VirginiaMinimum wage and overtime wages; payment, definitions, misclassification of workers, civil actions.
What it does
Labor and employment; payment of wages; minimum wage and overtime wages; misclassification of workers; prevailing wage rate; civil actions. Provides that an employer that violates provisions relating to minimum wage, overtime wages provisions, the misclassification of workers, or the prevailing wage rate is subject to civil actions for the applicable remedies, damages, or other relief available in an action brought pursuant to the civil action provisions currently available for the nonpayment of wages. Such provisions currently available provide that an employee may bring an action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover payment of the wages, and the court is required to award the wages owed, an additional equal amount as liquidated damages, plus prejudgment interest thereon, and reasonable attorney fees and costs.
More detail
Under current law, if the court finds that the employer knowingly failed to pay wages to an employee, the court is required to award the employee an amount equal to triple the amount of wages due and reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill also prohibits an employer from taking certain retaliatory actions against an employee because the employee reports any information or allegation in good faith that, if true, amounts to a violation of any federal or state law or regulation to a supervisor, manager, or officer, or to any governmental body or law-enforcement official, including a report made in the ordinary course of the employee's employment, regardless of whether such report refers to a particular law or regulation.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 20Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (4/20/2026 4:21 pm)Latest
- Apr 16Substitute bill reprinted 26110450D
- Apr 14Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (4/14/2026 12:41 pm)
- Apr 13Governor's recommendation received by HouseMinor
- Apr 2Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB238)
- Mar 31Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 31Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026Minor
- Mar 31Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Mar 30Signed by PresidentMajor
- Mar 30Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB238ER)Major
- Mar 30EnrolledMinor
- Mar 23Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB238)
- Mar 14Conference report agreed to by Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A)Minor
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Adopt Conference Committee Report R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 14Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 35-N 0-A)Minor
- Mar 14Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/14/2026 2:04 pm)
- Mar 14Conference Report released
- Mar 12Senate Conferees: Surovell, McPike, Stuart
- Vote recorded Insist & Request R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 12Conferees appointed by Senate
- Mar 12House Conferees: Lopez, Anthony, Garrett
- Mar 12Conferees appointed by House
- Mar 12House acceded to request
- Mar 12Senate requested conference committeeMinor
- Mar 12Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)Major
- Mar 11Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 98-N 1-A)
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: fail.Lower
- Mar 10Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 10Engrossed by Senate - committee substituteMajor
- Mar 10Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to
- Mar 10Read third timeMinor
- Mar 9Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 9Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Mar 9Rules suspended
- Mar 6Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Finance and Appropriations. Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 6Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB238)
- Mar 3Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/3/2026 3:58 pm)
- Mar 3Committee substitute printed 26108602D-S1Major
- Mar 2Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 13Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB238)
- Feb 11Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/11/2026 4:09 pm)
- Feb 3Referred to Committee on Commerce and LaborMinor
- Feb 3Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 2Read third time and passed House (64-Y 35-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 30Engrossed by House - committee substitute as amendedMajor
- Jan 30Delegate Lopez Floor amendments agreed toMajor
- Jan 30Delegate Lopez Floor amendments agreed toMajor
- Jan 30committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Jan 30Read second timeMinor
- Jan 30Floor offered Delegate Lopez Amendments
- Jan 30Floor offered Delegate Lopez Amendments
- Jan 29Read first timeMinor
- Jan 27Committee substitute printed 26105944D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 27Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (15-Y 7-N)Minor
- Jan 27Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB238)
- Jan 22Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N)Major
- Vote recorded Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 22House subcommittee offered
- Jan 15Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #2Minor
- Jan 8Referred to Committee on Labor and CommerceMinor
- Jan 8Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104955DIntroduced