CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Ten state workers will lose their jobs Monday when the state Attorney General’s Office closes its Employee Programs & Workers Compensation Defense Division located in Charleston.
According to a statement from from state Attorney General’s Office spokesman Curtis Johnson, the workers’ comp defense division works solely with the state Insurance Commissioner on workers’ comp claims from the Old Fund. Those are cases that began when the state operated its own workers’ comp system, before privatization in 2006. Those old fund cases have dwindled to a point that the insurance commissioner notified the AG’s office that it longer needs the services of the defense division.
Thursday’s statement from Johnson also said, “While a specific date was unknown until this summer, the division’s closure has been anticipated for years by our office and lawmakers, who saw fit in 2008 to pass legislation giving employees impacted by the division’s closure certain preferences if they seek continued employment with the state.”
The state Attorney General’s Office said it is “working diligently” to help the 10 workers find new jobs.