WEST virginia legislature
2017 regular session
Committee Substitute
for
Senate Bill 224
By Senators Hall, Azinger and Trump
[Originating in the Committee on Workforce; reported on February 24, 2017]
A BILL to repeal §21-5-14, §21-5-14a and §21-5-16 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended; and to amend and reenact §21-5-15 of said code, relating to repealing the requirement for an employer’s bond for wages and benefits for certain designated employers; and related requirements.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §21-5-14, §21-5-14a and §21-5-16 of the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be repealed; and that §21-5-15 of said code be amended and reenacted to read as follows:
ARTICLE 5. WAGE PAYMENT AND COLLECTION.
§21-5-15. Violations; cease and desist orders and appeals therefrom; criminal penalties.
(a) Any person, firm or
corporation who knowingly and willfully fails to provide and maintain an
adequate bond as required by section fourteen of this article is guilty of a
misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $200
nor more than $5,000, or imprisoned in the county jail not more than one month,
or both fined and imprisoned.
(b) Any person, firm or corporation who knowingly,
willfully and fraudulently disposes of or relocates assets with intent to
deprive employees of their wages and fringe benefits is guilty of a felony and,
upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not less than $5,000 nor more than $30,000
$60,000, or imprisoned in the penitentiary state correctional
facility not less than one nor more than three years, or both fined and
imprisoned.
(c) (1) At any time the
commissioner determines that a person, firm or corporation has not provided or
maintained an adequate bond, as required by section fourteen of this article,
the commissioner shall issue a cease and desist order which is to be issued and
posted requiring that said person, firm or corporation either post an adequate
bond or cease further operations in this state within a period specified by the
commissioner; which period shall be not less than five nor more than fourteen
days. The cease and desist order may be issued by the commissioner at his or
her own instance or at his or her direction, with or without
application to or the approval of any other officer, agent, department or
employee of the state or application to any court for approval thereof. Any
person, firm or corporation who continues to engage in construction work or the
severance, production or transportation of minerals without an approved bond
after such specified period shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction
thereof, shall be fined not less than $5,000 nor more than $30,000, or
imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than one nor more than three years, or
both fined and imprisoned. Any cease and desist order issued by the
commissioner pursuant to this subsection may be directed by the commissioner to
the sheriff of the county wherein the business activity of which the order is
the subject, or to any officer or employee of the department, commanding such
sheriff, officer or employee to serve such order upon the business in question
within seventy-two hours and to make proper return thereof.
(2) Any other provision
of law to the contrary notwithstanding, any person against whom a cease and
desist order has been directed shall be entitled to judicial review thereof by
filing a verified petition taking an appeal therefrom within fifteen days from
the date of service of such order. Such verified petition shall be filed in the
circuit court of the county wherein service of the order was completed, at the
option of the petitioner, or, in the circuit court of Kanawha County, West
Virginia. If the appeal is not perfected within such fifteen day period, the
cease and desist order shall be final and shall not thereafter be subject to
judicial review. No appeal shall be deemed to have been perfected except upon
the filing with the clerk of the circuit court of the county wherein the appeal
is taken, of a bond or other security to be approved by the court, in an amount
of not less than the amount of the bond otherwise required to be posted under
the provisions of section fourteen of this article. The person so filing a
petition of appeal shall cause a copy of the petition and bond or other posted
security to be served upon the commissioner by certified mail, return receipt
requested, within seven days after the date upon which the petition for appeal
is filed.
(d) Any person who
threatens any officer, agent or employee of the department or other person
authorized to assist the commissioner in the performance of his or her
duties under any provision of section fourteen of this article or of this
section or who shall interfere with or attempt to prevent any such officer,
agent, employee or other person in the performance of such duties shall be guilty
of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined in an amount of not
less than $1,000 nor more than $3,000 or imprisoned in the penitentiary not
less than one nor more than three years, or both such fine and imprisonment.