There is no reason why such a discriminatory behavior is accepted. Protecting the employment of hard-working individuals must be the priority of each legislator.

I support HB 1785 and HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage. I also support HB1754 and HB1780 because Virginia is one of the worst states for worker protections and we need to start doing the bare minimum for workers who have gone through hell this pandemic.

Some argue that solar panels will require too much land. Much land area in the U.S., however, is already dedicated to industrial uses and a significant portion represents abandoned uses. This bill for Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund makes tremendous sense. The bill awards grants on a competitive basis to support wind, solar, or geothermal projects sited on formerly mined lands or brownfields. Renewable energy development on previously disturbed land rather than high-value fields and forests should be promoted. This bill will also create opportunities in Southwest Virginia ensure they are a part of the transition to clean energy. Please support the passage of this bill.

We respectfully oppose HB 1754. We feel that requiring an employer to prove what they were not thinking when making a determination to discharge an employee for cause is just not possible. How would a person prove what they were not thinking? Any employee who is facing a termination for cause who may be filing a workers comp claim or who has filed one need simply to charge that is the reason for the dismissal and again, how would the employer possibly disprove that assertion? This bill, if passed, would possibly cause any work performance documentation leading up to the decision to terminate the employee to be irrelevant. Please vote NO on HB 1754. Thank you

We are opposed to this bill. The law already prohibits retaliatory discharge against an employee for filing a workers compensation claim. This bill would effectively make it impossible to terminate an employee who has filed a workers compensation claim for any reason. Employers should not be able to discharge an employee just for filing a workers compensation claim, something already prohibited by the law. However, making it difficult to discharge an employee who is acting unsafely in the workplace unjustly creates a hazard for other employees.

The VEA supports this bill.

The Virginia Education Association supports HB 1754 by Delegate Carter. We urge the committee to report HB 1754 favorably from committee. Thank you.

HB 1754 Our opinion is that this bill, if passed as written, would make it illegal for an employer to ever discharge an employee who had submitted a workers compensation claim. How could an employer EVER prove that the reason for the discharge wasn't the sole reason. It is impossible to prove a negative. HB 2032 First, domestic workers in Virginia may be covered by a workers compensation policy. If they are a sole proprietor, an LLC, or a corporation they may buy a workers compensation policy and opt to cover themselves. If they are full time employees of another, their employer can purchase a workers compensation policy to cover them. This can be accomplished in both by adding the WC 00 03 14 A. (Ed. 07-11). WORKERS COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYERS LIABILITY COVERAGE FOR RESIDENCE EMPLOYEES endorsement to the policy. Requiring multiple employers to buy a workers compensation policy for one domestic employee (if they work for more than one employer, which is often the case) could be VERY problematic as there could be a question as to which policy would apply if there is an injury where the time and place of the injury is not obvious. This could cause a serious delay in payments to the domestic employee while the insurance companies decide which one has the coverage. There could also be other issues if there are multiple policies. Please, let's discuss this further so that we can avoid any confusion and unintended consequences.

I support HB1786 in giving farmworkers higher wages so they can actually support themselves and their families. Farm workers are providers for this nation and food is such a vital resource that impacts everyone. These workers deserve higher wages for their labor which is undervalued and underappreciated in our sociey.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

The mistreatment of our most essential workers is not only unjust, but disgraceful. They are human beings, first and foremost, outside of their function — and the fact that their function must be leveraged in this situation is deeply troubling. The hands that feed us deserve more.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support this bill because everyone deserves a living wage, especially farm workers, who are so important to our society and health and work so incredibly hard. Farm workers (and their families) need a more substantial living wage.

I support HB1786 because everyone deserves a living wage. Our farm workers are the backbone of the economy, and it is important to protect them and pay them adequately.

The Virginia Catholic Conference supports HB 1786 (Ward) to provide a living wage to agricultural workers who were excluded from the 2020 minimum wage increase. Thank you.

I support HB 1786 because every worker deserves a living wage which is what this bill sets out to do for farmworkers. The only reason why these workers have been excluded from the ability to earn at least the minimum wage is because of historic racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support HB1786 and a minimum wage for farmworkers. All workers, documented and undocumented, deserve a minimum living wage and cannot survive without one. Virginia must recognize the dignity and humanity of farmworker’s and their labor. Thank you to those who wrote this bill.

I support HB1786 so essential farm workers get paid what they deserve for their valuable work. Providing a minimum wage to help farm workers live is an important step in recognizing and valuing the work they do and their importance. The pandemic has affected their livelihoods even more and a living wage is the minimum in protecting farm workers. I support HB 1786 and hope that members of the Virginia Assembly vote to make Virginia a more equitable state for ALL laborers! #SupportVAFarmworkers #EssentialNOTDisposable

Many farmworkers in Virginia are not subject to federal or state minimum wage laws leading to some to be paid under $5/hour. As argued by the Legal Aid Justice Center, it is long past time we repeal these exemptions, ones rooted in racism, and ensure these essential workers benefit from this basic worker protection. There are an estimated 2.5 million farm workers laboring on our nation’s farms and ranches, cultivating and harvesting crops and raising and tending to livestock. According to data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey, twenty-five percent of all farmworkers had a family income below the federal poverty line. As students at the University of Virginia, we benefit from the labor of farmworkers, and feel obligated to advocate for their fair treatment. Though unseen, farmworkers are invaluable to our local and global communities. Our policies must ensure that farmworkers are paid the minimum wage to which they are entitled. That is why we ask that you support HB 1786 and stand for farmworkers in Virginia.

I fully support the HB 1786. It’s an essential reform that would aid the financial, mental, and. physical prosperity of farmers, who are disproportionately folks of Latin American descent. Farm labor conducted in recent years has been a source of harm for the Latinx workers as it’s deregulated and neglected in labor laws. Especially now during a pandemic which already places people of color at higher risk, farm workers are now forced to work in dangerous conditions for low wage. This is one of many forms of structural violence that place racial minorities at greater risk of contracting COVID.

