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Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session

Virginia HB 5

Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed House
  4. Passed Senate
  5. To Governor
  6. Became law

Sponsors

Cosponsors (60)

Summary

Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED

Employment; paid sick leave; civil penalties; civil actions. Requires one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked for all employees of private employers and state and local governments, with certain exceptions. The bill requires that employees who are employed and compensated on a fee-for-service basis accrue paid sick leave in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commissioner of Labor and Industry. The bill provides that employees transferred to a separate division or location remain entitled to previously accrued paid sick leave and that employees retain their accrued paid sick leave under any successor employer. The bill allows employers to provide a more generous paid sick leave policy than prescribed by its provisions and specifies that employees, in addition to using paid sick leave for their physical or mental illness or to care for a family member, may use paid sick leave to seek or obtain certain services or to relocate or secure an existing home due to domestic abuse, sexual assault, or stalking. The bill requires the Commissioner to promulgate regulations for the implementation and enforcement of the bill's provisions by July 1, 2027.The bill authorizes the Commissioner, in the case of a knowing violation, to subject an employer to a civil penalty not to exceed $150 for the first violation, $300 for the second violation, and $500 for each successive violation. The Commissioner or Attorney General may commence administrative proceedings or bring a civil action to enforce the bill's provisions. Additionally, the bill authorizes an aggrieved employee to bring a civil action against the employer in which he may recover double the amount of any unpaid sick leave and the amount of any actual damages suffered as the result of the employer's violation. Certain provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 199.

Text versions

Roll-call votes

State vote data last updated Oct 14, 2026, 12:15 PM.

DateVoteResultYour legislators
Mar 13, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 13, 2026
Senate		Adopt Conference Committee Report RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 10, 2026
Senate		Insist & Request RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 6, 2026
House		H VOTE:failSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 4, 2026
Senate		Passage RpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 3, 2026
Senate		Reported from Finance and AppropriationspassSet your home in Virginia to see
Mar 3, 2026
Senate		Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)passSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 23, 2026
Senate		Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitutepassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 16, 2026
House		H VOTE:passSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 6, 2026
House		Reported from AppropriationspassSet your home in Virginia to see
Feb 4, 2026
House		Subcommittee recommends reportingpassSet your home in Virginia to see
Jan 27, 2026
House		Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s)passSet your home in Virginia to see
Jan 22, 2026
House		Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)passSet your home in Virginia to see

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