West Virginia law

Civil Rights Laws in West Virginia.

West Virginia civil-rights law is anchored by the West Virginia Human Rights Act (WVHRA, W. Va. Code § 5-11). The WVHRA applies to employers with 12 or more employees and covers race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age (40+), blindness, and disability. The WVHRA does not currently include sexual orientation or gender identity at the state-law level (as of 2026), though several municipalities including Charleston, Huntington, and Morgantown have adopted local ordinances providing those protections. The West Virginia Human Rights Commission administers the WVHRA.