I support this bill and urge the committee members to vote in support of HB 1786

HB 1786 should be passed and implemented as soon as possible. I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that farmworkers in the state of Virginia are given the pay that they deserve. They are essential in so many ways, yet they continue to be exploited for their valuable labor. Every year hundreds of farmworkers come to the state of Virginia and harvest the very food that we eat and take for granted. Given the unpredictable circumstances of COVID-19, these workers are essential now more than ever as they continue providing food during the current pandemic. Farmworkers are skilled and talented and deserve an increase in wages that can sustain their livelihood. Farmworkers deserve a living wage and being granted a minimum wage is long overdue! Again, I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that members of the Virginia Assembly vote to make Virginia a more equitable state for ALL laborers! #SupportVAFarmworkers #EssentialNOTDisposable

A lot of my peers are commenting on an agriculture bill that they do not fully understand. I ask the honorable delegates to not consider their comments as there a far reaching implications of this bill and the opinions of experts should been considered. Far too often good intentions cause my young peers to act despite our innate ignorance so please make your decisions informed.

We need farmworkers more than ever. Please allow for them to receive a minimum wage in return

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I wholeheartedly support this bill

I support this bill as a mandatory human right. These are humans who are not being treated as so. Justice demands immediate action on behalf of all your constituents

It is absolutely imperative that a bill is passed to provide a minimum wage for all farm laborers. It is extremely disappointing that we have waited to long to address this fact. We must value the farm workers who bring the food to our table. Minimum wage must be passed immediately.

I support this bill because everyone deserves a decent wage and the best quality of life.

I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that farmworkers in the state of Virginia are given the pay that they deserve. They are essential in so many ways, yet they continue to be exploited for their valuable labor. Every year hundreds of farmworkers come to the state of Virginia and harvest the very food that we eat and take for granted. Farmworkers are skilled and talented and deserve an increase in wages that can sustain their livelihood. Farmworkers deserve a living wage and being granted a minimum wage is long overdue! Again, I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that members of the Virginia Assembly vote to make Virginia a more equitable state for ALL laborers!

I SUPPORT HB 1786 because I believe every person deserves to be able to live a decent and dignified life, particularly those who do the most work yet receive the least in return. Farmworkers are essential NOT because food systems would collapse without them, NOT because Virginia's economy depends on them, but simply because they are people, folks of our communities. No one should have to justify their existence or humanity in order to survive. To vote no on HB 1786 is to determine that some are more deserving of a decent life than others.

As a United States citizen and Virginia resident, I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that farmworkers in the state of Virginia are given the pay that they deserve. They are essential in so many ways, yet they continue to be exploited for their valuable labor. Every year hundreds of farmworkers come to the state of Virginia and harvest the very food that we eat and take for granted. Farmworkers are skilled and talented and deserve an increase in wages that can sustain their livelihood. Farmworkers deserve a living wage and being granted a minimum wage is long overdue! Again, I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that members of the Virginia Assembly vote to make Virginia a more equitable state for all laborers.

I believe that farm workers should, at MINIMUM, be extended their right to receive minimum wage.

I can't understand why farm workers wouldn't be entitled to the minimum wage, or even much more than that. What's more, as I understand it, farm work is hard and often somewhat dangerous. I hear the minimum wage exemption is a relic of the Jim Crow era, and I'm not surprised. If employers can't afford to pay minimum wage, they simply can't afford to run their businesses. It's as simple as that. I urge Virginian lawmakers to give farm workers the same rights most other employees enjoy.

Good morning! As a citizen of the commonwealth of Virginia, I know how important our food systems are, especially during a pandemic. I also know who is responsible for actually growing my food - farm workers. These people deserve a wage that allows them to provide for themselves and their families, especially considering they help provide for all of us. Please do the right thing today and help these people. Thank you!

I am in support of this bill.

I support the HB 1786 because farm workers simply deserve to be paid the same rates as any other worker in the state. If this fails to pass, the effects will be felt disproportionally by communities of color, supporting racist systems. Farmworkers pay taxes and contribute to the local economy year-round, not just during seasonal working schedules, so they deserve to be paid fair wages at all times. Paying wages at consistent hourly rates prevents threats of exploitation that may found in other payment structures that can be less predictable. We need to put an end to racist policy and exploitation. Virginia's farmworkers and employees deserve living wages. Support #Farmworkers in Virginia.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because farmworkers deserve a living wage just like everyone else. I am ready and willing to pay more for food if it means Virginia's hardworking farm laborers and employees are paid at least the minimum wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I am Jim Riddell and represent the Virginia Cattlemens Association and thousand of cattle farmers. We ask you to vote no on HB 1786. Virginia agriculture has had its exemption from the minimum wage for many years and it is one of the 16 exemptions such as commission base sales, travel, taxis and other employment sectors where income is based on things like number of head, number of plants, bushels harvested or acres planted. These are just a few. Livestock and crop agriculture are unique and many farm workers receive more income based on the amount of work completed. Work is seasonal and our products are perishable. Our on-the-farm workers have the ability to control what and how much they produce and in many instances it makes sense to compensate them based on that. The exemption has been there for a reason. This has been a very tough business year for farm business - and passing this bill will lead to more farm unemployment and farms lost. We ask you to maintain the farm worker minimum wage exemption, as you did during the 2020 session and oppose HB1786. Jim Riddell Virginia Cattlemen’s Association

I am Jim Riddell and represent the Virginia Cattlemens Association and thousand of cattle farmers. We ask you to vote no on HB 1786. Virginia agriculture has had its exemption from the minimum wage for many years and it is one of the 16 exemptions such as commission base sales, travel, taxis and other employment sectors where income is based on things like number of head, number of plants, bushels harvested or acres planted. These are just a few. Livestock and crop agriculture are unique and many farm workers receive more income based on the amount of work completed. Work is seasonal and our products are perishable. Our on-the-farm workers have the ability to control what and how much they produce and in many instances it makes sense to compensate them based on that. The exemption has been there for a reason. This has been a very tough business year for farm business - and passing this bill will lead to more farm unemployment and farms lost. We ask you to maintain the farm worker minimum wage exemption, as you did during the 2020 session and oppose HB1786. Jim Riddell Virginia Cattlemen’s Association

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that farmworkers in the state of Virginia are given the pay that they deserve. They are essential in so many ways, yet they continue to be exploited for their valuable labor. Every year hundreds of farmworkers come to the state of Virginia and harvest the very food that we eat and take for granted. Farmworkers are skilled and talented and deserve an increase in wages that can sustain their livelihood. Farmworkers deserve a living wage and being granted a minimum wage is long overdue! Again, I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that members of the Virginia Assembly vote to make Virginia a more equitable state for ALL laborers! #SupportVAFarmworkers #EssentialNOTDisposable

Farm workers are workers, and all workers' rights should be protected. That includes extending the minimum wage to cover their labor as well. The passage of this bill is long overdue

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? There is no excuse.

