Virginia House kills bill requiring hazard pay for essential employees (Source: wvir) By Cameron Jones | Capital News Service | February 3, 2021 at 6:28 PM EST - Updated February 3 at 7:11 PM
RICHMOND, Va. (CAPITAL NEWS SERVICE) - Lawmakers unanimously shot down legislation this week that would have required employers to provide hazard pay to essential employees and provide protective equipment in the event of a stay-at-home order.
Del. Hala S. Ayala, D-Woodbridge, said she introduced House Bill 2015 to help protect and further compensate employees required to work during a shelter-in-place or stay-at-home order.
The measure required that employers authorized to remain open must pay 1.5 times the regular rate of pay for hours worked during a stay-at-home or shelter-in-place order. Employers who failed to comply with the bill would be subject to civil penalties not exceeding $1,000 for each violation. A substitute for the bill defined essential employees as health care, hom