As an employee in the state of West Virginia, you are covered by a variety of employment laws. For example, employers are required to pay hourly employees 1 ½ times their normal pay rate for any hours worked in excess of 40 in one workweek. (WV Code Sec. 21-5C-3(a)). As an alternative, employers can give hourly employees 1 ½ hours off work in lieu of paid overtime.

Recently enacted legislation also provides overtime pay for salaried employees in certain situations.

While it is true that most workers injured on the job can collect workers’ compensation benefits for their injuries, WV law also allows an injured worker to file a lawsuit against their employer in certain situations. 

If an employer exposes an employee to a known workplace hazard, they may be able to bring a claim for personal injury damages in addition to workers compensation benefits.   The law in this area is complex, and workers need to know they have rights when it comes to serious workplace injuries.  

We don't want to think about an emergency or an accident happening, but some simple planning makes dealing with these situations much easier. Whether it’s icy or wet roadways, traffic congestion or one of the many other traffic situation you may encounter, being prepared can go a long way.

Winter can be a rough time here in the Appalachian Mountains. While we rarely get “snowed in” for an extended period of time, we do experience hazardous road conditions throughout the winter months. So, what is the best way to deal with hazardous roads?