Labor & Employment

Virginia Workforce Development and Career Connection and Training Foundation and Fund. Establishes as a body politic and corporate the Virginia Workforce Development and Career Connection and Training Foundation to support the interests of the Commonwealth's workforce and its employers and contributors through the Secretary of Labor and the programs and services of the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement. The bill sets out the membership and powers and duties of the Foundation, provides that the Foundation may hire an Executive Director and employees, and creates the Virginia Workforce Development and Career Connection and Training Fund. The bill provides that funds or property to the Fund are gifts to the Commonwealth and the Fund is exempt from all state and local taxes.

Assault and battery; employees of state or local department of social services; penalty. Provides that any person who commits a battery against another knowing or having reason to know that such individual is an employee of a local department of social services or the State Department of Social Services who is engaged in the performance of his duties is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. The bill also provides that the sentence of such person, upon conviction, shall include a term of confinement of 15 days in jail, two days of which shall be a mandatory minimum term of confinement.

Virginia Public Procurement Act; additional public works contract requirements. Provides that public bodies shall require the contractor and its subcontractors for any capital outlay project, as defined in the bill, to complete certain safety training programs, maintain records of compliance with applicable laws, and participate in approved apprenticeship training programs. The bill provides exemptions from such requirements for reasons related to lack of availability of apprentices and high costs. The provisions of the bill do not apply to transportation-related construction projects. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Department of Workforce Development and Advancement; accreditation of nondegree workforce training programs. Directs the Department of Workforce Development and Advancement to establish an accreditation pathway for nondegree workforce training programs in order to align the skills of the Commonwealth's workforce with the needs of industry in the Commonwealth and to provide a workforce entrance pathway for underserved populations in the Commonwealth. The bill includes minimum standards, admissions requirements, and reporting requirements for such programs. Additionally, the bill includes provisions related to the eligibility of accredited programs for state and federal workforce funding, including the federal Workforce Pell Grant.