2026 UPDATED VERSION
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Virginia employee handbook

  • Includes federal, state and city-specific policies
  • Download a Virginia handbook (Word doc)
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Disclaimer: The content provided below is for informational purposes only and does not substitute legal advice.

Last updated October, 2026

Virginia Employee Handbook Overview

When building your Virginia employee handbook, it is important to include the state and federal policies that apply to your business. Whether all your employees are in Virginia or only a small number, your handbook should explain the policies and entitlements that apply to them.

You can find Virginia-specific policies to review, federal policies, and other optional policies below.

What should be included in a Virginia employee handbook?

Every handbook should address applicable federal, state, and local policies. Below are Virginia-specific policies to consider for your workforce.

  • Virginia Equal Employment Opportunity Policy: Covered employers may not discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, age, military status, disability, or national origin.
  • Virginia Reasonable Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities: Covered employers must provide reasonable accommodations for qualified employees with disabilities unless doing so would cause undue hardship. They must also include information about employees’ accommodation rights in the handbook and provide the required notices to employees.
  • Virginia Pregnancy Accommodations Policy: Covered employers must provide reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions unless doing so would cause undue hardship. Information about these rights must appear in the employee handbook, along with the other notices the law requires.
  • Virginia Lactation Accommodation Policy: Covered employers must provide reasonable accommodations related to lactation, which may include breaks and a private space other than a bathroom to express milk.
  • Virginia Crime Victim Leave Policy: Employees who are victims of a crime may leave work to attend criminal proceedings relating to that crime after providing the required documentation. The leave may be unpaid, and an employer may limit it if it creates an undue hardship.
  • Virginia Election Service Leave Policy: Employees serving as local electoral board members, deputy general registrars, or election officers are protected when they miss work for covered election duties after giving reasonable notice. Employers may not require them to use sick or vacation time.
  • Virginia Jury Duty Policy: Employees summoned for jury duty are protected from adverse action after giving reasonable notice and cannot be required to use sick or vacation time. Additional scheduling protection applies when jury service, including travel, lasts four or more hours in a day.
  • Virginia Sharing of Wage Information Policy: Employers generally may not retaliate against employees for asking about, discussing, or disclosing their own or another employee’s wages. A limited exception applies to employees whose duties give them access to confidential wage information.
  • Virginia Pay Transparency and Salary History Policy: Employers must include a good-faith wage, salary, or pay range in public and internal postings for jobs, promotions, transfers, and other employment opportunities. They generally may not seek or rely on an applicant’s salary history or retaliate against someone for requesting a pay range.
  • Virginia Paid Sick Leave Policy: Current law covers qualifying home-health workers who average at least 20 hours a week or 90 hours a month. They accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, subject to the law’s annual limits. A broader paid sick leave requirement begins phasing in on July 1, 2027, starting with employers of at least 50 employees.
  • Virginia Organ Donation Leave Policy: Employers with at least 50 employees must provide eligible employees up to 60 business days of unpaid leave for organ donation or up to 30 business days for bone marrow donation in a 12-month period. Eligibility and physician-verification requirements apply.
  • Virginia Meal Breaks Policy: Employers must give employees under age 16 a meal break of at least 30 minutes after no more than five consecutive hours of work. Virginia generally does not require meal breaks for adult employees.
  • Virginia Civil Air Patrol Leave Policy: Employees who volunteer with the Civil Air Patrol may take up to 10 workdays for emergency-mission training and up to 30 workdays for emergency response per federal fiscal year. The leave may be unpaid, and employers cannot require employees to exhaust other leave first.
  • Virginia Military Duty Leave Policy: Private-sector employees in the Virginia National Guard, Virginia Defense Force, or another state’s National Guard may take unpaid leave when called to covered state active duty or federal Title 32 duty. Employers cannot require them to use accrued leave, and reemployment protections apply when statutory conditions are met.
  • Virginia Emergency Responder Leave Policy: Employers may not retaliate against covered volunteer firefighters or emergency medical responders who miss work to answer an emergency alarm or serve during a state of emergency, provided they meet the law’s notice and documentation requirements. The missed time may be unpaid.
  • Virginia Witness Duty Leave Policy: Employees summoned or subpoenaed to appear in court, other than defendants in criminal cases, are protected from adverse action after giving reasonable notice. Employers may not require them to use sick or vacation time for the appearance.
  • Virginia Non-Compete Restrictions: Employers may not enter into or enforce non-compete agreements with low-wage employees. Changes effective July 1, 2026, also restrict new or renewed non-competes involving covered health care professionals and limit enforcement against employees discharged without cause unless severance or another monetary payment was disclosed when the agreement was signed.

