H. B. 2217
(By Delegates S. Cook, Stewart and Linch)
[Introduced February 22, 1993; referred to the
Committee on Industry and Labor then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend article three, chapter twenty-one of the code of
West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as
amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section
ten-a, relating to safety and welfare of employees;
establishing a guaranteed meal break for all employees.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article three, chapter twenty-one of the code of West
Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be
amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section ten-
a, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 3. SAFETY AND WELFARE OF EMPLOYEES.
§21-3-10a. Meal breaks.
During the course of a workday of six or more hours, all
employers shall make available for each of their employees, at
least twenty minutes for meal breaks, at times reasonably
designated by the employer. This provision shall not supersede
any clause, established practice or alternative arrangement
specifically provided in an applicable collective bargainingagreement or any alternative to a meal break agreed to between a
unionized bargaining unit representative and the employer.
NOTE: This bill requires employers to provide meal breaks
of at least twenty minutes for employees who work six or more
hours a day.
§21-3-10a is new; therefore, strike-throughs and
underscoring have been omitted.