I am a resident of Charlottesville, VA and fully support HB 1786. My grandfather came to the United States after World War II as a contract laborer to work in the United States’ agricultural industry through the Bracero Program. His experience migrating to the United States from central Mexico paved the way for the migration of my own father in the 1980s to the agricultural fields of California, Oregon, and eventually Washington State where we would settle as a family and where I would grow up. Being a farmworker is dignified work. However, our state and federal governments have never treated farmworkers with the dignity they rightly deserve. Both of my parents worked as seasonal farmworkers for over a decade in this country. As a result of their low wages and zero protections, we grew up poor with very little social safety nets. Our farmworkers deserve so much better. HB 1786 is a step in that direction. By providing farmworkers in Virginia access to the minimum wage, you are helping to provide children and their families the basic financial resources needed to be healthy and to thrive. This is especially critical during the current pandemic.

End the exploitation of farm labor in Virginia and remove the minimum wage exemption for agricultural workers. The minimum wage in Virginia has not kept up with the rising cost of living -- even the statewide wage increase passed by the General Assembly last year was not sufficient for working families in economically precarious situations. Lower-income workers deserve more security for their hard-earned labor than they have received from the Commonwealth of VA.

In the 2021 legislative session, we must prioritize abandoning racist policies that have allowed systemic racism and human rights violations to persist. Many farmworkers in Virginia are not subject to federal or state minimum wage laws leading to some to be paid under $5/hour. As argued by the Legal Aid Justice Center, it is long past time we repeal these exemptions, ones rooted in racism, and ensure these essential workers benefit from this basic worker protection. There are an estimated 2.5 million farm workers laboring on our nation’s farms and ranches, cultivating and harvesting crops and raising and tending to livestock. According to data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey, twenty-five percent of all farmworkers had a family income below the federal poverty line. As students at the University of Virginia, we benefit from the labor of farmworkers, and are obligated to advocate for their fair treatment. That is why we ask that you support HB 1786 and stand for farmworkers in Virginia. -Students for Equity and Reform in Virginia (SERV)

How is it that agricultural workers aren’t afforded the VA minimum wage? They put food on our tables and are classified as “essential workers” by the Department of Homeland Security. Myself and many other young Virginians support HB 1786 and honor the hard labor agricultural workers perform to ensure our survival and that of our Commonwealth. Passing this bill is a step in the right direction towards denouncing our legacy of racism, discrimination and abuse towards agricultural workers in Virginia. Please act favorably on this legislation!

I support HB1786 because people, essential farmworkers, should get the pay that they deserve. Especially during such a time where the pandemic is putting increased stress economically, socially, health-wise and more on such essential workers, this step is extremely important and absolutely necessary. These farmworkers who provide the essential food we need, eat, and take for granted deserve an increase in wages that can actually support their livelihood. Minimum wage, a living wage, is far, far overdue. I support HB1786 and encourage the members of the Virginia Assembly to take this step in the right direction in making Virginia a more equitable state for ALL laborers. Please support HB1786. #SupportVAFarmworkers #EssentialNOTDisposable

I SUPPORT HB 1786 because I believe that farmworkers in the state of Virginia deserve to be paid enough to live. They are essential in so many ways, yet they continue to be exploited for their labor. All of us are benefiting from the food that they harvest, but we continue to take them for granted. They are skilled and talented, and they deserve an increase in wages to sustain their livelihoods. This bill is long overdue. Again, I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that members of the Virginia Assembly vote to make Virginia a more equitable state for ALL laborers! #SupportVAFarmworkers #EssentialNOTDispossable

I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that farmworkers in the state of Virginia are given the pay that they deserve. They are essential in so many ways, yet they continue to be exploited for their valuable labor. Every year hundreds of farmworkers come to the state of Virginia and harvest the very food that we eat and take for granted. Farmworkers are skilled and talented and deserve an increase in wages that can sustain their livelihood. Farmworkers deserve a living wage and being granted a minimum wage is long overdue! Again, I SUPPORT HB 1786 and hope that members of the Virginia Assembly vote to make Virginia a more equitable state for ALL laborers! #SupportVAFarmworkers #EssentialNOTDisposable

My dad and grandfather were farmworkers for years, getting paid very little for their hard work. for I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

My family has owned land in Hanover county for almost a century. As Black landowners, we believe whole heartedly that farmworkers must be compensated a living wage; that is the bare minimum. In so much of our lives, the labor of farmworkers is invisibilized. When we go to a grocery store and buy produce, cheese, or corn for our families to eat, many people rarely thank or understand how that food got from a seed to the store. The difficult, complex, physically strenuous, and often ignored labor that farmworkers put in to help us all feed our families is important and, in fact, is essential to sustaining our lives. Their labor should be compensated as if it is essential. I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? I urge you to support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage. Thank you for considering. I hope you vote to support farmworkers and their right to put food on their plates too!!

I support HB 1785 and HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage. I also support HB1754 and HB1780 because Virginia is one of the worst states for worker protections and we need to start doing the bare minimum for workers who have gone through hell this pandemic.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I’m in support of this bill.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage Stanley Naimon 13111 Glenmeadow Ct Midlothian VA 23114

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because farm workers are valuable and skilled and pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

SUPPORT VIRGINIA’S FARMWORKERS I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. Similarly, my great-grandparents came from Mexico to do seasonal work on the Pennsylvania Railroad. After a few years of seasonal work, they became citizens and raised 5 children who went on to become soldiers, social workers, and educators. Not paying farm workers a living wage is cruel and inhumane. Support #Farmworkers in Virginia.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. There is no good excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage. Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage.

There is absolutely no reason that farmworkers, who perform one of the most tiring and difficult jobs, should be exempt from Virginia's minimum wage act. I urge the members of the committee to act on behalf of the thousands of farmworkers who grow and harvest our food and pass HB 1786.

I support the HB 1786 because every year farmworkers come to Virginia to work hard to put food on our tables; they pay taxes and contribute to the local economy. So, what is the excuse for not including them in the minimum living wage? Support #Farmworkers in Virginia. We need to leave behind racist policies. Farmworkers deserve a living wage

I have been moving to follow the tomato harvest for 20 years. Before I worked, but now that [my husband and I] have two children, I stay at home with them in the labor camp. My husband earns $8 an hour in the harvest. We have to measure it out over food, telephone and gasoline costs. We have to tie our hands to not spend money. The children need things. And we need to help our parents. We aren’t here because we were born alone; we always need to take care of our families. My dream for my family is to live in one place and to buy a house. If that was possible with this wage, we would have achieved it a long time ago! But it is impossible with $8 an hour. For that reason I ask you to include farmworkers in the minimum wage in Virginia.

