HB0131 Wage claim assignment and investigations.

Wage claim assignment and investigations.

AN ACT relating to labor and employment; authorizing the department of workforce services to accept assignment of wage claims; authorizing the department to bring legal action regarding assigned wage claims; authorizing the department to investigate certain activities to aid enforcement of laws related to wages; and providing for an effective date.

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Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide a bill summary text, which limits the ability to verify certain details.

Wage Claim Assignment and Investigations

This act allows the Department of Workforce Services in Wyoming to accept wage claims from employees, bring legal action for those claims, and investigate employers who have filed for bankruptcy.

What This Bill Does

Allows the Department of Workforce Services to take over wage claims made by workers if they ask.

Gives the department permission to sue on behalf of workers whose wages are owed.

Enables the department to look into companies that have declared bankruptcy to check how they treat their employees and pay them.

Who It Names or Affects

Workers who need help getting paid what they're owed by their employers.

Employers, especially those in industries that might file for bankruptcy.

The Department of Workforce Services which will handle wage claims and conduct investigations.

Terms To Know

Wage claim

A request by an employee to be paid money owed, such as unpaid wages or overtime pay.

Bankruptcy

When a company or person can't pay their debts and asks the court for help in dealing with them.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill did not pass, so it is inactive and has no effect.

It only applies to workers and employers in Wyoming.

Bill History

2020-03-11 House

H:Died in Committee Returned Bill Pursuant to HR 5-4

2020-02-26 House

H No report prior to CoW Cutoff

2020-02-10 House

H Introduced and Referred to H09 - Minerals 59-0-1-0-0

2020-02-07 House

H Received for Introduction

2020-02-07 LSO

Bill Number Assigned

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

20LSO-0385
2020
STATE OF WYOMING
20LSO-0385
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0131

Wage claim assignment and investigations.

Sponsored by: Select Committee on Coal/Mineral Bankruptcies

A BILL

for

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 27
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4
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509 is created to read:

27
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4
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509.

Assignment of wage claims.

Following a determination of a valid claim under W.S. 27
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4
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504(a), upon the written request of the employee the department may take assignment of the wage claim in trust for the employee and may bring any legal action necessary to collect the claim. The employer shall be required to pay the costs and reasonable attorney's fees as may be allowed by the court. The department shall have the power to join claimants against the same employer in one (1) action for purposes of this section.

Section 2.

W.S. 27
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4
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501(a)(v) and 27
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4
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504 by creating a new subsection (e) are amended to read:

27
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4
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501.

Definitions.

(a)

Whenever used in this act:

(v)

"This act" means W.S. 27
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4
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501 through
27
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4
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508
27
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4
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509
.

27
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4
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504.

Investigation and determination of unpaid wage claims; hearing; orders; collection of unpaid wages.

(e)

If an employer in this state has filed an action in bankruptcy, the department may investigate and gather data regarding the wages, hours and other conditions and practices of employment of the employer. For purposes of an investigation under this subsection, the department may enter and inspect places and records, question employees and investigate any facts, conditions, practices or matters that the department deems necessary or appropriate to determine whether any employer or other person has violated any provision of this act or to aid in the enforcement of the provisions of this act. Information collected and the results of an investigation under this section shall not be a public record under the Wyoming Public Records Act, W.S. 16
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4
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201 through 16
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4
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205.

Section 3.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution.

(END)

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HB0131