Virginia job ads must show the pay, and employers can't ask what you made

When you apply for a job in Virginia, the posting has to tell you what it pays. Employers must list a wage or salary range, set in good faith, in every public and internal posting for a job, promotion, or transfer. The rule covers employers of every size.

Employers also can’t ask what you earned before, and they can’t use your past pay to decide whether to hire you or how much to offer. They can’t punish you for refusing to share it or for asking what a job pays. If you bring up your old pay on your own, an employer can use it only to offer you more. You don’t have to do anything to get these protections. If an employer breaks the rules, you can sue within a year. The Attorney General can also seek penalties of up to $1,000 for a first violation and up to $5,000 for each one after that. Before anyone can sue over a posting, the employer must get written notice and 15 business days to fix it; if the employer corrects it in time, no suit may be brought over that posting violation.

Sen. Jennifer Boysko pushed the proposal for several sessions and carried the Senate bill, SB 215. Del. Michelle Maldonado carried the identical House bill, HB 636. Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a similar version in 2024. Gov. Abigail Spanberger proposed changes, including replacing the bill’s set damages with penalties enforced by the Attorney General. The General Assembly accepted them on April 22, 2026, and Spanberger approved the law the same day.