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

When you look for work in Virginia, the job posting has to tell you what it pays. Since July 1, 2026, employers must list the wage, salary, or pay range on every public and internal posting for a job, promotion, or transfer, and the range has to be set in good faith. Employers also can’t ask what you were paid before, and they can’t use your old pay to decide whether to hire you or what to offer you.

You don’t need to apply for anything. You can still share your past pay to negotiate a better offer. An employer can’t refuse to hire or promote you, or punish you, for keeping your pay history to yourself or for asking what a job pays. You can sue within a year for your actual losses, and the attorney general can seek fines of up to $1,000 for a first violation and $5,000 for each one after that. Before you can sue over a posting, you must give written notice; if the employer fixes it in the original posting locations within 15 business days, no private suit can be brought over that posting.

Sen. Jennifer Boysko carried SB 215, and Del. Michelle Maldonado sponsored the identical House bill. Del. Nicole Cole sponsored another House version that was folded into Maldonado’s bill. Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed earlier versions twice. SB 215 passed the Senate 21–19 along party lines; the House companion’s final pre-enrollment vote was 63–34. Gov. Abigail Spanberger proposed changes, including replacing statutory damages of $1,000 to $10,000 with actual damages and adding fines the attorney general can seek. Lawmakers accepted the changes, and she signed the law on April 22, 2026.