t is important for both employers and employees to understand all aspects of Virginia (VA) wage and hour laws. These laws are primarily adaptations of federal standards.
Federal wage and hour laws-not Virginia (VA) wage and hour laws-are used to establish the minimum wage standard for Virginia employees. Therefore, Virginia employers must pay Virginia employees a rate of no less than $5.15 per hour.
If the federal government rules in favor of raising the national minimum wage to as high as $7.25 per hour within the next few years it could affect the state of Virginia. That state, as well as others, would be required to pay the federal minimum hourly rate if it is higher than the state minimum wage.
Virginia (VA) wage and hour laws have some standards for breaks. For instance, workers under 16 are required to be given a 30 minute meal break if they work five or more hours in a row. Virginia follows the federal standard for breaks given to workers over 16 years of age (they are not required).
Even though Federal law does not require breaks to be given to adult employees, short rest breaks (usually 5 to 20 minutes) that are given to employees must be counted as hours work.
In turn, these employees may be required to remain on duty or called back to work during this time. If employers give breaks to adult workers that are 30 minutes or longer those breaks do not have to be paid for by the employer if the employee is free from all duties.
Additionally, federal laws instead of Virginia (VA) wage and hour laws are what determine conditions for payment of overtime to Virginia employees. One federal regulation of overtime pay that the state of Virginia abides by is the following: A rate of one and a half times an employee’s regular rate of pay must be paid to those employees who work more than 40 hours within a seven day workweek.
Even not many official Virginia (VA) wage and hour laws exist on the books, the State of Virginia is able to establish what is right and fair for both employers and employees. This is made possible by this state’s decision to adopt quite a few federal wage and hour laws as their own.