Federal Policies

Many handbooks should address the federal laws that apply to the employer, along with workplace practices that help employees understand company expectations. Coverage varies by employer and employee, so review each policy before including it.

Core policies to review

  • Equal Employment Opportunity and Anti-Discrimination Policy
  • Anti-Harassment and Complaint Procedure
  • Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Policy, if applicable
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Reasonable Accommodation Policy
  • Military Service Leave (USERRA)
  • Wage and Hour Compliance Policy (FLSA)
  • At-Will Employment Notice
  • Policies for covered federal contractors, such as pay transparency, whistleblower protection, and drug-free workplace policies
  • Workplace Violence Prevention Policy
  • Code of Conduct Policy
  • Nursing Parents Policy
  • Conflict of Interest and Business Ethics
  • Disciplinary Procedures
  • Use of Company Property
  • Employee Classification and Pay Practices
  • Health and Safety Policy
  • Confidential Company Information
  • Open Door Policy
  • Receipt of Non-Harassment Policy
  • Use of Communication and Computer Systems
  • Workplace Searches and Inspections

Additional policies to include, as applicable

  • Industry-specific policies
  • Sick Leave, Vacation Leave, and PTO Policy
  • Company Vehicles Policy
  • Punctuality and Attendance
  • Benefits
  • Working Schedule
  • Employment Records
  • Smoking
  • Overtime
  • Performance Reviews
  • Social Media Policy
  • Remote Work Policy
  • Introductory Period Policy
  • References
  • Hiring Relatives and Significant Others
  • Business Expense Reimbursement

Explore these policies in the handbook builder.

Poster Requirements

Understanding labor law poster requirements can feel like solving a puzzle. You may need federal, Virginia, and local notices, depending on your business and where employees work.

Why should I care about displaying posters?

Required notices tell employees about their workplace rights. Employers must display the notices that apply to them in the manner each law requires. Posting requirements and potential penalties vary by notice, so review them when you open a location, change how employees work, or update your policies.

What are the requirements for displaying labor law posters?

Many notices must be displayed conspicuously where employees can readily see them. If employees work remotely, check the rule for each notice: electronic access can supplement physical posting and may satisfy some requirements when specific conditions are met. Some notices must also be available to job applicants. The U.S. Department of Labor’s poster guidance explains federal requirements.

What labor law posters do I need to display?

The required set depends on your workforce, industry, and locations. Federal and Virginia agencies provide their posters free of charge.

How to create a Virginia Employee Handbook?

An employee handbook isn’t just a formality; it’s the foundation of a well-run company. But getting it right means more than putting words on paper. Your handbook needs to reflect applicable federal, state, and local employment laws, and it needs to stay current as those laws change.

When it comes to building a state-specific handbook, many companies face the same choice: hire an attorney to draft one from scratch or try to do it themselves. The first option can be expensive and time-consuming. The second can be difficult if you’re relying on a generic template.

That’s where Handbooks.io comes in.

Handbooks.io helps companies create and maintain employee handbooks. Answer a short survey about your company, then review and edit the handbook it generates. You can start with a free basic handbook and choose a plan with Virginia and local policies if you need them. Let’s build this thing!

Get started on building your handbook

Creating a new handbook only takes a few minutes. You can get started by answering a few interactive questions about your company. A few examples:

  • How many employees do you have?
  • Do you have employees in multiple states?
  • Do you have an introductory period for new employees?
  • Do you offer paid holidays?
  • What is your payroll schedule?

Create your Virginia employee handbook now!