WV Press News Sharing
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Senators Rich Lindsay, D-8th, and Hannah Geffert, D-16th, and Delegate Cody Thompson, D-43rd, held a press conference on Tuesday to discuss a plan by the Democrat minority at the West Virginia Legislature to provide pay fairness in West Virginia.
The three legislators explained various bills being introduced to addressing the issues.
Senator Geffert noted that West Virginians can’t be expected to work for minimum wage if work-related expenses eat up most of their salaries. The proposed legislation also addresses fairness for wages for women and cost of living adjustments for retired state employees.
Below is the information provided by the legislators to explain the bills:
Fair Pay Legislation
Raise the Minimum Wage
SB 428- Relating Generally to Minimum Wage (Geffert)
- Removes the proviso excluding employers who have eighty percent of his or her employees subject to a federal act relating to maximum hours and overtime compensation, increase the minimum wage to $10.50 after December 31, 2022, and by requiring the minimum wage to be annually increased with the rate of inflation as determined by the consumer price index.
HB 2840– Increase state minimum wage (Thompson)
– Gradual increase up to $15
Minimum Wage Constitutional Amendment
No bill number yet (submitted)
- Ties minimum wage increases to the consumer price index, with a minimum of $10.50/hr.
- Lets the people decide
Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughn Fair Pay Act
SB 473– Creating Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan Fair Pay Act (Beach)
HB 3247- Creating the Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan Fair Pay Act(Fleischauer)
- Codifies an employee’s right to inquire about wages under the Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan Fair Pay Act. It requires an employer to provide a wage range to applicants; and provides for civil and criminal penalties for violations.
SB 531- Increasing annual salaries of certain state employees (Blair, Baldwin – Governor’s Bill)
HB 3109- Salary increase for teachers and school service personnel (Thompson)
HB 2058- Providing a pay increase for full-time adult protective service workers (Thompson)
Cost-of-living Increase for Retired State Employees
SB 233- Providing $1,000 cost-of-living adjustment to certain PERS and State Teachers Retirement System retirees (Romano)
SB 432– Providing one-time bonus for Public Employees Retirement System and State Teachers Retirement System (Nelson)
- $1500 COLA for retirees over 70 with at least 20 years of service
