Charleston Gazette-Mail – The West Virginia House of Delegates has adopted a bill changing the legal definitions of when a worker in the state is an employee or an independent contractor. Read the full article.
The House adopted Senate Bill 272 by a margin of 77-23, the ratio of Republicans to Democrats in the GOP-controlled House.
The bill is described by supporters as clarifying the definition of an employee and that of an independent contractor and providing West Virginians more freedom to take work as independent contractors and have more control over how they spend their time.
People speaking against the bill say it makes it easier for employers in West Virginia to classify someone as an independent contractor and deny them workplace protections and benefits. They also said the bill opens businesses and employers to lawsuits under federal law if they fail to correctly classify and pay people working for them.
