WEST virginia Legislature

2016 regular session

Introduced

Senate Bill 617

By Senator Blair

[Introduced February 17, 2016;
Referred to the Committee on Government Organization.]

A BILL to amend and reenact §6-7-1 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, relating to setting pay periods to a semi-monthly schedule for officers and employees of the state, state institutions of higher education and the Higher Education Policy Commission.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That §6-7-1 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended and reenacted to read as follows:

ARTICLE 7. COMPENSATION AND ALLOWANCES.

§6-7-1. State officials, officers and employees to be paid at least twice per month semi-monthly; new employees paid in arrears; effective date.

All full-time and part-time salaried and hourly officials, officers and employees of the state, state institutions of higher education and the Higher Education Policy Commission shall be paid at least twice per month semimonthly, and under the same procedures and in the same manner as the State Auditor currently pays agencies: Provided, That on and after July 1, 2002, all new officials, officers and employees of the state, a state institution of higher education and the Higher Education Policy Commission, statutory officials, contract educators with higher education and any exempt official who does not earn annual and sick leave, except elected officials, shall be paid one pay cycle in arrears. The term “new employee” does not include an employee who transfers from one state agency, a state institution of higher education or the Higher Education Policy Commission to another state agency, another state institution of higher education or the Higher Education Policy Commission without a break in service: Provided, however, That, after July 1, 2014, all state employees paid on a current basis will be converted to payment in arrears. For accounting purposes only, any payments received by such employees at the end of the pay cycle of the conversion pay period will be accounted for as a credit due the state. Notwithstanding any other code provision to the contrary, any such credit designation made for accounting of this conversion will be accounted for by the Auditor at the termination of an employee=s employment and such accounting shall be documented in the employee’s final wage payment. Nothing contained in this section is intended to increase or diminish the salary or wages of any official, officer or employee. The amendment to this section enacted during the 2016 Regular Session of the Legislature shall be effective immediately upon its passage.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to return all salaried and hourly state employees to a semimonthly payment schedule for their wages.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.