I am writing in support of HB1786. I meet too many agricultural workers who are making $8 or $9 an hour doing some of the HARDEST work in our Commonwealth: harvesting food and working 12 hr. shifts in dairies. They are our essential workers and can barely provide for their families. I meet families who have to go to the food bank because they can't even afford the produce that they pick. This has been the way it has been since the founding of this country when we enslaved people to do this work. I know that opponents will say: “This will kill small farms.” But according to the recent available statistics for farmworker earnings in Virginia (FY Q1 2019, Bureau of Labor Statistics), the smallest farms are already paying higher average weekly wages than the biggest farms. Perhaps most importantly, large scale agriculture is paying the lowest average weekly wage to farmworkers. Finally, other states have passed bills to protect farmworker wages. To our knowledge, these states do not report wide-scale small farm shutdowns.

On behalf of 200 workers farmworkers and community members who signed a petition, Legal Aid Justice Center submits the following comments: The essential farmworkers and migrant workers of Virginia, and the communities that recognize and benefit from their work, write the General Assembly of Virginia in support of: • Including farmworkers and H-2 migrant workers in the Virginia minimum wage; • Comprehensive, enforceable heat stress protections for all workers in Virginia; A hard copy of the petition with names and signatures will be provided to Delegate Ward.

I am a community organizer, this has given me the opportunity to see the conditions in which these essential workers live, they work hard in temperatures sometimes over 100 degrees, the consequences that remain in these workers are irreversible,A worker suffered a heart attack in the middle of the field on a hot day, the most unfortunate thing that after weeks in recovery the company fired him because he was no longer useful, the return to his country with irreversible damages and with an account of hospital and no money to pay for her medications, it is time to protect those who They risk their own health to not leave our tables empty, I do not understand why not protect these essential workers, It is shameful that they are not included in the increase in the minimum wage they contribute to the economy of this country, they pay taxes, they support the small businesses of the community, they live here for more than 6 months , It is judged that they are given the value they deserve and the necessary protections for their health on hot days, remember they bring food to our tables, even in the middle of a pandemic they have been in the front line, risking their own health keeping this country fed.

I am writing to encourage you to support HB2160, which would return overcharges by Dominion back into the pockets of Virginians. It couldn't come at a more critical time, as many families are struggling to pay their bills during the challenges of COVID-19. They shouldn't have to choose between paying their power bill versus paying rent. I was shocked to learn that Virginia has the 6th highest energy bills in the country. Thank you!

As a Virginia Farmer and representative of Virginia Cattlemen’s Association- I ask the committee to help support our Virginia family farms and provide these unique small business --- with the opportunity to prosper Virginia’s cattle producers ask you to think about the negative impact of HB 1786, the unintended consequences and its effect on Virginia farms, future food supply, and food affordability. We ask you to to vote no on HB 1786 Va. has a exemption from the min. wage for farm workers for many years and its there for a reason----just as there are exemptions from commission base sales, taxi cab operators, golf caddies, summer camp employees and other work groups— whose incentive for compensation is placed on work completed or amt of work rather than just time. Farm workers are commonly paid on the no. of bushels harvested, cows milked, acres planted, etc ….Many are also provided housing and other benefits. This gives the worker on the farm an ability to control the pace of work –to make more $$ by choice or complete the day faster. On the farm- if their pay is only on time—there is not that special incentive to get the work done in a timely manner. This is so important with fresh food, vegetables, livestock production and other farm commodities. Ag is different- and products are perishable, work is seasonal and work is measured by animal, by head, and by bushel or other quantity. Rural VA is struggling and small farms are experiencing record low commodity prices, supply chain disruptions, and bankruptcy. Removing the farm worker exemption at this time will cause more family farms to close the doors and increase agricultural unemployment. Please maintain the farm worker exemption as you did in 2020 Please oppose HB 1786.

As a person of Faith it is my calling to support these areas of concern and I ask you to consider how important these issues are and to vote to approve them!

On behalf of the 9,000 members of the Virginia Professional Fire Fighters, I ask you to SUPPORT HB1818. This legislation seeks to add full-time salaried emergency medical technicians to the list of public safety employees who are entitled to a presumption for hypertension and heart disease. To limit its fiscal impact, this bill provides for a local option and outlines that the presumption will only be provided in those jurisdictions that have authorized such presumption by local ordinance. The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Act provides a presumption for hypertension for many public safety officials, including fire fighters, police officers and correctional officers. However, the statute omitted many EMS providers when the presumption was first established in 1975. While some EMS providers are cross trained as fire fighters and covered within the presumption, that is not the case in every jurisdiction. For example, Virginia Beach has 65 medics that are classified as full-time salary Emergency Medical Technicians and are not included within the definitions outlined in § 65.2-402. Portsmouth has another 27. These EMS providers preform the same type of strenuous activities as the others currently included in the presumption section. Therefore, VPFF supports HB1818 and request that you add emergency medical technicians to the list of public safety employees who are entitled to a presumption for hypertension and heart disease.

My name is Joey Hundley and I am the Deputy EMS Chief for the Virginia Beach Department of EMS. Thank you Representatives Heretick and Convirs-Fowler for introducing this bill and to the Committee for taking the time to review it. This is an important step for our providers since we are a third service (Police, Fire, EMS) department. We have had providers in the recent past who left the department under medical conditions that, had this been in place for us at the time, would have been covered due to the medical condition. Virginia Beach EMS is in favor of the bill and we thank you for your support.

