Virginia's 2026 General Assembly passed legislation requiring employers to provide paid sick leave to employees, with civil penalty and civil action enforcement mechanisms. The bill passed both chambers and was awaiting the Governor's final action as of the end of the session. The measure is part of a broader Democratic-led push to address worker affordability and economic security.
Should Virginia require employers to provide paid sick leave to workers?
Tap a point along the line below to show where you stand.
Require generous paid sick leave for all workers and extend it to cover family care and mental health needs.
Support a statewide paid sick leave mandate with civil enforcement as the legislature passed.
Require paid sick leave only for full-time employees and phase in requirements for small businesses.
Allow businesses to voluntarily offer paid sick leave and provide tax incentives rather than a mandate.
Oppose any paid sick leave mandate; leave decisions should be made between employers and employees.
Collective bargaining for public employees
Virginia's 2026 General Assembly took up collective bargaining rights for public sector workers as a major legislative priority, a topic that was historically very difficult to advance in this traditionally right-to-work state. The Democratic majority's push for collective bargaining reflects broader efforts to strengthen worker power in Virginia.
Should Virginia expand collective bargaining rights for public sector employees?
Tap a point along the line below to show where you stand.
Tags: energy, Democrats, Republicans, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, right to work, data centers, budget, marijuana, politics, casinos
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
Grant full collective bargaining rights to all public employees, including the right to strike.
Expand collective bargaining rights for public workers with binding arbitration as the dispute mechanism.
Allow public employees to organize and negotiate but limit bargaining to wages only, not work rules.
Keep collective bargaining optional and locally controlled; do not mandate it at the state level.
Oppose expanding collective bargaining; maintain Virginia's right-to-work culture in public employment.
State minimum wage
In the 2026 Virginia General Assembly session, lawmakers passed and the governor signed legislation to raise the state minimum wage incrementally to $15 per hour by January 1, 2028, with automatic annual CPI adjustments thereafter. The change was framed as addressing affordability and was described as supported by a large share of Virginians, amid broader debate over labor costs and the business climate.
How should Virginia set its state minimum wage?
Tap a point along the line below to show where you stand.
HB 1 (Del. Jeion Ward) / SB 1 (Sen. Louise Lucas) SIGNED INTO LAW Minimum wage. Incrementally raises the state minimum wage to $15.00 per hour on January 1, 2028. Beginning January 1, 2029, and each year thereafter, the minimum wage shall be automatically adjusted based on changes in the consumer price index to keep pace with inflation.
Governor Spanberger signed legislation into law to accelerate $7.1 billion in capital investment in Virginia, boost workforce training and apprenticeships, and raise Virginia’s wage to $15 per hour — an action supported by nearly 80 percent of Virginians.
Positions on this issue · liberal → conservative
Raise the minimum wage faster than $15 by 2028 and strengthen automatic inflation indexing
Support the enacted path to $15 by 2028 with ongoing CPI-based annual adjustments
Keep the current scheduled increase but pause or review automatic CPI adjustments
Freeze further state increases and leave wage setting mostly to employers and the market
Repeal or roll back the state minimum wage hike and align only with the federal floor