McDaniel v. West Virginia Division of Labor

**What Happened** This case involved unpaid wages at McDaniel, Inc. (MCDI), where workers weren't paid what they were owed. The West Virginia Division of Labor went after company officers personally, trying to hold them responsible for the unpaid wages. Three officers were targeted: Larry McDaniel, L. Dean Schwartz, and Michael Johnston. **What the Court Decided** The West Virginia Supreme Court made a split decision. The court ruled that Larry McDaniel, despite being an officer, was not personally liable for the unpaid wages. However, the court confirmed that L. Dean Schwartz and Michael Johnston were officers who could be held personally responsible for paying the workers' unpaid wages and expenses. The court did remove some additional penalty damages that had been awarded earlier. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling shows that workers may be able to collect unpaid wages directly from company officers when their employer doesn't pay them. However, not every officer can be held responsible - it depends on their specific role and involvement in the company's operations. This provides workers with another potential avenue to recover stolen wages when the company itself cannot or will not pay what's owed.