The webinar will be conducted on Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 1:30 pm Eastern Standard Time.

The cost of the webinar will be $40.00.

The webinar will be conducted on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at 10:00 am Eastern Standard Time.

The cost of the webinar will be $40.00.

This application is only valid for Virginia employers.

BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED BY HOUSE AND SENATE AND SIGNED INTO LAW BY GOVERNOR

Minimum Wage

• The current state hourly minimum wage of $12.77 per hour (that was effective January 1, 2026) will increase to $13.75 per hour effective January 1, 2027, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2028.
• Effective January 1, 2029, and annually thereafter, the minimum wage rate will be adjusted to reflect increases in the consumer price index (CPI).

Restrictions on Non-Compete Agreements

• New restrictions will apply to non-compete agreements entered into, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2026.
• Virginia currently prohibits employers from entering into or enforcing a post-employment “covenant not to compete” with “low-wage workers,” i.e., those earning less than $1,507.01 per week or any other non-exempt employee under the FLSA (irrespective of their earnings). Any “health care professional” can’t be required to sign a non-compete agreement. “Health care professionals” are defined as “any person licensed, registered, or certified by the Board of Medicine, Board of Nursing, Board of Optometry, Board of Psychology, or Board of Social Work.”
• As of July 1, 2026, employers are prohibited from enforcing a non-compete against any employee who was discharged without a severance offer.

Heat Safety Standard

• Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board is required to develop and adopt heat illness regulations by May 1, 2028.
• Applies to employees working indoors and outdoors.

• The regulations must include requirements for employers to: provide water, access to shade or climate-controlled environments when practicable, rest periods, acclimatization to working in heat, and effective training regarding heat illness prevention; implement high-heat procedures when the temperature equals or exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit; and establish effective emergency response procedures.
• Exemptions for: heat exposure during the provision of emergency services that involve emergency law enforcement, emergency medical services, firefighting services, rescue and evacuation operations, or emergency restoration of essential utilities, including electric and telecommunication utilities; and heat exposure lasting no longer than 15 consecutive minutes.

BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED BY HOUSE AND SENATE, BUT GOVERNOR SENT BACK WITH AMENDMENTS (NOT LAW YET)

Right to Work

• For the first time in history, public employees (including employees of the state and localities, teachers, firefighters, etc.) and home care workers will have the right to unionize and collectively bargain. It appears the legislation will also apply to employees of political subdivisions, such as Community Service Boards (CSBs) and Housing Authorities.
• The legislation builds on a 2020 law that lifted Virginia’s blanket ban on public sector collective bargaining by allowing workers to collectively bargain in localities that allowed for such in their regulations or voted to allow.
•  The legislation creates the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB). The PERB will determine appropriate bargaining units and provide for certification and decertification elections for exclusive bargaining representatives of state employees and local government employees. The bill requires public employers and employee organizations that are exclusive bargaining representatives to meet at reasonable times to negotiate in good faith with respect to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.
• The legislation also establishes the Virginia Home Care Authority (VCCA). The VCCA will serve as the public employer of individual providers for purposes of collective bargaining. The legislation repeals a provision that declares that in any procedure providing for the designation, selection, or authorization of a labor organization to represent employees the right of an individual employee to vote by secret ballot. This will represent a major change in the way private duty and Medicaid personal care providers do business in the future.

Paid Sick and Safe Leave

• Effective date will likely be July 1, 2027.
• Expands legal requirements that currently require one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked for home health workers to cover all employees of private employers and state and local governments.
• Employees will begin accruing sick leave at the time of and employers may elect to front load an employee’s annual sick and safe leave.
• Employers must permit employees to carry over at least 40 hours of accrued but unused sick and safe leave to the following year.
• Employers are not required to pay out accrued but unused sick and safe leave at termination.

Paid Family & Medical Leave Insurance Program

• A state-administered paid family and medical leave (PFML) insurance program. Covered employees receive payment from the state – not their employer.
• Funded by payroll premiums shared by both employers and employees. Employers may deduct up to 50% of the required contributions from employee pay. Contributions will begin in 2028, and benefits will become available starting in 2029. The employer contribution rate is expected to be fixed by October 1, 2027.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid leave in a benefit year can be used for an employee’s serious health condition, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or to care for a new child.
• Paid leave benefits will equal to 80% of the average weekly wage, subject to a cap of 100% of the statewide average weekly wage.
• Employees can receive paid family and medical leave benefits on an intermittent or reduced schedule.
• Employees are entitled to be restored to the same or equivalent position at the conclusion of the leave and employers are required to maintain an employee’s health care benefits during the leave.
• SESCO will be monitoring closely what Governor Spanberger does to include the passage of a budget that funds the legislation.

