I have been a 911 dispatcher for 5 years and in that time I have taken “that call” more times then I can count. I know coworkers whom have either left the field or missed many days due to trauma caused by stressful calls. Poor mental health care has also been a contributor to continued short staffing and longer wait times for 911 calls. Burn out and compassion fatigue are real. They call us the first of the first responders. I am asking for your help so we can continue to help others. Please support this legislation.

Good Morning Mr. Chairman and Committee Members, I am writing to ask you to please support this bill. As a 911 dispatcher, I can attest to the traumatic calls we take. In my short career, I have taken multiple calls that have left their scars on my mental health. I have personally heard everything from a 4-month-old’s last breath, a female whispering for help as her significant other stabbed her, a daughter crying as her mother was murdered before her eyes, the coldness of an individual confessing they had murdered a family member, and a teenager begging me to save his life as responders rushed to the scene of his wreck, meanwhile, I knew help was not going to get to him before the fire engulfed his vehicle. While not all calls turn out to be this traumatic and these calls spanned my current seven years of service, they are the ones that left the greatest impact on me. These calls, amplified by other tragedies, began to take effect on my mental health. As 911 dispatchers, we rarely get to know the outcome of the calls, yet we carry the weight of them every day. We experience the emergencies in real time and hear the trauma as the citizen is experiencing it. We hear things no individual should ever have to hear. While most of us do not like to discuss our trauma, I do believe it is an important step to gaining much-needed benefits such as the ones described in this bill. As a 911 dispatcher who has been diagnosed with PTSD and is currently progressing through treatment, I wish I could fully put into words just how important this bill is. As an individual, the job takes a toll on you with the long hours, working holidays and special occasions, being called into work on your days off, and more. The strain it puts on a family is even harder. Then imagine experiencing flashbacks, nightmares, mentally hearing screams repeatedly, anxiety, numbness, and at times, intrusive thoughts. Much like many in the profession, I did not talk about the full extent of my trauma until it became so bad, that I could not handle it on my own anymore. However, I was still afraid of the stigma and the medical bills that would accrue due to the possible medication requirements and therapy appointments. The stress of how I was going to pay for the treatments started to surface also. Many do not seek help for fear of not being able to afford the appropriate treatment making it harder to appropriately handle the traumatic experience. This bill would be a tremendous advancement in the care of our 911 dispatchers. I apologize for the length of this comment; however, I do feel it is necessary to provide you with real-life experience of what 911 dispatchers are exposed to.

Speaking as a close personal friend to one 911 dispatcher and a neighbor to another, I know these are the unseen heroes within the commonwealth. Their work is 24 hours a day, and 911 does not take one day off. Imagine the trauma incurred from talking to people who are either in danger or are witness to tragedies, both in potential and in reality. Dispatchers have an almost impossible job of reassuring their callers to remain calm and give clear directions while sending help as quickly as possible. And these unseen heroes currently cannot claim post-traumatic stress disorder as a reason for worker’s compensation. I encourage those entrusted with the power given to them by the voters of Virginia to do the right thing. Please ensure the rights of my friends and their colleagues in 911 dispatch centers in this commonwealth to claim PTSD as a legal and viable cause for their claims for worker’s compensation when their day’s work causes them unbearable stress and trauma. They are some of the hardest and most dedicated heroes of our communities, but unlike the police officers, firefighters, and EMTs, they remain faceless and unseen and at worst, forgotten. Let’s not forget the work they do and show them the appreciation for their work by seeing this bill become law. Thank you.

I am SVP, Regulatory & External Affairs for Roanoke Gas Company and we are opposed to HB139. While we are grateful that Delegate Simonds worked with us on this bill and made many changes we requested, we must oppose this bill. We are a small natural gas distribution utility, serve about 63,500 customers. Due to the nature of the work, we and our contractors, have highly specialized workforces. Our workers are operator qualified as required by the SCC's pipeline safety division. Our job sites are subject to random inspections by the SCC. Therefore we do not believe our workforce and the workforce of our contractors, need the protections this bill is intended to provide. The administrative workload associated with continuing compliance with prevailing wages by localities, which are subject to change, would result in higher rates for our customers. In addition, we are concerned about the provisions contained in the bill that would subject us to private right of actions and make us liable for actions that may be taken by our contractors. For these reasons, I ask that you vote against the bill.

