Advocates Call on Gov. Youngkin to Protect VA Workers

RICHMOND, Va. – Today, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) and Care in Action issued the following statement calling on Governor Glenn Youngkin to sign SB 897, HB 2469, and HB 1921—bills aimed at ensuring fair pay and paid sick leave for Virginia workers: 

Statement from the Virginia Interfaith Center and Care in Action 
 

“These bills are a matter of basic fairness, dignity, and public health. Live-in care workers and other domestic workers provide essential care, yet too many are denied overtime pay and basic labor protections. At the same time, more than a million Virginians lack paid sick leave, forcing them to choose between their health and a paycheck. No one should have to make that choice. These essential workers deserve the same rights and protections as everyone else.” 
 

“For too long, Virginia’s labor laws have left domestic workers and low-wage workers behind. These workers put in grueling hours yet remain among the most underpaid and undervalued members of our workforce. Many of them are Black, brown, and immigrant women who have been systematically excluded from protections that most of us take for granted. These bills are a long-overdue step toward justice and fairness for the people who keep our communities running.” 
 

“The General Assembly passed these bills, recognizing that workers should not have to suffer financial hardship for taking care of their families and themselves. Now, Governor Youngkin must act. Signing SB 897, HB 2469, and HB 1921 into law will ensure economic security, a stronger workforce, and a healthier Virginia.” 

“We urge Governor Youngkin to stand with Virginia’s workers and sign these critical protections into law. The future of our workforce and the well-being of families across the Commonwealth depend on it.” 


Key Provisions of the Bills 
 
SB 897 & HB 2469 – Overtime Protections for Live-in Domestic Workers 

• Restores Virginia’s overtime pay requirements to live-in domestic workers. 
• Allows workers to take legal action against employers for wage theft. 
• Maintains a two-year limit for wage theft claims and a three-year limit for willful violations. 

HB 1921 – Paid Sick Leave 

• Requires all employers to provide five paid sick days (40 hours) per year for full-time workers. 
• Allows part-time employees to accrue sick leave based on hours worked. 

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Key Facts 

• Fighting exploitation: Live-in domestic workers are among the most vulnerable workers in Virginia—many work long, grueling shifts without overtime pay. Without protections, they face wage theft, financial instability, and exploitative working conditions. 
   
• By the numbers: 1.2 million Virginians—including 80% of food industry workers and 75% of child care workers—lack access to paid sick days. 
   
• Economic impacts: On average, a worker who takes just 3.5 unpaid sick days loses a month’s worth of groceries for their family. 
   
• Impacts on classrooms: Without paid sick days are twice as likely to send sick children to school, increasing the spread of illness and negatively impacting learning. 
   
• Business benefits: Paid sick leave reduces turnover, improves worker productivity, and helps businesses avoid financial losses associated with sick employees working through illness. 

Sources: National Partnership for Women & Families, Institute for Women’s Policy Research