With Old Fund Done, AG Closes WC Defense Division; 10 Staffers to Lose Jobs

Monday, August 6, 2018 | 0

For decades, the West Virginia Attorney General's office acted as insurance defense counsel in workers' compensation claims. That was before the Legislature privatized the state's comp system in 2005.

Since then, 10 attorneys and staff members have continued to defend rulings made before 2005, under what's come to be known as the old fund.

Now, those claims cases have all but dried up, and the Workers' Compensation Defense Division staff will lose their jobs this morning, the office announced.

Those old fund cases have dwindled to the point that the state insurance commissioner notified the office that it longer needs the services of the Defense Division, a spokesman for the attorney general told the MetroNews of West Virginia.

Legislation passed in 2008 gives the laid-off employees preference for other state jobs, and the office is working to help the staffers find new positions, the spokesman said.