Wage Enforcement and Anti-Retaliation
Effective July 1, 2026, HB238 strengthens wage enforcement by expanding employees’ ability to bring civil claims for violations related to minimum wage, overtime, misclassification, and other wage laws. It also enhances protections against retaliation, making it clear that employers cannot take adverse action against employees who raise concerns or report potential legal violations in good faith. Overall, this significantly increases potential exposure for wage-related issues and reinforces the need for consistent pay practices and documentation.
https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB238
Healthcare Worker Noncompete Agreements
Effective July 1, 2026, SB 128 places significant limits on noncompete agreements for healthcare professionals. Employers are generally prohibited from entering into, enforcing, or threatening to enforce a noncompete with covered healthcare workers, and violations can result in penalties. This is part of a broader trend narrowing restrictive covenant use, especially in healthcare staffing, so it will likely impact how agreements are structured moving forward.
https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB128