This bill amends various sections of the Code of West Virginia to grant the Supreme Court of Appeals the authority to establish uniform pay scales for judicial support staff, including magistrate court clerks, magistrate assistants, magistrate court deputy clerks, and family court secretary-clerks. The current fixed salary amounts for these positions are being replaced with a pay scale determined by the Administrative Director of the Supreme Court. Specifically, the annual salaries for magistrate court clerks, magistrate assistants, magistrate court deputy clerks, and family court secretary-clerks will no longer be set at specific amounts but will instead be based on the new pay scale, which aims to enhance recruitment and retention of employees by providing clarity and consistency in compensation.

Additionally, the bill allows for the creation of additional classifications of support staff within the family courts, enabling the Supreme Court of Appeals to hire and manage these positions as needed. The bill also includes provisions for general salary increases for these positions, aligning them with increases granted to other state employees whose salaries are not statutorily fixed. Overall, the proposed changes are designed to modernize the compensation structure for judicial support staff and improve the operational efficiency of the courts in West Virginia.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 50-1-8, 50-1-9, 50-1-9a, 51-2A-6