Most discussions about actual lemon laws in West Virginia focus on brand-new vehicles. Usually, defects in newer vehicles that dealerships cannot quickly fix could allow buyers the option of returning the defective vehicle, requesting a replacement or demanding a refund. However, in a broader sense, when people refer to a vehicle as a lemon, they mean a vehicle that is in poor condition or difficult to repair. A vehicle does not necessarily need to fall under state lemon laws to be a lemon. Plenty of older vehicles that may not legally constitute lemons because of their age can prove unsafe to ..read more

Unsafe products sent out to retail establishments can cause serious illness and injury. Historically, there have been issues ranging from contaminated medications to defective vehicle components that have put consumers at risk affecting the public at any given time. The average person expects that government regulations and business practices will prevent them from encountering dangerous products. The reality is that consumers often have to get hurt before companies realize that their products are not safe. Someone who is injured or otherwise harmed by a defective product could incur major exp ..read more

Federal law makes overtime pay a requirement for non-exempt workers in a variety of situations. There are also rules in West Virginia that govern overtime pay. In general, employees should receive at least 150% of their average hourly pay for the hours over 40 that they work in a specific week. Many employers have zero-overtime policies that require managerial or corporate approval before workers can remain clocked in for long enough to qualify for overtime wages. In some cases, companies demand work from employees and then not pay them the overtime wages they deserve. What should workers know ..read more

In West Virginia, lemon laws specifically apply to new vehicles with defects. It is very common for those looking at new vehicles on a dealership lot to assume that the vehicle is in pristine condition and will be useful with minimal maintenance and service for at least the first few years of their ownership. Unfortunately, for a tiny percentage of new car buyers, the purchase results in ownership of a lemon. There is something wrong with the vehicle that the dealership or manufacturer cannot repair even after multiple attempts. What are some of the warning signs that a specific vehicle on a d ..read more

Workplace discrimination is often a violation of someone’s basic rights. Employers should not make decisions based on protected characteristics, including race, religion and sex. They should also help cultivate a positive work environment so that no one feels excluded or unsafe in the work environment. In theory, anti-discrimination laws help ensure that everyone has the same economic opportunities as anyone else in the same profession. Workers generally know that they can speak up to human resources or even file a lawsuit when facing unlawful discrimination on the job. Unfortunately, while so ..read more

Technically, employers in West Virginia can fire at-will workers with no warning and no explanation. At-will employment laws give both companies and workers the right to terminate an employment agreement at any point without consequence, generally speaking. However, just because a company can fire someone without reason does not allow them to make employment decisions with impunity. They must still abide by federal and state laws, which include prohibitions on retaliation and discrimination. As a result, workers sometimes lose their jobs in what they believe was an illegal action by their empl ..read more

When you buy a new car in West Virginia, you typically expect that it will be safe. You may shop around for a great deal, but you generally anticipate a brand-new vehicle that functions perfectly for you and has years of safe driving in its future. Unfortunately, a tiny minority of car buyers every year end up with a lemon. A lemon is a vehicle that is not in the condition it should be in due to a hard-to-repair defect. Both federal law and West Virginia state statutes have rules about the warranties that apply to vehicles and the condition that they should be in when you make a purchase. So-c ..read more

Investment fraud can prove devastating for businesses or specific individuals. You might also be an individual who hired a specific financial professional or bought into a specific fund because of the promise of high returns on your investment. Sometimes, professionals really are savvy enough to beat the market and return better odds than average for their clients. Other times, the individuals claiming to produce shocking returns on investments aren’t following the law. Instead, they operate a Ponzi scheme, stealing from clients until everything falls apart. What are Ponzi schemes? Ponzi schem ..read more

Even though numerous rules and regulations protect workers from wage theft, they still often feel mistreated when paychecks come around. Whether it is overtime unrecognized on a timesheet or the employer intentionally misclassifying a worker to cut costs, employees must seek the proper compensation. While every industry and organization are unique, employers might still attempt to use underhanded tactics to take money from right under their workers’ noses. How is it possible for employers to steal from their employees? Spotting wage theft Wage theft is so common that employees can often spot o ..read more

If you’re going to purchase a used vehicle, there are some things you should know that could help you spot a lemon (and avoid buying it). Buying a defective vehicle is a costly mistake, but fortunately, there are methods you can use to weed out the lemons and walk away with a solid purchase. The following are three different ways you can improve your chances of getting a great vehicle. Remember, though, that if you do buy a lemon by mistake, you could still have a legal right to reverse the transaction or seek compensation. How to spot a lemon as you shop for a car There are many ways to avoid ..read more