Chair and members of their committee, My name is Kurt Detrick and I serve as a District Vice President for the Virginia Professional Firefighters, an organization that represents almost 9,000 firefighters and paramedics across the commonwealth. I am writing today in STONG SUPPORT of HB1818. Our career EMS providers are exposed to many of the same hazardous environments that firefighters are. It is long over due that they receive the same benefits that our firefighters do. Career EMS providers are exposed to long work hours, lack or sleep, exposures to carcinogens which all have been proven to lead to long term health complications. We are requesting the support and passage of HB1818. Respectfully, Kurt Detrick

Honorable committee members, Thank you for your consideration to include EMS providers under the heart presumption of the Heart and Lung Act. As a non-fire department based agency this has been an item we have longed for since our first year as a full-time career providers in 2004. In March 2020 U.S. News and World Report listed Paramedic as the fourth most stressful job in the United States. We routinely must make decisions away from hospitals regarding our patients health and lives. Multiple studies have shown that high stress jobs have increased occurrences of heart related diseases such as hypertension and heart disease which increases risk of heart attack. With the novel coronavirus, these stresses increase. As a pandemic front line provider we are willing to risk all for others. Many are exposed to the virus even while using all recommended precautions and we routinely see COVID positive patients multiple times a day. The long term effects of the virus are still not completely known but have already included cardiac issues such as palpitations and myocarditis (inflammation of the heart). There is additional stress out of concern that we could bring it home to our families as well. Before the pandemic, our department had a Medic that had suffered a cardiac arrest at work and had thankfully survived, but was unable to return to work. Without the presumption, she was forced to retire at 16 years of service to the citizens and its visitors at a reduced rate. As a husband and father myself, this is concerning. Like the pandemic, taking all precautions like proper diet, exercise, and not smoking is no guarantee that EMS providers won't suffer a cardiac event and not be able to provide for their families. We can, and must do better to care for those who are willing to risk illness and injury to themselves in order to serve others. We do this while away from our families during nights, weekends, holidays, and routinely miss family events just like our public safety partners in Fire and Law Enforcement. It's only right, that we be included under the heart presumption of the Heart Lung Act. Again, I thank you for your consideration. Very respectfully, Michael Brown Captain, Virginia Beach EMS

Delegates, My name is Max Gonano and I am the president of the Virginia Beach Professional Firefighters, IAFF Local 2924. I am writing to ask you to support HB1818 which would give localities the option of including full-time salary career single role EMS providers and EMS volunteers the same kind of workers compensation heart disease presumption that is enjoyed by the firefighters, police officers, sheriffs, and correctional officers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. While many EMS providers are cross trained as Firefighters, thus including them in the current heart disease workers compensation presumption, that is not the case in every jurisdiction. Through a legislative oversight, EMS providers who are not cross trained in firefighting are not covered under workers compensation heart disease presumption. This is wrong. In Virginia Beach there are approximately 68 full-time salary EMS providers that cannot be included in heart disease presumption without this legislation because they are single role providers. This legislative oversight means that EMS providers responding to EMS calls in the City of Virginia Beach do not have the same workers compensation presumptions that are enjoyed by the cross trained Fire/EMS providers in the rest of the Commonwealth. This legislation requested by the City of Virginia Beach, among others, is not an unfunded mandate on localities because it is entirely optional. Voting for this legislation means voting to allow the few localities that have single role career EMS and volunteer EMS if those so choose the option to provide them with the same heart disease presumption that is currently maintained for firefighters, police officers, sheriffs, and correctional officers. This is a matter of parity and a matter of fairness for those that have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic for the last 10 months. I ask for your support. Sincerely, Max Gonano President, Virginia Beach Professional Firefighters Local 2924 (757)642-3776 mobile

In favor of programs to better facilitate the development and progress of my community.

My name is Kurt Detrick and I serve as a district Vice President for the Virginia Professional Firefighters, an organization that represents almost 9,000 firefighters and paramedics across the commonwealth. I am writing today in STONG SUPPORT of HB1818. Our career EMS providers are exposed to many of the same hazardous environments that firefighters are. It is long over due for them to receive the same benefits that our firefighters do. Career EMS providers are exposed to long work hours, lack or sleep, exposures to carcinogens which all have been proven to lead to long term health complications. We are requesting the support and passage of HB1818. Respectfully, Kurt Detrick

Here to answer any questions on behalf of DHRM.

Answering questions related to Workers' Compensation Bills

Dear Members of the Virginia General Assembly: On behalf of the Coalition for a Strong Virginia Economy, our 31 business associations wish to express our position that it is crucial that the General Assembly avoid mandates and increased taxes on small businesses and instead looks for ways to help businesses recover. We respectively ask the committee not to move these bills forward. HB 1785 Ward HB 1977 Askew HB 2037 Tran HB 2040 Hudson HB 2015 Ayala HB 2016 Ayala HB 2103 Reid HB 2137 Guzman HB 2228 Guzman Best Regards, Associated Builders and Contractors of Virginia Associated General Contractors of Virginia Delmarva Chicken Association Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Harrisonburg – Rockingham Chamber of Commerce Heavy Construction Contractors Association National Federation of Independent Business Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Northern Virginia Transportation Business Coalition Precast Concrete Association of Virginia Richmond Area Municipal Contractors Association Shellfish Growers of Virginia Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy Virginia Agribusiness Council Virginia Association of Roofing Professionals Virginia Association for Home Care and Hospice Virginia Automatic Merchandising Association Virginia Contractor Procurement Alliance Virginia Forestry Association Virginia Forest Products Association Virginia Loggers Association Virginia Manufactured Association and Modular Housing Association Virginia Manufacturers Association Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Virginia Poultry Federation Virginia Retail Federation Virginia Seafood Council Virginia Trucking Association Virginia Veterinary Medical Association Virginia Wholesalers and Distributors Association Virginia Wineries Association

HB1977 - If someone gets something they've not earned, it should be returned. HB2037- remove (iii) and I'd support. "Belief" is not fact. HB2040 - support HB2103 - if we had the economy before Virginia's rulers ruined our economy, maybe, but this is NOT something to put in when our economy is trashed, the G A is raising minimum wage. Stop killing small business and making our taxes go sky high with legislation that has failed Commieformia to having 1/2 the homeless USA population, and sent people moving out of the state to live.