My name is Dominic Harden, I am the Chair of the Virginia Young Democrats Labor Caucus, and I strongly support House Bill 1098 on Family Bereavement Leave. The loss of a loved one or a wanted addition to the family is one of the most devastating experiences imaginable. When familial tragedy strikes, the last thing that should be on anyone's minds is whether taking the time off they need to begin handling loss in their family will cause them to lose their job. When we lose someone we care about, we need time to handle the affairs of the departed, travel to funerals that may not be nearby, and mourn the loss of those that we care about. That is why I support HB 1098. This bill would provide Virginian’s with a guarantee that if they lose a valued family member, they will have a period of time to begin processing the loss in their family. Overall, giving Virginians time to grapple with terrible loss is the right thing to do, and I hope that you will all consider voting yes on HB 1098.

Workers in the commonwealth deserve time off to grieve the loss of those close to them. Some employers offer 3 day bereavement but that sometimes isn't enough to grieve a loved one as everyone mourns differently for those they love. That is why the Western Virginia Chapter of CLUW is asking that you support the passage of this bill.

In 2011 I lost my wife to complications from Leukemia- My employer has a union contract and within the contract I was provided with excused time from work to arrange her funeral service and to grieve- This excused time allowed me to be off from work for 5 calendar days- At the end of that excused time I was still in a depressed state- I asked my employer to excuse me from work for another 7 calendar days so that I might work through counseling to hopefully return to work- The employer granted the time for me and it was truly a blessing- I was lucky that I had the negotiated language and an employer who was willing to work with me- This is not always the case- If workers have to rely upon and employer to approve time off from work when they are grieving they will be left at the direction of their employer as to whether or not the time off and the duration of that time would be approved- This bill gives employees the security to know they will be able to take unpaid time off from work for up to 10 days in 12 months- Please support this bill and move it forward to the full committee- It is "The Right Thing To Do"

I support HB 1098 because it’s past time to treat Virginia workers with basic decency. No one can be expected to work productively if they’re grieving for a loved one. Giving workers bereavement leave will not only them to tend to their family’s needs, but it will also create a more humane and productive working environment for all Virginians. This will benefit workers and their employers alike.

I support HB 1098 because it’s past time to treat Virginia workers with basic decency. No one can be expected to work productively if they’re grieving for a loved one. Giving workers paid bereavement leave will not only them to tend to their family’s needs, but it will also create a more humane and productive working environment for all Virginians. This will benefit workers and their employers alike.

I believe in HB 1098 because it provides a guarantee of decency and respect to Virginians. Loss of a loved one is something we will all experience, and we all need time to grieve and process that loss. We need to work and maintain our professional lives and careers, and we should never have to choose between our job and going to our parents' funeral. We should be able to trust that we will have the opportunity to do right by our loved ones without a risk of us being unemployed because of it. Please vote yes on HB 1098.

Chairman and Members of Sub-Committee: My name is Jeff Richards, I am the president of the ATU 1493 in Roanoke, Virginia, and I strongly support House Bill 1098 on Family Bereavement Leave. Everyone deserves to have time to mourn the loss of their loved ones. When a person experiences loss, they deserve to have time to make necessary arrangements, attend a funeral, and begin to process the unexpected tragedy without fear that they may lose their jobs. Without guaranteed, job-protected bereavement leave, many Virginians are forced to decide whether it is worth their surviving family’s economic stability to honor loved ones who have recently passed. This isn’t right, and it's time that we work together to pass HB 1098 to ensure Virginians have the time they need to grieve their loved ones.

Comments Document

The attachment is my statement of support for HB 1098 and asking the committee to support it, too.

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Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.

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Hi I am writing to you on behalf of The Well Connection UK, a media and publishing company. We could easily get virginia.gov featured in various publications such as magazines, online blogs and news sites. This would undoubtedly help virginia.gov with publicity, reputation, domain authority and organic search engine rankings. We have a wide range of options including completely free collaborations, sponsored posts, guest posts and banner ads. If this sounds of interest, please reach out to the senior business development manager, Anita at info@thewellconnection.co.uk and whatsapp +447395206515 (GMT) Kind regards Clifton Junior Outreach Assistant

Alexandria is a vibrant city based on history, culture, a waterfront and lots of tourism. If Virginia has money and space to build an arena then you have money and space to build new schools. Our school system is deplorable. It’s overcrowded. Think of your citizens before thinking about your quick money grab that eventually leads to an inevitable loss. We don’t want or need an arena. This is pure greed.