Employers should begin budgeting for potential increased labor costs, reviewing non-compete agreements and severance practices, and evaluating leave policies for compliance with anticipated new requirements. Proactive monitoring and preparation will help employers ensure compliance, minimize risk, and maintain a competitive edge in this evolving regulatory environment.

Right to Work

• For the first time in history, public employees (including employees of the state and localities, teachers, firefighters, etc.) and home care workers will have the right to unionize and collectively bargain. It appears the legislation will also apply to employees of political subdivisions, such as Community Service Boards (CSBs) and Housing Authorities.
• The legislation builds on a 2020 law that lifted Virginia’s blanket ban on public sector collective bargaining by allowing workers to collectively bargain in localities that allowed for such in their regulations or voted to allow.
• The legislation creates the Public Employee Relations Board (PERB). The PERB will determine appropriate bargaining units and provide for certification and decertification elections for exclusive bargaining representatives of state employees and local government employees. The bill requires public employers and employee organizations that are exclusive bargaining representatives to meet at reasonable times to negotiate in good faith with respect to wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment.
• The legislation also establishes the Virginia Home Care Authority (VCCA). The VCCA will serve as the public employer of individual providers for purposes of collective bargaining. The legislation repeals a provision that declares that in any procedure providing for the designation, selection, or authorization of a labor organization to represent employees the right of an individual employee to vote by secret ballot. This will represent a major change in the way private duty and Medicaid personal care providers do business in the future.
• SESCO will be monitoring closely what Governor Spanberger does to include the passage of a budget that funds the legislation.

Minimum Wage

• Legislation seeks to increase the current state hourly minimum wage of $12.77 per hour (that was effective January 1, 2026) to $13.75 per hour effective January 1, 2027, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2028.
• Effective January 1, 2029, and annually thereafter, the minimum wage rate would be adjusted to reflect increases in the consumer price index (CPI).

Paid Sick and Safe Leave

• Effective date will likely be July 1, 2027.
• Expands legal requirements that currently require one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked for home health workers to cover all employees of private employers and state and local governments.
• Employees will begin accruing sick leave at the time of and employers may elect to front load an employee’s annual sick and safe leave.
• Employers must permit employees to carry over at least 40 hours of accrued but unused sick and safe leave to the following year.
• Employers are not required to pay out accrued but unused sick and safe leave at termination.

Paid Family & Medical Leave Insurance Program

• A state-administered paid family and medical leave (PFML) insurance program. Covered employees receive payment from the state – not their employer.
• Funded by payroll premiums shared by both employers and employees. Employers may deduct up to 50% of the required contributions from employee pay. Contributions will begin in 2028, and benefits will become available starting in 2029. The employer contribution rate is expected to be fixed by October 1, 2027.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid leave in a benefit year can be used for an employee’s serious health condition, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or to care for a new child.
• Paid leave benefits will equal to 80% of the average weekly wage, subject to a cap of 100% of the statewide average weekly wage.
• Employees can receive paid family and medical leave benefits on an intermittent or reduced schedule.
• Employees are entitled to be restored to the same or equivalent position at the conclusion of the leave and employers are required to maintain an employee’s health care benefits during the leave.
• SESCO will be monitoring closely what Governor Spanberger does to include the passage of a budget that funds the legislation.

Heat Safety Standard

• Legislation would direct the Virginia Safety and Health Codes Board to develop and adopt heat illness regulations by no later than May 1, 2027.
• Applies to employees working indoors and outdoors.
• The regulations must include requirements for employers to provide water, access to shade or climate-controlled environments when practicable, rest periods, acclimatization to working in heat, and effective training regarding heat illness prevention; implement high-heat procedures when the temperature equals or exceeds 80 degrees Fahrenheit; and establish effective emergency response procedures.
• Notably, the legislation specifies that there will be exemptions for: heat exposure during the provision of emergency services that involve emergency law enforcement, emergency medical services, firefighting services, rescue and evacuation operations, or emergency restoration of essential utilities, including electric and telecommunication utilities; and heat exposure lasting no longer than 15 consecutive minutes.

Restrictions on Non-Compete Agreements

• If signed, the new restrictions will apply to non-compete agreements entered into, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2026.
• Virginia currently prohibits employers from entering into or enforcing a post-employment “covenant not to compete” with “low-wage workers,” i.e., those earning less than $1,507.01 per week or any other non-exempt employee under the FLSA (irrespective of their earnings). Two bills seek to now prohibit such restrictive covenants with any “health care professionals.” “Health care professionals” are defined as “any person licensed, registered, or certified by the Board of Medicine, Board of Nursing, Board of Optometry, Board of Psychology, or Board of Social Work.”
• Employers would be prohibited from enforcing a non-compete against any employee who was discharged without a severance offer.