Hello My name is Gail Jimenez. In March 19, 2020 I was furloughed by my job, Dogtopia of TownCenter due to COVID-19. For the following months, I struggled with VEC and receiving “help” from them. I first started filing for claims the week I was furloughed. I got denied at first and the Monetary Determination sent to me stated that I didn’t have wages in two quarters, when in fact I had been employed with W-2s to prove it. I filed an appeal the week I was denied and didn’t get a response until April 12. On April 12, I received another Monetary Determination that stated I was eligible for Unemployment up until July. So I thought to myself if I filed an appeal and the process wasn’t yet finished, why would I receive another determination stating I’m approved for benefits and showing I, in fact had wages in two different quarters. On April 22nd, I started receiving unemployment benefits. A week later I received another letter in the mail about my appeal and how it would have to be investigated by a Deputy Officer. I immediately started calling the VEC on the number(s) they had provided on the website and was never able to through due to “high” call volumes. I tried for hours and days, and I never once was able to get in touch with any one. In June, I received ANOTHER letter in the mail stating that the appeal I had made supported that I had wages sufficient to my weekly benefits and that the appeal was moot. I wasn’t sure what that meant and at that point, I was just receiving letters from the VEC. Every time I called, it was impossible for me to get ahold of anyone UNTIL I reached out to several Legislative Aids. It was then , I was able to get ahold of a representative because a number provided to me. I spoke with a representative named Valerie stated that hearing would be taking place in the near future, and a notice would come letting me know when and where my appeal would happen. For weeks, no notice of the hearing ever came in the mail. I continued to file for UI every Sunday and on May 6th, I received my last UI. I kept thinking to myself was it because of my appeal? I, then had to reach out again to the multiple Legislative Aids again, including Mr. Logan. I spent hours, even days calling the VEC over and over again. When I finally was able to speak to someone from the VEC( after the legislative aids and news reach out on my behalf), they stated I would have to wait 6 to 8 weeks to hear from a Determination Officer. It was then that I found out the Monetary Determination I received back in March was just an “eligible”letter; I was never approved for UI and the only reason I received it was to have “income” during the pandemic. The representative also told me that my “approval” of UI would be determined on whether I left my previous employer on “good” cause, NOT because i was furloughed by my previous job due to COVID. It took until the end of June/beginning of July for me to FINALLY hear from a Determination Officer who then asked me questions about my previous employer before Dogtoia and investigate that I left with “good” cause. A week after that phone call, I received two letters from the VEC. One stating that I was denied because I had not left my previous job on “good” cause and good cause would consider me being employed to my previous employer before leaving and another stating that I would have to pay the VEC back for the UI I had received in April-May, EVEN when the letter states it was VEC at fault.

I am a nurse working on my local hospital's HIRU (High Intensity Respiratory Unit for non-intubated covid patients). My home med-surg unit was temporarily shut down in November due to a covid outbreak in staff and patients. When my home unit resumed services, it was at 50% capacity due in part to our unit staff being floated to the HIRU and in part because another unit took over half our beds so a second HIRU could be formed. Another med-surg unit closed to provide staff to that new HIRU. Hospital-wise, all RNs and CNAs were told they could be expected to staff the HIRU at some point, and recently even non-clinical staff have been redeployed to serve as gophers on the covid units. The re-deployed staff don't enter patient rooms--though they do hand supplies into the rooms--and the hospital will not provide them N95 masks. We still have an N95 shortage and on HIRU units are required to wear the same N95 for three consecutive 12-hr shifts; this is an improvement over last summer when nurses wore a single N95 for 30 days before the N95 was reprocessed and then worn for another 30 days. My hospital does not provide or allow nurses on non-covid units to wear N95s, nor are we allowed to provide our own N95s. It is not uncommon to admit patients to the HIRU from a non-covid unit, sometimes days after they've been unknowingly infecting staff. Many types of patients are not routinely covid-tested, and no staff is routinely tested. Despite my direct care for covid patients, my employer has never qualified me to be tested, and if I choose to be tested by an outside provider, I am not allowed to work until the test results negative. I have received both doses of the vaccine. To the best of my knowledge, no employees in my health system receives any additional pay or compensation for working directly with covid patients. The effects of covid reach much further than the covid units. All staff are exposed to covid in a variety of ways, such as being infected on the job, being floated to new areas, taking on additional patient responsibilities/loads, and working extra shifts--not to mention the compromises forced by our constant concern that at any point we might be infected and might infect our family. On the HIRU, I average hours a day in a closed room in close proximity to each of my patients. In order to conserve PPE, we take a team approach and cluster care. I assess my patients, obtain and administer meds, draw blood, monitor telemetry and pulse ox, titrate oxygen, coordinate with the entire health care team, and schedule/carry-out zoom calls with family or call them with updates. Yet when I'm in the room I also get vitals, check blood sugar, turn and feed patients, brush their hair and teeth, change linens and gowns, assist them to the chair or bathroom, change briefs, bathe them on the spot if they're soiled, mop their floors, clean the toilet/bedside commode, and empty the trash and linens. We also frequently clean touchpoints outside patient rooms. Health care workers undergo a tremendous risk to provide care for covid-positive patients. Data support a higher infection rate in health care workers. We serve our community and work exhaustively for the health and well-being of the public. If there are negative health ramifications from doing our job, we should be afforded the benefit of Workers' Comp.

I am available to answer questions as a subject matter expert for Workers' Compensation.

I am a Registered Nurse with 35 years experience. I usually work 40 hours a week. Because of the increase in inpatients with COVID-19 infections, I have been working mandatory overtime. My work with patients is up close and personal. Even with PPE, I am more at risk of contracting COVID-19 than any other profession or work. I cannot maintain a social distance of six feet when I am getting a patient out of bed, when I am changing a wound dressing, when I am auscultating lungs, a heart or an abdomen. I spend more time with patients than any other person in the hospital. I sometimes spend up to two hours with one patient at one time and more if that patient has had a change in condition. I cannot work behind glass or by Zoom. Patients come to hospital for nursing care, assessment, observation and education. I keep patients safe by watching and observing trends. I am the sentinel. We are working short staffed as the COVID patients take more nurses. That increases the nurse to patient ratio that I have to work with. On top of that, I volunteered to administer vaccines at UVA. I have given COVID-19 vaccines to staff and the public. Nurses do vital and important work. I appreciate the hand clapping and thanks but my work is misunderstood. I want support and protection. I am part of a serious, expert profession that is not subordinate to, but colleagues of medical doctors, physical therapists, occupational therapist sand other healthcare professions. When everyone else has gone, or does not come to work in a snow storm, I am there. When housekeeping and catering do not turn up, I am there. I already work in difficult conditions and long before COVID-19. I care for patients with many infectious diseases, I worked for many months without a properly fitting N95 mask as the correct one for me was not available. I now have to wear a respirator that is extraordinarily uncomfortable and slips when I sweat. And you sweat when you work hard. That is what I do. I urge those in opposition to work one hour in my shoes, never mind 12-14 hours for 3 three days in a row. But you won't, because that puts you at risk and we do not allow visitors in order to protect our patients.

