaluate nominations and award points based on the information provided. The nomination questions and possible points for each response are:
Nomination Questions | Maximum Points |
|---|---|
| Provide a clear and concise overview of no more than 350 words describing the nominee’s contribution to the Texas workforce system. | No points |
| Identify and describe the nominee’s innovative approach or practices that help its workforce area. | 20 |
| Describe the positive and significant impacts that the nominee’s training program has had on local businesses. | 15 |
| Describe initiatives that improve current and future students’ career opportunities. | 10 |
| Provide the number of students enrolled in and the number of students who completed the grant-funded program. Include the number of individuals who participated from January 2023 to December 2023. | 20 |
| Describe the nominee’s collaborative efforts with business organizations, community organizations, and other educational partners to improve opportunities in the workforce area. | 15 |
| Identify any nominee resources and/or activities that benefit educational outcomes and the needs of participants (Example: resources to assist with educational gaps.). | 5 |
| Explain how the nominee contributes to economic development in the workforce area. | 5 |
| Explain the reasons this nominee’s program should be chosen over other nominated programs. | 5 |
| Provide documented endorsements, newspaper articles, awards, or letters of support highlighting the program’s contribution to workforce skills enhancement. | 5 |