Labor & Employment

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 771: Workers' compensation; burial expenses, annual adjustment.

Workers' compensation; burial expenses; annual adjustment. Increases from $10,000 to $15,000 the amount required to be paid by an employer under workers' compensation provisions for burial expenses. The bill directs the Commissioner of the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission to adjust the amount of burial expenses and reasonable transportation expenses required to be paid by an employer by a percentage equivalent to the percentage increase of the United States Average Consumer Price Index published by the U.S. Department of Labor beginning January 1, 2028, and annually thereafter.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases workers' compensation burial benefits from $10k to $15k, strengthening financial protection for workers' families under labor benefits.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 426: Workers' compensation; employer's offset in event of recovery.

Workers' compensation; employer's offset in event of recovery. Amends provisions related to an employer's offset for recovery in certain actions brought under the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act. The bill requires that lifetime medical award benefits and ongoing indemnity award benefits shall remain in full force and effect if the claimant is under such an award at the time that recovery is effected, subject to the employer offset provisions. Under the bill, an employer's credit shall be applied as a continuing, pro rata reduction to benefits otherwise payable under an existing award until the employer's required credit is exhausted. The bill also removes language limiting an employee's entitlement to compensation and expenses for medical, surgical, and hospital attention and funeral expenses.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill ensures ongoing medical benefits for workers' comp claimants remain intact during third-party recovery, protecting healthcare access and preventing benefit reduction.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEnsures workers' compensation benefits remain fully effective despite employer recovery offsets, protecting claimant entitlements under Virginia Workers' Compensation Act.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 647: Teaching Experience; regulations Governing Allowable Credit.

Board of Education; Regulations Governing Allowable Credit for Teaching Experience; certain credit substitution allowance permitted. Requires the Board of Education to amend its regulations to provide that teachers in the field of career and technical education, where the licensure requirement calls for occupational work experience beyond the apprenticeship level, may be allowed salary placement credit for one year of teaching experience for each one or two years of work experience. The bill satisfies the reenactment requirement of Chapter 677 of the Acts of Assembly of 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllows CTE teachers credit for occupational experience in salary placement, supporting educator compensation and retention within teacher regulations.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill allows credit for occupational work experience in career/technical education for salary placement, directly increasing compensation for teachers. This supports wage standards under Labor & Employment.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 1130: Workforce housing for employees; county bd. of supervisor or school bd., lease of surplus property.

Workforce housing for employees of a county or county school board; lease of surplus property. Allows any county board of supervisors or county school board to lease as lessor surplus or underutilized property. The bill provides that such leases shall be conditioned on the development of workforce housing serving employees of the county or school division with up to 80 percent of area median household income. The bill also prohibits establishment of a minimum lot size exceeding 5,000 square feet for such workforce housing and provides that the placement of manufactured houses that are on a permanent foundation and on individual lots shall be permitted subject to development standards that are equivalent to those applicable to site-built single-family dwellings.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill mandates workforce housing development on surplus property for employees up to 120% AMI, prohibits large lot sizes to boost supply, and directly advances affordable housing access.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill creates workforce housing for employees (up to 120% AMI), directly supporting affordable housing as an employment standard, reducing housing costs for workers.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

vetoed · Virginia · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 597: Wage garnishments; treasurers' liens for unpaid taxes and charges.

Wage garnishments; treasurers' liens for unpaid taxes and charges. Limits a treasurer's lien issued with respect to wages or salary to 25 percent of the delinquent taxpayer's disposable earnings in a single pay period. The 25 percent limitation shall not apply (i) if the lien issuer determines that the adjusted gross income of the delinquent taxpayer exceeds 250 percent of the poverty guideline amount adjusted for household size; (ii) if the treasurer determines, by clear and convincing evidence, that the delinquent taxpayer or the property assessed with such taxes is no longer in the jurisdiction, or the taxpayer is attempting to flee the jurisdiction or is improperly disposing of assets with the intent to hinder or delay the collection of the delinquent taxes; or (iii) to any portion of the delinquent obligation collected by the delinquent taxpayer and held in trust to remit to the local governing authority. This bill is identical to HB 1100.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesLimits wage garnishment for tax debts to 25% of disposable earnings, protecting lower-income taxpayers from excessive collection, aligning with fiscal responsibility.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentLimits wage garnishment to 25% of disposable earnings, protecting workers' take-home pay from excessive deductions per bill's core provision.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

Track

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 13, 2026

HB 18: Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program; established, reports.