I am a registered nurse of 50 years and have never witnessed anything like the COVID-19 pandemic. It has had a devastating impact on so many, and particularly those nurses and other health care personnel who work tirelessly every day to care for those afflicted with the virus. Throughout my career, we have also experienced a nursing shortage, regionally. We can't afford to not take care of those who are caring for others. Show that YOU care and please support HB 1985. Thank you. Respectfully, Janet Haebler MSN RN

I am a Professor Emerita from Shenandoah University and up until five years ago, practice clinically in a rural hospital. I have been overwhelmed at the tragedy before us with COVID-19 crisis and the burden on the healthcare system and healthcare personnel. These professionals place themselves in harms way and often did not/do not have the personal protective equipment or the TIME to exercise every precaution to prevent contracting the disease since the staffing is inadequate for the demands and needs of the patients. Please provide workers' compensation to the healthcare workers if they contract COVID-19. God bless each of them for their fearless battle against this invisible foe. Support HB 1985

Please consider putting these bills into effect.

Please support our front-line workers, sisters, brothers, mothers, fathers, aunts, and uncles.

This is very necessary legislation for all front line workers.

I am a retired nurse. My younger colleagues caregiving up time and families to care for COVID-19 patients. Please support HR-1985 and support those people who are giving everything to care for those in need. Thank you.

As a nurse care manager for Bon Secours Mercy Hospital employees- I see first hand how many front line healthcare workers are effected financially by COVID-19 illness. And the lack of compensation specially for those who have prolonged recovery. This effects not only those who require inpatient admissions, but also those who are managed in the outpatient setting requiring cardiology, pulmonology, neurology visits in addition to their primary care physicians. Co-insurance, copayments add up for many and there is no compensation or deductions as there is no distinction between work and community exposure. For my patients they use vacation time for one week and then are placed on short term disability which is only 60% of their pay. Please support our front line workers by showing their risks are compensated!

Hello I am writing in support of HB 1978 workers compensation for COVID-19. As a registered nurse currently working in a ambulatory clinic with the Active Duty population myself and co-workers are put at greater risk for exposure to patients who have COVID. Since the Pandemic last year we have had multiple cases within our clinics put staff at risk and reducing the work force due to staff having to quarantine or isolate. While my counterparts in the hospital settings are feeling more of the impact from COVID-19. This impacts you not only physically but mentally. Having to choose between who gets a bed or not. Who gets one of the fr vents and who doesn’t. There will be long term affects from that healthcare workers like myself will have even after the pandemic.

In favor of programs to better facilitate the development and progress of my community.

Pre-Covid I was an inpatient surgical nurse. When the pandemic arrived, my unit was converted to a Covid unit and my life was instantly changed. I'm sure you're aware that we had to learn as we went through this pandemic. Recommended treatments, medications, and prevention were ever changing as the world as a whole tried to figure out how to tackle this. As a nurse I have spent the last 11 months on a rollercoaster. The elation of making inroads in care was quickly doused by the increasing stress brought on by patient loss, understaffing, stress of low PPE supplies, and having to deal with people in our lives outside of the hospital promising us this thing is "just a hoax". We tackled this head on as professionals do. With no increase in pay, but often an increase in required extra shifts, we have done our best to be the best we can for our patients. We do all we can to keep ourselves and our families safe. We distance from our loved ones, wear our masks on our days off, and strip down outside of our homes in 30 degree weather so we're not bringing scrub inside. We put ourselves on the line to help other people. We walk into the Covid unit every day with as much courage and positivity as we can. I have been coughed on, urinated on, and vomited on. We are screened before each shift because contracting Covid under these work condition is a very real possibility. I would be much safer staying home. It is for this reason that essential frontline workers should be covered under workman's comp in the event that they test positive for Covid. Healthcare workers, EMTs, police officers, firefighters, corrections officers, and teachers required to do in person classes should all have this benefit available to them. I urge you to vote for this cause. We'll be paying attention. Thank you for taking the time to read my comments.

To Whom This May Concern: I am a nurse. I have been a nurse for the past 20 years. Early in my career I worked in critical care as a Neuro ICU nurse. Then, for 13 years I worked as a civilian medevac/flight nurse. For the past 3 years I have had my boots on the ground in a community hospital Emergency Dept. COVID is crushing nurses. Hospital administrators are crushing nurses. The past 10 months have been brutal but the weeks post Thanksgiving are devastating. Hospitals focus on low volumes and ignore the high acuity. There is no support for floor nurses. My administrators leave at 14L30 every day. Not once have they donned PPE and cared for a critical ill COVID patient. Our "heroes" have zero protection if they catch COVID. You are forced to use your accrued paid time off (your vacation time). There are no protections for those that daily put their lives at risk to care for others. Everyday we gear up, have unsafe patient ratios, risk our lives, risk our licenses due to staffing and risk taking this virus home to our families. Everyday we are the ones grasping the hands of the dying listening to them struggle to breathe, listening to patients beg us to save them and beg us to tell their families they love them. Of course, due to the hypoxia they can only utter 1-2 words at a time. We are the ones doing CPR on bodies that are rotting on ventilators because families won't make their loved one a DNR. We are the ones using our own phones to FaceTime with families so that they can say goodbye. We are the ones trying to hold it all together for our patients, our colleagues and our families-but who is there for us? No one to be quite frank. Instead we are screamed at and threatened with violence daily in the ER because families won't accept the visitation policy. We are asked to do more with less-putting our licenses on the line-and we are asked to do CPR, pronounce a patient, bag their body and then check in the next patient. And in between clean and decon the COVID room because there is no one to help with that either. And let's not forget that we are getting 1 mask per week. But we are "heroes." What I know for sure is that the burnout crisis, and the providers that will permanently leave healthcare because of the COVID pandemic and how we are treated by our facilities, may be an even greater crisis than the one we face right now. Simple assurances to protect the health and safety of those on the front line would make a significant impact. Speaking from the heart-if things don't change & if support is not given to the frontline workers think about who is going to care for your loved one-not me, not my friends, not my colleagues. We will have left the profession. The "hushed" secret in this pandemic is the horrific treatment of the bedside provider by hospitals and corporations and quite frankly our elected officials. I am begging you to please do something. Protect those at the bedside before there is no one left at the bedside

On Dec. 2, I started to get sick but never thought it was Covid 19 as a nurse we never take care of ourselves like we do our patients. On Dec. 4 I tested positive for Covid and immediately started to quarantine because my son has chronic asthma and my mother is over 75. While isolating I progressively got worse and on Dec. 10 I was bought to the ER with low saturations. The physician did an x-ray and told me I had Covid pneumonia. I asked the physician if I could have any antibiotics and was told it was nothing he could give me accept something for my cough. I was told if my symptoms got worse to return to the ER. I was sent home to die. I asked my mother to go to the store and buy me a pulse oximeter. On Dec. 13 I was back in the ER symptoms worse and barely able to breath. I felt like I was drowning and the same physician who sent me home was my doctor. When he saw me he just looked like he couldn't believe how bad I had gotten in 3 days. The next thing I know I had another doctor and was being admitted to the hospital for hypoxia and Covid pneumonia. My story goes on and fortunate after a week in the hospital I was able to go home but that feeling that you are going to die to wishing you just would die was real for me and as a nurse I know that Covid patients are suffering everyday and they don't know to go out and buy a pulse oximeter so that they can monitor their oxygen levels so that when they are sent home they actually can see they are getting worse and know to go back to the hospital. I was fortunate but many are not over 400,000 people have died from Covid and something needs to be done. This is just a portion of my story and I am happy to speak to anyone who would like to hear the rest.

