Section 61.019 - Failure to Pay Wages; Criminal Penalty(a) An employer commits an offense if:(1) at the time of hiring an employee, the employer intends to avoid payment of wages owed to the employee; and(2) the employer fails after demand to pay those wages.(b) An employer commits an offense if the employer:(1) intends to avoid payment of wages owed to an employee;(2) intends to continue to employ the employee; and(3) fails after demand to pay those wages.(c) An employer commits a separate offense under Subsection (b) for each pay period during which the employee earns wages that the employer fails to pay.(d) An offense under this section is a felony of the third degree.Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1158, Sec. 1, eff. 9/1/1997. Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 269, Sec. 1, eff. 9/1/1993.