West Virginia Code § 21-5-7

Prime contractor's responsibility for wages and benefits
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(a) Whenever any person, firm, or corporation shall contract with another for the
performance of any work which the prime contracting person has undertaken to perform for
another, the prime contractor shall become civilly liable to employees engaged in the
performance of work under the contract for the payment of wages and fringe benefits
relating to such work only, exclusive of attorney's fees, interest, liquidated deamages, or any
other damages of any kind, as provided in §21-5-4(e) of this code, or other applicable law
and/or common law, to the extent that the employer of the employee farils to pay the wages
and fringe benefits: for work performed under the contract with the prime contractor. The
employer, and its shareholders, owners, directors, and officers shall be personally and civilly
liable to the prime contractor for any sums paid under this section, including attorney's fees.
(b) Any individual or entity seeking redress pursuant to subsection (a) of this section must:
(1) Notify the prime contractor, by certified mail, only that wages or fringe benefits have not
been paid within 100 days of the date the wages orl fringe benefits become payable to the
employee; and s
(2) Commence the action within one year oif the date the employee delivered notice to the
prime contractor pursuant to subdivgision (1) of this subsection.
(c) The employer of the employee to whom wages and/or fringe benefits are owed, shall
whenever feasible provide, immediately upon request by the employee or the prime
contractor, complete payroll records relating to work performed under the contract with the
prime contractor.
(d) Whenever the em ployee to whom wages and/or fringe benefits are due is represented by
a union or othVer plan administrator, the union or other plan administrator, shall whenever
feasible, immediately upon notice of a claim hereunder, cooperate with the employee and the
prime contractor to identify and quantify the wages and fringe benefits owed for work
performed under the contract with the prime contractor. Further, if the union or agents
thereof or other plan administrator, including, but not limited to, third party administrators,
trustees, administrators, or employees, become aware that an employer is not timely in the
payment of wages and/or fringe benefits, the union or other plan administrator shall
immediately notify the affected employee and the prime contractor for whom the affected
employee provided work.
(e) A prime contractor must notify the owner and the architect prior to the completion of the
contract if any subcontractor has not been paid in full.

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