BILLS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN PASSED BY BOTH HOUSE AND SENATE

Prohibition Against “Stay or Pay” Contracts

• Proposes a new prohibition against entering into, enforcing, or attempting to enforce so-called “stay or pay contracts” with employees. Stay or pay contracts are essentially contracts whereby an employer provides some monetary or non-monetary benefit to an employee, the cost of which the employee will have to repay if they separate from employment within a certain timeframe.
• As currently drafted, this bill does not address whether it would apply to already executed stay or pay contracts.

Artificial Intelligence in Employment Decisions

• Employers would be prohibited from deploying, using, or relying on automated decision systems that result in discrimination based on protected characteristics under the Virginia Human Rights Act.
• Employers would be responsible for an AI model’s decisions even when using a vendor’s services.
• Those relying on AI-assisted hiring or assessment tools may be required to conduct risk assessments, disclose AI use, and potentially provide appeal mechanisms for adverse decisions.

Workplace Violence Plan Requirements

• Employers with more than 100 employees would be required to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program by January 1, 2027.
• This program must be customized to the employer’s specific operations, workspaces, and risk profile, and must clearly identify responsible personnel, reporting channels, incident‑response procedures, investigation protocols, emergency procedures—including responses to weapon‑related threats—employee training requirements, ongoing risk assessments, and hazard‑mitigation measures such as engineering or work‑practice controls.

Prepare for what comes next. Virginia’s 2026 legislative session adjourned on March 14 and will reconvene on April 22 to consider the Governor’s actions on bills and budget items. Employers should begin budgeting for potential increased labor costs, reviewing non-compete agreements and severance practices, auditing AI-assisted hiring tools, and evaluating leave policies for compliance with anticipated new requirements. Proactive monitoring and preparation will help employers ensure compliance, minimize risk, and maintain a competitive edge in this evolving regulatory environment.

Right to Work

• Legislation aims to repeal Virginia’s long-standing right-to-work law, which currently prohibits employment agreements requiring union membership as a condition of employment.
• We are watching this closely. The bill to repeal right to work wasn’t brought to the Senate’s Commerce and Labor Committee for a full hearing.

Minimum Wage

• Legislation seeks to increase the current state hourly minimum wage of $12.77 per hour (that was effective January 1, 2026) to $13.75 per hour effective January 1, 2027, and to $15.00 per hour effective January 1, 2028.
• Effective January 1, 2029, and annually thereafter, the minimum wage rate would be adjusted to reflect increases in the consumer price index (CPI).

Paid Sick and Safe Leave

• Effective date will likely be July 1, 2027.
• Expands legal requirements that currently require one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked for home health workers to cover all employees of private employers and state and local governments.
• Employees will begin accruing sick leave at the time of and employers may elect to front load an employee’s annual sick and safe leave.
• Employers must permit employees to carry over at least 40 hours of accrued but unused sick and safe leave to the following year.
• Employers are not required to pay out accrued but unused sick and safe leave at termination.

Paid Family & Medical Leave Insurance Program

• A state-administered paid family and medical leave (PFML) insurance program. Covered employees receive payment from the state – not their employer.
• Funded by payroll premiums shared by both employers and employees. Employers may deduct up to 50% of the required contributions from employee pay. Contributions will begin in 2028, and benefits will become available starting in 2029. The employer contribution rate is expected to be fixed by October 1, 2027.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid leave in a benefit year can be used for an employee’s serious health condition, to care for a family member with a serious health condition, or to care for a new child.
• Paid leave benefits will equal to 80% of the average weekly wage, subject to a cap of 100% of the statewide average weekly wage.
• Employees can receive paid family and medical leave benefits on an intermittent or reduced schedule.
• Employees are entitled to be restored to the same or equivalent position at the conclusion of the leave and employers are required to maintain an employee’s health care benefits during the leave.

Wage Transparency

• Employers would be prohibited from seeking or relying on a prospective employee’s wage or salary history when making hiring or compensation decisions. Narrow exceptions permit employers to consider salary history only when an applicant voluntarily discloses it, after an initial offer has been made, or to support a higher salary than originally offered.
• Employers would be required to disclose wage or salary ranges in all public and internal job postings.  For claims related to posting requirements, applicants must first notify the employer and allow a 15-day cure period before filing suit.

Restrictions on Non-Compete Agreements

• Virginia currently prohibits employers from entering into or enforcing a post-employment “covenant not to compete” with “low-wage workers,” i.e., those earning less than $1,507.01 per week or any other non-exempt employee under the FLSA (irrespective of their earnings). Two bills seek to now prohibit such restrictive covenants with any “health care professionals.” “Health care professionals” are defined as “any person licensed, registered, or certified by the Board of Medicine, Board of Nursing, Board of Optometry, Board of Psychology, or Board of Social Work.”
• Employers would be prohibited from enforcing a non-compete against any employee who was discharged without a severance offer.

