§ 23-2-2 — Insurance Commissioner to be furnished information by employers, State Tax Commissioner, and WorkForce West Virginia; secrecy of information; examination of employers, etc.; violation a misdemeanor

West Virginia § 23-2-2

• Jurisdiction: West Virginia
• Ch. 23: WORKERS' COMPENSATION
• Art. 2: EMPLOYERS AND EMPLOYEES SUBJECT TO CHAPTER; EXTRATERRITORIAL COVERAGE

Text

(a) Every employer shall furnish the Insurance Commissioner, upon request, all information required by him or her to carry out the purposes of this chapter. Every employer shall have a continuous and ongoing duty to maintain current information about its activities, risks, and rates regarding workers’ compensation coverage. The Insurance Commissioner may examine under oath any employer or officer, agent, or employee of any employer.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of any other statute to the contrary, specifically, but not exclusively, §11-10-5, §11-10-5b, and §21A-10-11 of this code, the Insurance Commissioner may receive the following information:

(1) Upon written request to the State Tax Commissioner: The names, addresses, places of business, and other identifying information of all businesses receiving a business franchise registration certificate and the dates thereof; and the names and social security numbers or other tax identification numbers of the businesses and of the businesses’ workers and employees, if otherwise collected, and the quarterly or other applicable reporting period and annual gross wages or other compensation paid to the workers and employees of businesses reported pursuant to the requirement of withholding of tax on income.

(2) Upon written application to WorkForce West Virginia: In addition to the information that may be released to the Insurance Commissioner for the purposes of this chapter under the provisions of Chapter 21A of this code, the names, addresses, and other identifying information of all employing units filing reports and information pursuant to §21A-10-11 of this code as well as information contained in those reports regarding the number and names, addresses, and social security numbers of employees employed and the gross quarterly or other applicable reporting period wages paid by each employing unit to each identified employee.

(c) All information acquired by the Insurance Commissioner pursuant to §23-2-2(b) of this code shall be used only for the performance of the functions necessary for the regulation of the workers’ compensation insurance industry and other duties as set forth in this chapter.

(d) Reasonable costs of compilation and production of any information made available pursuant to §23-2-2(b) of this code shall be charged to the Insurance Commissioner.

(e) Information acquired by the Insurance Commissioner pursuant to §23-2-2(b) of this code is not subject to disclosure under the provisions of Chapter 29B of this code.

Legislative History

2022 Reg. Sess., HB4296; 2022 Reg. Sess., SB1004; 2022 Reg. Sess., SB2013; 1999 Reg. Sess., SB579; 1991 Reg. Sess., SB187; 1984 Reg. Sess., HB1017; 1982 Reg. Sess., HB1938