Changes in Labor Requirements on Public - Including School - Construction Projects

Originally published April 1, 2010

Just before it closed its session, the West Virginia Legislature passed a bill that will impact construction--including that of school buildings and facilities--beginning in June of 2010. The bill, which Governor Manchin signed March 19, 2010, is intended to strengthen the State's efforts to promote the use of local labor on construction projects within the State.

The West Virginia Jobs Act was first passed in 2001 with the intent of employing residents of local labor markets on public improvement projects, funded in whole or in part using taxpayer funding. At the time, the Legislature noted that many counties in West Virginia were designated as labor surplus areas by the United States Department of Labor and that the use of persons from outside local labor markets contributed to the State's higher-than-average unemployment rate.