New Employment Laws in Virginia Forbid Non-Competition Agreements and Asking About Salary Histories

Virginia employers, take note.

Effective July 1, 2026, a series of new employment laws will go into effect in Virginia. Two of the key changes for employers are:

• Non-competition agreements will be unenforceable against employees terminated without cause unless the employer provides severance benefits or other monetary payment to the employee. Note that non-competition agreements include any prohibitions on providing services to company clients where the employee does not initiate contact with, or solicit, the customer.
• Employers are prohibited from asking prospective employees their wage or salary histories. Additionally, employers must disclose on all public and internal postings (for any job, promotion, transfer or other opportunity) the wage, salary, or wage or salary range for the position.