# Virginia HB2561: Employee protections; minimum wage and overtime wages, civil actions, misclassification of workers. Virginia HB2561, Employee protections; minimum wage and overtime wages, civil actions, misclassification of workers., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Alfonso H. Lopez (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (House sustained Governor's veto) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2561-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB2561 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Employee protections; minimum wage and overtime wages, civil actions, misclassification of workers. - Status: to governor - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-12 - Last action: 2025-04-02, House sustained Governor's veto - Sponsor: Alfonso H. Lopez (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (138 yes, 86 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Employee protections; minimum wage and overtime wages; civil actions; misclassification of workers. Provides that an employer that violates minimum wage or overtime wages provisions is liable to the employee 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. 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, and such actions are required to be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrued. The bill also increases from 300 days to two years the amount of time a complainant has to file an allegation of discriminatory practice with the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Law alleging a violation of the Virginia Human Rights Act or federal statutes governing discrimination in employment that also falls under the jurisdiction of the Virginia Human Rights Act. Additionally, the bill provides that a civil action brought by an individual against his employer for failing to properly classify the individual as an employee under current law shall be commenced within three years after the cause of action accrued. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Alfonso H. Lopez (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-19 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 21 | 19 | | | 2025-02-18 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2025-02-17 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor | pass | 9 | 6 | | | 2025-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 51 | 48 | | | 2025-01-28 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce | pass | 12 | 10 | | | 2025-01-23 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 5 | 3 | 1 | ## Actions (26) - 2025-04-02: House sustained Governor's veto (House) - 2025-03-24: Vetoed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (House) - 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2561) (House) - 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2561ER) (House) - 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House) - 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-19: Passed Senate (21-Y 19-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Read third time (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Reported from Commerce and Labor (9-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB2561) (House) - 2025-02-04: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2025-02-03: Read third time and passed House (51-Y 48-N) (House) - 2025-01-31: Read second time and engrossed (House) - 2025-01-30: Read first time (House) - 2025-01-28: Reported from Labor and Commerce (12-Y 10-N) (House) - 2025-01-23: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 3-N) (House) - 2025-01-21: Assigned L & C sub: Subcommittee #2 (House) - 2025-01-12: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House) - 2025-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25104499D (House) ## Bill text - Veto Explanation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073264.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066563.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066562.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018904.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018902.PDF) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073264.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066563.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1066562.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018904.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1018902.PDF) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2561-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).