Labor & Employment

died · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 9, 2026

HB 923: Protection of employees; stay or pay contracts prohibited, civil penalty.

Protection of employees; stay or pay contracts prohibited; civil penalty. Prohibits an employer from entering into, enforcing, or threatening to enforce a stay or pay contract, as defined in the bill, with any employee, with certain exceptions described. An employer that violates the bill's provisions is subject to a civil penalty of $1,000. The bill allows an employee to bring a civil action against an employer or other person that attempts to enforce a stay or pay contract and to seek appropriate relief, including enjoining the conduct of any person or employer, ordering payment of liquidated damages, and awarding lost compensation, damages, and reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill provides that if the court finds a violation of the bill's provisions, the plaintiff is entitled to recover reasonable costs, including reasonable fees for expert witnesses, and attorney fees.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits coercive 'stay or pay' contracts that restrict employee rights, protecting workers' ability to organize without employer pressure. Civil penalties enforce this protection.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 10, 2026

HB 551: Nondegree workforce training programs; accreditation.

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.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill creates accreditation pathway for workforce training to align skills with industry needs and provide pathways for underserved populations, advancing workforce development.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Apprenticeships Professional Licensing Workforce Development

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vetoed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty.

Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status; civil penalty. Prohibits an employer, including the Commonwealth and its agencies and political subdivisions, from using coercion or issuing a threat to an employee based on immigration status in furtherance of committing a violation of the Virginia Minimum Wage Act or provisions related to the payment of wages. An aggrieved employee is permitted to file a complaint with the Commissioner of Labor and Industry within 180 days of the alleged coercive action or threat. The bill authorizes the Commissioner to investigate such complaints and, if the allegation is substantiated, to impose a civil penalty in the following amounts: (i) up to $5,000 for the first violation, (ii) up to $9,000 for the second violation, and (iii) up to $12,000 for any subsequent violation. The bill provides that any such penalty assessed shall be paid to the Commissioner for deposit into the General Fund. The bill also authorizes the Commissioner to seek injunctive relief as may be necessary for enforcement.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProhibits employers from threatening employees based on immigration status, directly protecting immigrant workers' rights under wage laws.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits employer coercion/threats based on immigration status in wage violation cases, protecting workers' rights under Virginia Minimum Wage Act.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Enforcement Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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died · Virginia · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 120: Warehouse distribution center; requirements, protection of employees, civil penalty, civil action.

Protection of employees; warehouse distribution center requirements; civil penalty; civil action. Provides that a warehouse employer, as defined in the bill, that violates the bill's provisions shall be liable to an impacted warehouse employee, as defined in the bill, for certain remedies, damages, and other relief as specified in the bill. The bill requires a warehouse employer to provide each warehouse employee a written description of each performance standard to which such employee is subject and of any potential adverse employment action that may result from such employee's failure to meet such performance standard. The bill prohibits a warehouse employer from taking an adverse action against a warehouse employee for such employee's use of a bathroom facility. The bill provides that a warehouse employer that violates the bill's provisions relating to warehouse employees is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $5,000 for each violation.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates warehouse employers to provide written performance standards and allows employees to seek damages for violations, strengthening worker protections and remedies under labor standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 537: Certain civil actions against employees; liability of employer to vulnerable victims.

Certain civil actions against employees; liability of employer to vulnerable victims. Clarifies that when determining an employer's vicarious liability in an action for personal injury or death brought by a vulnerable victim against an employee, the definition of "vulnerable victim" shall include only those persons enumerated in the bill.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentNarrowing 'vulnerable victim' definition may limit employer liability for workers' injuries, weakening protections by restricting legal avenues for injured workers.70% confidence

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 11, 2026

SB 741: Line of Duty Act; transitional coverage.

Line of Duty Act; transitional coverage. Requires the Department of Human Resource Management to acquire and provide temporary transitional health insurance coverage to disabled persons, eligible spouses, and eligible dependents during the period of transition into the LODA (Line of Duty Act) Health Benefits Plans. Current law authorizes but does not require the Department to acquire and provide such temporary transitional health insurance coverage to disabled persons, eligible spouses, and eligible dependents during such period.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates state funding for temporary health coverage during transition, increasing government spending on public benefits per LODA requirements.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates transitional health insurance for disabled persons and dependents, expanding coverage continuity during plan transitions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates transitional health coverage for LODA beneficiaries (typically public safety workers disabled on duty), expanding worker health benefits during plan transition.85% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill mandates temporary transitional health insurance for disabled veterans, spouses, and dependents during transition into LODA Health Benefits Plans, ensuring continuity of care.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Military Families

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in committee · Virginia · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 154: Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for animal control officers.

Virginia Retirement System; enhanced retirement benefits for animal control officers. Adds full-time animal control officers to the list of local employees eligible to receive enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty service for service earned in such positions on or after July 1, 2027. Under current law, localities may provide such benefits to first responders, including firefighters and emergency medical technicians, and certain other hazardous duty positions. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands retirement benefits eligibility for public employees, requiring additional state funding for hazardous duty benefits.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAdds animal control officers to enhanced retirement benefits for hazardous duty, expanding worker benefits within employment standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Pensions

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passed · Virginia · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026

HB 865: Workers' compensation; presumption of compensability for certain cancers.

Workers' compensation; presumption of compensability for certain cancers. Expands the workers' compensation presumption of compensability for certain cancers causing the death or disability of certain employees who have completed five years of service in their position to include lung cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma for any individual diagnosed with such a condition on or after July 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workers' compensation benefits by presuming workplace causation for lung cancer and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, easing claims for affected workers.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation

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in committee · Virginia · House of Delegates Feb 18, 2026

HB 403: Income tax, state; credits for child care-related expenses.

Income tax credits; child care-related expenses. Establishes in taxable years 2026 through 2030 (i) a refundable tax credit in an amount equal to 20 percent of the credit claimed by a qualified taxpayer, as defined in the bill, pursuant to the federal Employer-Provided Childcare Credit, and (ii) a refundable tax credit equal to 50 percent of an employer's qualified child care expenditures, as defined in the bill. The bill directs that the aggregate amount of credit for an employer's qualified child care expenditures shall not exceed $500,000 per taxable year and such amount shall be adjusted annually for inflation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes refundable tax credits for child care expenses, reducing tax burden for qualifying families and employers - directly provides tax relief under Budget & Taxes.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides refundable tax credits for child care expenses, reducing financial barriers for working parents and supporting workforce participation.65% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Income Tax Tax Credits

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signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 6, 2026

HB 116: School board employee grievance procedure; timing of dispute resolution.

School board employee grievance procedure; timing of dispute resolution. Requires the grievance procedure for certain school board employees to afford a timely and fair method of the resolution of disputes arising between the school board and such employees before dismissal or other disciplinary actions, excluding suspensions. Current law requires such procedure to afford a timely and fair method of the resolution of disputes arising between the school board and such employees regarding dismissal or other disciplinary actions, excluding suspensions, but is silent on the timing of such dispute resolution. This bill is identical to SB 824.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates timely grievance resolution for school employees, supporting fair treatment and protecting educator rights before disciplinary actions, aligning with 'supports teachers and educators' indicator.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates timely grievance procedures to prevent unfair dismissal, protecting workers' rights in employment disputes.90% confidence