By Steven Allen Adams, The Parkersburg News and Sentinel
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia lawmakers have been struggling the last couple years over the question of whether to pay state employees in different regions of the state more based on areas with the most shortages of workers.
Members of the West Virginia Legislature’s Joint Standing Committee on Finance met Monday for the first day of two-day December interim meetings one month prior to the start of the 2023 60-day legislative session on Wednesday, Jan. 11.
Committee members heard a report from Sheryl Webb, director of the West Virginia Division of Personnel, regarding geographical pay differentials for state employees.
According to Webb, the state Division of Personnel does allow for locality pay in limited circumstances through geographical pay differentials. A state agency can make a request to the Division of Personnel defining its needs and providing data to back up a need to set higher salary scales…