Wyoming H.B. 16
Status: Pre-filed, December 18, 2013
This bill would make it illegal under both the state’s unemployment compensation and worker’s compensation laws to knowingly fail to properly classify an individual as an employee.
Penalties
For unemployment purposes, an individual who fails to properly classify an individual as an employee would be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by imprisonment for not more than 90 days, a fine of not more than $750, or both. Each such failure to properly classify an individual as an employee would be a separate offense.
For worker’s compensation purposes, the first conviction for such an offense (or for knowingly failing to establish an account or knowingly failing to furnish a payroll report as required by the worker’s compensation act) would be a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $750, imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or both. A second or subsequent conviction for any of the above offenses would be a felony punishable by a fine of not more than $10,000, imprisonment for not more than 10 years, or both.
If passed, this bill would take effect on July 1, 2014.