Prohibition Against “Stay or Pay” Contracts

• Proposes a new prohibition against entering into, enforcing, or attempting to enforce so-called “stay or pay contracts” with employees. Stay or pay contracts are essentially contracts whereby an employer provides some monetary or non-monetary benefit to an employee, the cost of which the employee will have to repay if they separate from employment within a certain timeframe.
• As currently drafted, this bill does not address whether it would apply to already executed stay or pay contracts.

Artificial Intelligence in Employment Decisions

• Employers would be prohibited from deploying, using, or relying on automated decision systems that result in discrimination based on protected characteristics under the Virginia Human Rights Act.
• Employers would be responsible for an AI model’s decisions even when using a vendor’s services.
• Those relying on AI-assisted hiring or assessment tools may be required to conduct risk assessments, disclose AI use, and potentially provide appeal mechanisms for adverse decisions.

Workplace Violence Plan Requirements

• Employers with more than 100 employees would be required to develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive workplace violence prevention program by January 1, 2027.
• This program must be customized to the employer’s specific operations, workspaces, and risk profile, and must clearly identify responsible personnel, reporting channels, incident‑response procedures, investigation protocols, emergency procedures—including responses to weapon‑related threats—employee training requirements, ongoing risk assessments, and hazard‑mitigation measures such as engineering or work‑practice controls.

Prepare for what comes next. Virginia’s 2026 legislative session is scheduled to adjourn on March 14 and reconvene on April 22 to consider the Governor’s actions on bills and budget items. Employers should begin budgeting for potential increased labor costs, reviewing non-compete agreements and severance practices, auditing AI-assisted hiring tools, and evaluating leave policies for compliance with anticipated new requirements. Proactive monitoring and preparation will help employers ensure compliance, minimize risk, and maintain a competitive edge in this evolving regulatory environment.

HR and organizational leaders play a critical role in shaping how change is communicated, received, and sustained. Poorly managed change leads to confusion, disengagement, and turnover. Well-led change builds resilience, trust, and momentum.

This session focuses on the human side of change and the leadership behaviors that drive successful transitions. We’ll explore:

• Why employees resist change—and how to address it
• Communicating change with transparency and credibility
• Supporting managers as change champions
• Maintaining engagement and morale during uncertainty
• Aligning culture, processes, and accountability with new initiatives
• Sustaining change beyond the initial rollout

Whether you’re implementing a new policy, restructuring teams, or navigating organizational growth, this session will help you lead change intentionally and effectively.

This session focuses on the interpersonal communication skills leaders need to be effective in today’s workplace. It’s not just about what you say—it’s how you say it, when you say it, and how well you listen.

We’ll explore:

• Communicating expectations clearly and consistently
• Active listening and responding with intention.
• Adjusting communication styles for different personalities and generations
• Delivering feedback in a way that motivates rather than discourages.
• Managing difficult or emotionally charged conversations.
• Communicating during change, uncertainty, and conflict.

Great leaders don’t leave communication to chance. They approach it intentionally, knowing that clarity and connection drive performance. This session equips leaders with practical tools to communicate in ways that strengthen relationships and improve results.

In today’s workplace, employees expect leaders who communicate clearly, listen actively, show empathy, and create safe environments. The ability to navigate personalities, manage emotions, build trust, and lead with authenticity is what separates effective leaders from ineffective ones.

This session focuses on the interpersonal skills that drive engagement, collaboration, and performance.

We’ll explore:

• Emotional intelligence and self-awareness in leadership
• Active listening and clear, respectful communication
• Building trust and credibility with diverse teams
• Giving and receiving feedback constructively
• Managing stress, tension, and difficult personalities
• Leading with empathy while maintaining accountability

When leaders strengthen their soft skills, they strengthen culture, retention, and results. This session provides practical strategies leaders can apply immediately in everyday workplace interactions.

When generational differences are misunderstood, they can create tension, miscommunication, and retention challenges. When understood and leveraged strategically, they drive innovation, engagement, and stronger performance.

This session moves beyond stereotypes to focus on practical leadership strategies for managing generational diversity in today’s workplace.

We’ll explore:

• What truly differentiates each working generation—and what doesn’t.
• How generational perspectives shape communication, feedback, and motivation.
• Managing expectations around flexibility, career growth, and work-life integration.
• Preventing generational conflict and bias.
• Creating inclusive policies and practices that resonate across age groups.

Leaders and HR professionals will gain insights to foster collaboration, strengthen culture, and align workforce strategies with today’s evolving talent landscape.