H. B. 2492

(By Delegate Staton)
[Introduced March 11, 1997; referred to the
Committee on Industry and Labor then the Judiciary.]

A BILL to amend article four, chapter eighteen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section thirteen-a, relating to providing a criminal penalty for willful violation of employee rights.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article four, chapter eighteen-a of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section thirteen-a, to read as follows:
ARTICLE 4. COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
§18A-4-13a. Willful violation; penalties.
Any person who willfully and intentionally violates any provision of section seven-a, seven-b, eight-b, eight-c, eight-f, eight-g or fourteen, of this article, or section two, six, seven, eight or eight-a of article two, chapter eighteen-a of this code, or section eighteen-a, article five, chapter eighteen of this code, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than five hundred nor more than five thousand dollars. The provisions of this section are separate from and in addition to any other relief that may be available at law for violations of the provisions set forth herein.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide a criminal penalty for willful violation of employee rights and thereby deter such actions.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.