Email: Chapter 21A, Article 1
§21A-1-1. Purpose of chapter.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide reasonable and effective means for the promotion of social and economic security by reducing as far as practicable the hazards of unemployment. In the furtherance of this objective, the Legislature establishes a compulsory system of unemployment reserves in order to:
(1) Provide a measure of security to the families of unemployed persons.
(2) Guard against the menace to health, morals and welfare arising from unemployment.
(3) Maintain as great purchasing power as possible, with a view to sustaining the economic system during periods of economic depression.
(4) Stimulate stability of employment as a requisite of social and economic security.
(5) Allay and prevent the debilitating consequences of poor relief assistance.
To give effect to these purposes the Legislature establishes the following system in the belief that the purposes are reasonably within the sphere of governmental control and that the agencies created for their accomplishment are the fairest and most effective devices now available.
It is the specific intent of the Legislature that the provisions of this article shall be construed as to comply with the Unemployment Compensation Amendments of 1976 (Public Law 94-566) and for that reason the provisions of this chapter are to be effective January 1, 1978.
§21A-1-2. Short title.
This chapter may be cited as the "Unemployment Compensation Law."
§21A-1-3.
Repealed.
Acts, 1996 Reg. Sess., Ch. 252.
§21A-1-4. Workforce West Virginia created; divisions within Workforce West Virginia created; certain terms defined; employer violator system.
(a) There is continued an agency designated Workforce West Virginia, composed of:
(1) Division of Unemployment Compensation;
(2) Division of Employment Service;
(3) Division of Workforce Development;
(4) Division of Research, Information and Analysis; and
(5) Any other divisions or units that the executive director determines are necessary.
(b) Wherever within this chapter the term "department", "bureau" or "fund" is used, it shall be taken to mean Workforce West Virginia unless otherwise indicated. Any reference in this code to the Bureau of Employment Programs means Workforce West Virginia. Any reference in this code to the Commissioner of the Bureau of Employment Programs or Employment Security means the Executive Director of Workforce West Virginia.
(c) Workforce West Virginia shall be administered pursuant to subsection (b), section one, article two, chapter five-f of this code.
(d) The Executive Director of Workforce West Virginia shall establish an employer violator system to identify individuals and employers who are in default on any assessment, surcharge, tax or penalty owed to the fund. The employer violator system shall prohibit violators who own, control or have a ten percent or more ownership interest, or other ownership interest as may be defined by the executive director, in any company from obtaining or maintaining any license, certificate or permit issued by the state until the violator has paid all moneys owed to the fund or has entered into and remains in compliance with a repayment agreement. The employer violator system shall work cooperatively with all state agencies to maintain an accurate, up-to-date list of violators which shall be available in electronic format and online for agencies and the public. Before an employer is added to the violator list, he or she shall be given notice and an opportunity for an expedited administrative hearing. The executive director shall propose for promulgation emergency and legislative rules to effectuate this subsection.
§21A-1-5. Federal-state cooperation.
The bureau shall cooperate with the United States department of labor, similar agencies of the several states, and such other agencies as are concerned with the problem of employment security and public assistance and relief.
§21A-1-6. Employment stabilization.
The bureau, through the commissioner and the advisory council, shall take all steps to:
(1) Reduce and prevent unemployment.
(2) Encourage and assist in the adoption of practical methods of vocational training and guidance.
(3) Encourage the establishment by the state and local subdivisions of public works reserves to finance construction programs in times of unemployment.
(4) Promote reemployment and employment readjustment between industries.
(5) Conduct researches and investigations toward these ends and publish the results.
§21A-1-7. State public employment agency to become state employment service division.
The "state public employment agency" now maintained in the department of labor shall be transferred on January 1, 1937, and shall be made the state employment service division of the Bureau of Employment Programs.
§21A-1-8. Cooperation within state.
Officers of the state and of its political subdivisions shall furnish to the commissioner upon his request such information relative to the purposes of this chapter as they may have in their possession.
§21A-1-9.
Repealed.
Acts, 2010 Reg. Sess., Ch. 32.