We have a way of losing track of what our holidays are really about. St. Patrick’s Day has become a reason to wear lots of green and drink beer. Memorial Day means sales and the opening of the neighborhood pool. And Labor Day has become the unofficial end of summer — one last long weekend, one last backyard barbecue, and one last chance to enjoy the pool before school and fall routines take over.
There’s nothing wrong with enjoying any of that. But as we celebrate the unofficial end of summer, it’s also worth remembering what Labor Day represents — the contributions of working people and the generations of workers who fought to make our workplaces fairer, safer, and more secure.
It’s also a reminder that things we now take for granted — the 40-hour work week, weekends, workplace safety protections, and fair wages — didn’t just happen. Working people organized, fought for them, and, in many cases, made real sacrifices to secure them.
So, as we prepare to celebrate Labor Day, I thought I’d use this month’s column to highlight several new labor-related laws that took effect on July 1st, expanding protections and benefits for workers and families across the Commonwealth.
Raising the Minimum Wage
Virginia’s minimum wage is going up again. After a brief pause under the former Governor, the most recent General Assembly put us back on course to hit $15 per hour by January 1, 2028. After that, the minimum wage will be adjusted based on increases in the Consumer Price Index.
It’s taken a while to get there, (I first introduced a $15 minimum wage in 2015), but regardless of the work you do, a higher minimum wage is one way we can make sure that Virginia’s workers share in the prosperity they help create.
Paid Sick Leave You Can Actually Use
We also took a major step forward on paid sick leave. Virginia law now guarantees paid sick leave for most workers, including employees of private businesses and state and local governments. Workers will earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked and, in most cases, workers can carry their accrued leave with them, including when a business changes ownership.
Paid sick leave can be used for more than staying home when you have the flu. Workers can use it to care for themselves or a family member, address a physical or mental health issue, or seek help and services related to domestic, sexual, or physical abuse. No one should have to choose between going to work while sick and paying the bills or staying home to care for a loved one and losing a paycheck. And someone trying to escape an abusive situation shouldn’t have to worry that taking time to get help will cost them their job.
The paid family and medical leave insurance program is also now law and will eventually give eligible workers access to paid time away from work for major life events and serious health needs. Together, these laws recognize that people have responsibilities outside of their jobs, and our workplace policies should reflect that.
Further, we have tools to hold employers accountable for knowing violations, including civil penalties. Workers can also take legal action in certain circumstances when they are denied the leave they are entitled to, potentially recovering unpaid leave and damages.
Another new law addresses a different kind of workplace inequality: salary history. Employers are now prohibited from asking job applicants about their salary or wage history. What you earned at your last job shouldn’t determine what you’re worth at your next one.
No Salary History
For too long, salary history has been used as a shortcut for determining compensation, which can perpetuate unfair pay disparities from one job to the next. By taking salary history out of the equation, we give applicants a better opportunity to negotiate based on the job they are applying for, not what they happened to earn somewhere else.
That is what Labor Day is about - recognizing the people whose work keeps our communities and our Commonwealth moving forward, and making sure our laws recognize their contributions.
And what better way to celebrate that progress than by gathering together? I hope you’ll join me for my annual Labor Day BBQ on Monday, September 7th, for good food, good company, and a chance to celebrate the people who make our communities and our Commonwealth strong. I’d love to see you there.