Employee Child Care Assistance Program established. Establishes the Employee Child Care Assistance Program to provide matching funds in order to incentivize employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees. The Program shall be administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. To participate in the Program, an employer shall agree to make child care contributions to the eligible mixed delivery provider on behalf of the employee or to a third-party administrator, as defined by the bill, and shall provide any other information deemed necessary by the Foundation. The bill specifies that, to the extent funds are available, the Foundation shall issue a state match to a third-party administrator. Program funds shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; however, the bill clarifies that the Foundation is encouraged to prioritize awards to proposals involving contributions from small businesses. The bill requires the Foundation to provide an interim report to the General Assembly by September 1, 2028, and a summative report to the General Assembly by September 1, 2030, on the effectiveness and impact of the Program.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes matching funds to incentivize employer child care contributions, expanding employee benefits and reducing financial barriers to employment.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

signed · Virginia · Senate Apr 13, 2026

SB 3: Employee Child Care Assistance Pilot Program; established, reports.

Employee Child Care Assistance Program established. Establishes the Employee Child Care Assistance Program to provide matching funds in order to incentivize employers to contribute to the child care costs of their employees. The Program shall be administered by the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation. To participate in the Program, an employer shall agree to make child care contributions to the eligible mixed delivery provider on behalf of the employee or to a third-party administrator, as defined by the bill, and shall provide any other information deemed necessary by the Foundation. The bill specifies that, to the extent funds are available, the Foundation shall issue a state match to a third-party administrator. Program funds shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis; however, the bill clarifies that the Foundation is encouraged to prioritize awards to proposals involving contributions from small businesses. The bill requires the Foundation to provide an interim report to the General Assembly by September 1, 2028, and a summative report to the General Assembly by September 1, 2030, on the effectiveness and impact of the Program. This bill is identical to HB 18.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill establishes matching funds to incentivize employers to cover employee child care costs, directly supporting workers' employment stability and reducing financial burden.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

vetoed · Virginia · Senate Apr 11, 2026

SB 128: Covenants not to compete; includes health care professionals, civil penalty.

Covenants not to compete; health care professionals; civil penalty. Adds health care professionals as a category of employee with or upon whom no employer shall enter into, enforce, or threaten to enforce a covenant not to compete. The bill defines "health care professional" as any person licensed, registered, or certified by the Board of Medicine, Nursing, Counseling, Optometry, Psychology, or Social Work. The bill provides that any employer that violates the prohibition against covenants not to compete with a health care professional is subject to the civil penalty in current law of $10,000 for each violation. This bill is identical to HB 627.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits non-compete agreements for healthcare professionals, enhancing workforce mobility and access to care without restrictive employment terms.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits non-compete clauses for health care professionals, protecting their right to change employers without legal barriers, advancing worker rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

Track

vetoed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 11, 2026

HB 627: Covenants not to compete; includes health care professionals, civil penalty.

Covenants not to compete; health care professionals; civil penalty. Adds health care professionals as a category of employee with or upon whom no employer shall enter into, enforce, or threaten to enforce a covenant not to compete. The bill defines "health care professional" as any person licensed, registered, or certified by the Board of Medicine, Nursing, Counseling, Optometry, Psychology, or Social Work. The bill provides that any employer that violates the prohibition against covenants not to compete with a health care professional is subject to the civil penalty in current law of $10,000 for each violation. This bill is identical to SB 128.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits non-competes for healthcare professionals, protecting their employment mobility and enhancing workforce access to patients, aligning with patient access and professional rights indicators.92% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProhibits non-compete clauses for health care professionals, protecting their right to seek employment without legal restriction, directly advancing workers' rights in employment.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment

Track

signed · Virginia · House of Delegates Apr 8, 2026

HB 1313: Workers' compensation; law-enforcement officers and firefighters, post-traumatic stress disorder.

Workers' compensation. Provides that, for the purposes of workers' compensation for post-traumatic stress disorder incurred by a law-enforcement officer or firefighter, an incident or exposure without any accompanying physical injury occurring in the line of duty on or after January 1, 2027, is a qualifying event, as defined in the bill. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands workers' compensation coverage for mental health conditions (PTSD, anxiety, depression) in first responders, strengthening access to healthcare for job-related mental health exacerbations.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workers' compensation benefits for law-enforcement/firefighters with work-exacerbated mental health conditions, strengthening protections under Labor & Employment.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Labor & Employment