VirginiaSB2152026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Prospective employer; prohibited from seeking wage or salary history of prospective employees.

Sponsored By: Jennifer B. Boysko (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Prohibiting employer seeking wage or salary history of prospective employees; wage or salary range transparency; cause of action. Prohibits a prospective employer from (i) seeking the wage or salary history of a prospective employee; (ii) relying on the wage or salary history of a prospective employee in considering the prospective employee for employment; (iii) relying on the wage or salary history of a prospective employee in determining the wages or salary the prospective employee is to be paid upon hire; (iv) refusing to interview, hire, employ, or promote or otherwise retaliating against a prospective or current employee for not providing wage or salary history or requesting a wage or salary range; (v) failing or refusing to disclose in each public and internal posting for each job, promotion, transfer, or other employment opportunity the wage, salary, or wage or salary range; and (vi) failing to set a wage or salary range in good faith. The bill establishes a cause of action for an aggrieved prospective employee or employee and provides that an employer that violates such prohibitions is liable to the aggrieved prospective employee or employee for statutory damages between $1,000 and $10,000 or actual damages, whichever is greater, reasonable attorney fees and costs, and any other legal and equitable relief as may be appropriate. This bill is identical to HB 636.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Penalties and lawsuits to enforce pay rules

The Virginia Attorney General can sue employers that break these rules. Fines are up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for later ones. You can sue within one year for actual damages and other relief. For job posts missing pay or using a bad‑faith range, anyone may send written notice; the employer has 15 business days to fix the original postings or face suit for that posting.

Virginia jobs: no pay history, posted ranges

Virginia employers cannot ask for or rely on your past pay when hiring. They cannot retaliate if you refuse to share it or if you ask for the pay range. Every public and internal job posting must show the wage, salary, or a pay range. Pay ranges must be set in good faith.

You can share past pay to negotiate

You may choose to share your past pay, including after an initial offer, to negotiate. If you volunteer this, an employer may use or confirm it only to support a higher offer. Any higher pay must still follow equal pay and other wage laws.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Jennifer B. Boysko

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 258 • No: 128

Senate vote 4/22/2026

Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation

Yes: 21 • No: 18

House vote 4/22/2026

House concurred in Governor's recommendation

Yes: 66 • No: 32

Senate vote 2/26/2026

House amendment agreed to by Senate

Yes: 21 • No: 19

House vote 2/24/2026

Passed House with amendment

Yes: 68 • No: 29

House vote 2/19/2026

Reported from Labor and Commerce

Yes: 14 • No: 5

Senate vote 2/6/2026

Read third time and passed Senate

Yes: 21 • No: 19

Senate vote 2/5/2026

Commerce and Labor Amendment agreed to

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/4/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/4/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/2/2026

Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment

Yes: 7 • No: 6

Actions Timeline

  1. House concurred in Governor's recommendation (66-Y 32-N 0-A)

    4/22/2026House
  2. Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)

    4/22/2026Senate
  3. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0996)

    4/22/2026Governor
  4. Reenrolled bill text (SB215ER2)

    4/22/2026Senate
  5. Reenrolled

    4/22/2026Senate
  6. Approved by Governor-Chapter 996 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/22/2026Governor
  7. Signed by President

    4/22/2026Senate
  8. Signed by Speaker

    4/22/2026House
  9. Governor's recommendation adopted

    4/22/2026Governor
  10. Governor's recommendation received by Senate

    4/13/2026Governor
  11. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/10/2026Governor
  12. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    3/10/2026Senate
  13. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB215)

    3/2/2026Senate
  14. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB215ER)

    3/2/2026Senate
  15. Enrolled

    3/2/2026Senate
  16. Signed by President

    3/2/2026Senate
  17. Signed by Speaker

    3/2/2026House
  18. House amendment agreed to by Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

    2/26/2026Senate
  19. Passed House with amendment (68-Y 29-N 0-A)

    2/24/2026House
  20. Engrossed by House as amended

    2/24/2026House
  21. Delegate Maldonado Floor amendment agreed to

    2/24/2026House
  22. Passed by temporarily

    2/24/2026House
  23. Floor Offered

    2/24/2026House
  24. Read third time

    2/24/2026House
  25. Read second time

    2/23/2026House

Bill Text

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