HB 336

            
2020 SESSION

20102626D

HOUSE BILL NO. 336


Offered January 8, 2020


Prefiled January 1, 2020

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section 
 numbered 40.1-29.1, relating to the authority of the Department of Labor and 
 Industry to investigate employers for failure to pay wages.
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Patrons-- Price, Bagby, Bourne, Delaney, Hope, Jenkins, Kory, Krizek,
Levine, Lindsey, Simon, Simonds and Willett


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Referred to Committee on General Laws

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Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
 
 
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section 
 numbered 40.1-29.1 as follows:
 
 
� 40.1-29.1. Investigations 
 of employers for nonpayment of wages.
 
 
If in the course of an 
 investigation of a complaint of an employers failure or 
 refusal to pay wages in accordance with the requirements of � 
 40.1-29, the 
 Commissioner acquires information creating a 
 reasonable belief that other employees of the same 
 employer may not have been paid wages in accordance with such 
 requirements, the Commissioner shall have the authority to investigate 
 whether the employer has failed or refused to make any 
 required payment of wages to other employees of the employer as 
 required by � 40.1-29. If the Commissioner 
 finds in the course of such investigation that the 
 employer has violated a provision of � 40.1-29, the Commissioner may institute 
 proceedings on behalf of any employee against his 
 employer. Such proceedings shall be undertaken in accordance 
 with the provisions of � 40.1-29, except 
 that the Commissioner shall not require a written complaint of the violation 
 or the written and signed consent of any employee as a 
 condition of instituting such proceedings.