Comments Document

Support for HB1265 and HB1370

I ask you to please fully support HB 1344. It is bad enough to have to go through this experience, but then to also have to worry about losing your job a demotion or any other form of retaliation for speaking up is heartbreaking. You should not have to worry about being penalized for being the victim ever. Thank you for taking the time to read my comments and again I asked you to fully support 1344 as written.

I am currently a college student, and will enter the workforce in a few years. I want to know that my rights to report any wrongdoing, abuse, harassment, etc, are protected by the law, as I know employers can take advantage of these situations. A close friend of mine was greatly wronged by her employer for speaking out about wrongdoing occurring inside her company, something which she would have been protected from if this legislation would have been in place at the time. For myself, and for all other workers in Virginia, I ask that you please affirm your commitments to your constituencies by guaranteeing workers' rights to be free from retaliation in cases like these. Thank you for your time.

Members of House Labor and Commerce Subcommittee 2: Thank you for the opportunity to provide this comment in support of HB 1344. I live in Annandale and I am employment lawyer—a partner at Murphy Anderson PLLC—who has been practicing law in Virginia for 23 years. I have spent my entire career practicing on behalf of Virginia workers, and a large percent of my work is representing Virginia whistleblowers. HB 1344 provides modest, necessary amendments to Virginia's whistleblower and non-disclosure laws. The sum result of these fixes is that employees will more freely be able to disclose illegal activity in the workplace. In other words, if an employer is engaged in potentially illegal activity, the bill makes it especially clear that the public policy of Virginia is that employees should not be retaliated against for disclosure of such activity. This bill does nothing to impede the ability of employers to have and enforce non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) about trade secrets. I note that due to a decision of the National Labor Relations Board in 2023, federal law matches many of the protections that this bill seeks to codify. Specifically, federal law currently prohibits NDAs for most employees. And, the changes to Virginia's whistleblower law match the whistleblower provisions in many federal and state statutes. Since the National Labor Relations Board decision, settlement agreements have not been more difficult to attain. In fact, it has become easier to settle these cases, as practitioners understand that NDAs seeking to hide illegal activity are preemptively illegal. This means there is less to negotiate and the settlement process is more efficient. HB 1344 is important to pass notwithstanding the protections in federal law, as many of these matters are litigated in Virginia state courts, which are more accessible to workers and provide more efficient resolution for both workers and employers. This bill will provide a stable and clear foundation to ensure that Virginia whistleblowers are protected from retaliation for reporting illegal employer practices. Best, Mark Hanna Murphy Anderson PLLC mhanna@murphypllc.com

Comments Document

Support for HB1265 and HB1370

Please consider and pass this bill! BACKGROUND: I suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury back in 2017. I had no bills except my mortgage and one credit card when I had my injury. I was able to keep up with those bills, and regular living expenses through the end of that year. The following year, I had nothing. Friends, family, and church stepped in to help me keep my home and living expenses. There were medical bills over the course of that time until I finally had insurance, and then co-pays because when I got SSDI I lost Medicaid. I couldn't and still can't pay those bills. I have no savings and only SSDI - I can't work. Why do we need this bill? IMPACT TO ME The ER, doctors, radiologists all reported these bills as delinquent. They turned them over to a collection agency (different ones). They showed up as "turned over for collection" effective that date. I proved it was uncollectible, SSDI was my sole income. They sold it to the next agency. And it continues for 5 years from date of service. For me, I don't need / want a credit card, but I need a decent score. - I got turned down for a DEBIT card because of a recent "new" collection account. - As I need more assistance, I'll have to rent/buy somewhere I can afford (oh yeah). And each medical account that gets sold is reported as "new" when it's received, which becomes the apparent start date for that debt.... in the credit report. Part of this is a subject for another bill --- "You can't sell any known uncollectible bill (senior with fixed government income) to a collection agency. " Reality check - The probability / percentage of them getting a job or winning the lottery? Zero. I don't deserve to be locked out just because they keep reporting and selling my medical bills. My mortgage is paid on time every time. I have no other bills.