Court Opinion

ID: 9605712
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-22 02:40:58.945382+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T13:20:11.155233
License: Public Domain

Berry, Justice,

dissenting:

I dissent from the majority opinion wherein it states that the West Virginia Human Rights Commission has authority under the statute creating it to award compensatory damages to a victim of unlawful discrimination. There is no authority provided for in the West Virginia Human Rights Act (Code 5-11-1 et seq.), or amendments thereto, authorizing the Commission to award compensatory damages. It does specifically provide that the Commission can reinstate employees, with *504or without back pay. It is true this authorization may involve a monetary award, but such awards have specific limitations whereas the majority holds that the Commission has the power and authority to make awards for compensatory damages with no limit to the amount that may be awarded. The maxim of expressio unius est ex-clusio alterius (the expression of one thing is the exclusion of another) is applicable in the construction of this statute.
I am of the opinion that authority to award compensatory damages by the Commission under the act would have to be specifically granted by the legislature with certain limitations set out in connection therewith.