Labor & Employment (Unemployment)

Economic development incentives; wage requirements. Requires companies to pay an average wage for the jobs eligible for assistance under the component programs of the Virginia Jobs Investment Program that is no less than the prevailing average wage, defined in the bill, or, in the case of an economically distressed locality, defined in the bill, no less than 85 percent of the prevailing average wage. Under current law, to be eligible for the component programs, companies must pay a minimum entry-level wage rate per hour of at least 1.2 times the federal minimum wage or the Virginia minimum wage, whichever is higher, and in areas that have an unemployment rate of 1.5 times the statewide average unemployment rate, the wage rate minimum may be waived. The bill also authorizes the payment of Virginia Investment Performance Grants if the average wage paid by the eligible manufacturer or research and development service, excluding fringe benefits, is no less than 85 percent of the prevailing average wage in localities with either (i) an annual unemployment rate for the most recent calendar year for which such data is available that is greater than the final statewide average unemployment rate for that calendar year or (ii) a poverty rate for the most recent calendar year for which such data is available that exceeds the statewide average poverty rate for that year. Under current law, such authorization is limited to those localities meeting both the unemployment rate and poverty rate thresholds.

Unemployment benefits; increase weekly benefit amount. Provides that, for unemployment compensation claims effective on or after July 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly benefit amount shall be $48 higher than the current weekly benefit amount, as denoted in the table in the printed bill. This bill is identical to SB 759.

Unemployment insurance; benefit eligibility conditions; lockout exception to labor dispute disqualification. Amends the Virginia Unemployment Compensation Act's labor dispute disqualification provision to provide that a lockout by an employer shall not constitute a labor dispute and that locked-out employees who are otherwise eligible for benefits shall receive such benefits unless (i) the recognized or certified collective bargaining representative of the locked-out employees refuses to meet under reasonable conditions with the employer to discuss the issues giving rise to the lockout, (ii) there is a final adjudication under the federal National Labor Relations Act that such representative has refused to bargain in good faith with the employer, or (iii) the lockout is the direct result of such representative's violation of an existing collective bargaining agreement.

Economic development incentives; wage requirements. Requires companies to pay an average wage for the jobs eligible for assistance under the component programs of the Virginia Jobs Investment Program that is no less than the prevailing average wage, defined in the bill, or, in the case of an economically distressed locality, defined in the bill, no less than 85 percent of the prevailing average wage. Under current law, to be eligible for the component programs, companies must pay a minimum entry-level wage rate per hour of at least 1.2 times the federal minimum wage or the Virginia minimum wage, whichever is higher, and in areas that have an unemployment rate of 1.5 times the statewide average unemployment rate, the wage rate minimum may be waived.The bill also authorizes the payment of Virginia Investment Performance Grants if the average wage paid by the eligible manufacturer or research and development service, excluding fringe benefits, is no less than 85 percent of the prevailing average wage in localities with either (i) an annual unemployment rate for the most recent calendar year for which such data is available that is greater than the final statewide average unemployment rate for that calendar year or (ii) a poverty rate for the most recent calendar year for which such data is available that exceeds the statewide average poverty rate for that year. Under current law, such authorization is limited to those localities meeting both the unemployment rate and poverty rate thresholds.

Unemployment benefits; maximum duration. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, for claims effective on or after July 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly unemployment compensation benefit amount shall be paid for a maximum duration of 26 weeks.

Unemployment benefits; increase weekly benefit amount. Provides that, for unemployment compensation claims effective on or after July 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly benefit amount shall be $48 higher than the current weekly benefit amount, as denoted in the table in the printed bill. This bill is identical to HB 1320.

Unemployment benefits; maximum duration. Provides that, beginning July 1, 2026, for claims effective on or after July 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly unemployment compensation benefit amount shall be paid for a maximum duration of 26 weeks.