Opinion ID: 1315276
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Wage and Hour Proceedings

Text: In an attempt to collect her unused vacation pay, appellant Isaacs filed a Request for Assistance form with the Wage and Hour Section of the Division of Labor. Indicating that Dr. Bonner had no written paid leave policy in existence, the appellant alleged that he failed to pay her $1,472 for unused paid leave (representing the sixty-four hours shown on the appellant's final pay stub multiplied by her regular rate of pay of $23 per hour). [1] Under W.Va.Code, 21-5-1 (1987), of the Wage Payment and Collection Act, the term wages is defined as including fringe benefits which, in turn, includes vacation and personal leave and incentive bonuses. As W.Va.Code, 21-5-1(c) (1987), states, in part: [T]he term `wages' shall also include then accrued fringe benefits capable of calculation and payable directly to an employee: Provided, That nothing herein contained shall require fringe benefits to be calculated contrary to any agreement between an employer and his employees which does not contradict the provisions of this article. Syl. pt. 5, in part, Meadows v. Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., 207 W.Va. 203, 530 S.E.2d 676 (1999) (whether fringe benefits have accrued, are capable of calculation, and payable to an employee are determined by the terms of employment and not by the provisions of W.Va.Code, 21-5-1(c)). The appellant's Request for Assistance was assigned to Mary Beth McGowan, a compliance officer with the Wage and Hour Division. McGowan determined that Dr. Bonner owed the appellant forty hours of unused, accrued paid vacation leave for a total of $920 (representing the sixty-four hours, minus twenty-four hours for the three days of paid leave previously taken, multiplied by $23 per hour). By letter dated January 12, 2005, from the Director of the Wage and Hour Section, Dr. Bonner was notified that he owed the appellant $920. In a letter dated January 21, 2005, Dr. Bonner stated that the appellant, after calculations, is entitled, at the very most, to 4.20 hours in paid vacation. Dr. Bonner enclosed a check for $96.60 (representing 4.20 hours multiplied by $23 per hour). The letter quoted the following provision of Dr. Bonner's paid leave policy: Employees who leave our practice will be paid for unused vacation time accrued for their calendar year, which is calculated from each individual's date of hire. As the letter concluded: If [this] check does not close this case then I request a hearing. Soon after, a subpoena duces tecum from the Division of Labor was issued requesting records from Dr. Bonner covering the appellant's entire period of employment. In response, Dr. Bonner submitted a check in the amount of $920 to conclude the settlement of the claim, and the Wage and Hour Section considered the matter closed. Dr. Bonner contends that he voluntarily settled the dispute concerning the appellant's accrued leave upon assurances by the Wage and Hour Section that the case would be completely resolved. Appellant Isaacs, however, maintains that the settlement did not resolve the question of liquidated damages.