COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE

FOR

Senate Bill No. 347

(By Senators Snyder, Miller, Green, Sypolt, Unger and Fitzsimmons)

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[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary;

reported April 1, 2013.]

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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §6C-3-2a, relating to requiring the Public Employees Grievance Board in conjunction with the Division of Personnel to provide training seminars for chief administrators and persons who conduct level one hearings and conferences under the public employees’ grievance process; stating certain training requirements; requiring chief administrators and persons who conduct level one hearings and conferences to obtain certain training; and permitting a registration fee for the training.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §6C-3-2a, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 3. WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES GRIEVANCE BOARD.

§6C-3-2a. Level one hearing and conference training seminars.

    (a) The Public Employees Grievance Board, in conjunction with the Division of Personnel, shall provide at least one training seminar each year for chief administrators and persons who conduct level one hearings and conferences, under the provisions of article two of this chapter, to help ensure level one hearings and conferences are being conducted in a uniform manner.

    (b) Each training seminar shall include instruction on the following:

    (1) The time limits involved in a grievance;

    (2) The process and procedure for each level of the grievance procedure;

    (3) The rights of participants in the grievance procedure;

    (4) Writing the decision; and

    (5) Any other topic the Public Employees Grievance Board or the Division of Personnel determine necessary or informative.

    (c) On and after January 1, 2014, all chief administrators and persons who conduct level one hearings and conferences, under the provisions of article two of this chapter, shall have attended a training seminar provided in accordance with this section.

    (d) A newly appointed chief administrator and a newly appointed person who conducts level one hearings and conferences, under the provisions of article two of this chapter, shall attend the training seminar prior to conducting level one hearings and conferences.

    (e) The Public Employees Grievance Board and the Division of Personnel may charge a registration fee for the training seminar to cover the cost of providing the training seminar.

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    (NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to require the Public Employees Grievance Board to provide training seminars for chief administrators and persons who conduct level one hearings and conferences under the public employees’ grievance process.

    §6C-3-2a is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.)