I am a nurse on the ICU at VCU MCV, a COVID Unit from the beginning. This is a common sense legislation. Please support us, who have fought for Virginians since the beginning of this pandemic. We put ourselves and our families in harms way every day to save lives in the community. This virus is more contagious and deadly than anything in generations. People are dying from it on my unit every week. We have received no compensation, extra staffing, or rewards of any kind. Please care for those of us that contract this disease while fighting for all of us. Thank You Ry Bergum RN BSN VCU Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit

Hi, I would like to pass the Covid-19 workers compensation presumption law which is HB 1985 Hurst. I am a Critical care nurse working in Veterans Hospital. We have many of our employees who had affected by covid in our unit as well as in our hospital. Actually there was an outbreak of Covid- 19 in one of the unit because of unidentified covid patients. In the beginning of this pandemic, not all the patients were not tested because of the uaavailability of diagnostic kits and many of our nurses got this disease from patients who were undaignosed as covid in the first place. They still suffer from the affer effect of it. In my experience as a critical care nurse , if the patient is being coded or going to fall, we risk our lives and our families lives in order to save the patient. During the code event we wont get enough time to use all the Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) before entering the patients room. Our ultimate goal is to save the patients life even if risk our own health. That is a nurse's Conscience. Many of our nurses are physically, mentally and emotionally affected by this pandemic. So far we have not recieved any compensatory pay or benefits. I would like the congress to pass the law for all the employees working in covid situation should get the benefit of complensation. Thank you

I am a nurse working at a local hospital in the Richmond area. While my children attend daycare, the school is diligent about social distancing, mask wearing, and handwashing. I, too, am diligent about these behaviors. I came down with COVID in the beginning of this month, and I believe I contracted the virus in the hospital. My entire family became infected, including my four year old and my six year old. My husband was affected the worst. Additionally, I missed two weeks of work as a result. I believe that Workers Compensation should cover the time that I, and anyone else that likely contracted the illness in their line of work, especially front-line workers, missed and any medical expenses that occur as a result of my illness. Thank you.

Here to answer any questions on behalf of DHRM.

I support the worker's compensation for COVID- 19. There are a lot of workers that are struggling to pay their bills because of illness or a dependent being ill which makes them have to lose wages because of it. Most of these workers have lost income because of their spouse dying or being ill from COVID-19. I support worker's compensation, please pay the workers while they adjust to changes in their lives.

I am a RN at Carilion Giles Community Hospital and work in the SCU with Covid-19 patients. Unfortunately, I have cared for those suffering and gasping for air with no family or clergy at their side. Nurses and CNA's have been the one's holding the hands of those taking their last breath. Many staff on our unit have contracted Covid-19, requiring extended days off work. Carilion no longer pays for time off r/t Covid-19. They assume either outside exposure or that the staff member was not wearing the PPE properly. This is unacceptable! Health care workers should not have to go into financial distress due to the fact of willingly caring for Covid-19 patients. Please support this bill and health care workers. Thank you! Patricia Miller, BSN, RN, CCRN, FNP-S

My former husband, the father of my child died on January 15, 2021. He would have turned 60 today. He was exposed at his place of employment. He received a text message on Sunday night December 13, 2020 informing him that one of his co-worker's had tested positive. He started feeling bad later that week, went to the ED on Monday 12/21/2020 and never came home. My daughter just moved back to the area with her son to be closer to us and is now having to bury her father. Her 3 year old son keeps asking where his granddaddy is. This is awful! Employer's who do not test or mandate strict precautions need to be responsible and Worker's Compensation should cover these expenses.

Last Spring, I contracted Covid-19 while directly working on a inpatient Covid-19 unit. This was not my normal area of employment at the Hospital. I have been a Registered Nurse for 24 years. I normally work in a Outpatient Surgery Center on the Hospital's campus. However, since elective surgeries were shut down, I needed to work to provide for my family. So, I went to a inpatient Hospital unit directly working with Covid-19 patients that were positive and being ruled out. After a month of working on that unit where I had to re-use supplies on a consistent basis I acquired Covid-19 and was very ill. I have asthma which is controlled and has been for quite some time and was probably in the best shape of my life. But I am here to tell you that this virus knocked me down. At times I could not even walk up my stairs to get to my bedroom, I had to figure out how to breathe and survive. At one point I had to go to the ER for severe chest pressure. Also, my Husband who has multiple sclerosis also got the virus from me. He was actually sicker than me and even longer than me. However, his employer which is a bank took care of him from the start enacting emergency leave for a minimum of 2 weeks and instructed him he would have it for 7 weeks at a minimum. You ask how do I know I gave it to him? He works from home because of his multiple sclerosis. I want you to imagine that you have kids, just like my girls who were 11 and 13 at the time, They in addition to my Louisa Neighborhood/community and my Church, Hopeful Baptist provided meals, checked on us constantly, provided groceries, took our trash to the dump, fed our chickens, mowed our lawn and countless other tasks that needed to get done. My children were the ones who poured our ginger-ale, made our jello, got us popsicles and soup just so we could stay hydrated. Recently, I went to a Workmen's Compensation Hearing and presented my case, I am currently waiting on the decision. Although I was paid in full, I went because no one knows what the future holds for Covid-19 survivors and I contracted this virus while employed! I feel strongly about this because my Dad died early from getting Asbestos at his place of employment so many years ago and it took multiple people to stand up for themselves in a court of law. I am hoping as Legislators that you take a moment to process if I was your daughter or loved one, what would you want for them. I almost gave my life taking care of others with no concern for myself. Again, I want you to hear I almost died from this virus while helping and caring for others who needed my expertise and care at their time of need!!!! I would love to share more but I currently am working and only had a few moments to write this, that's how important I feel about it!!! So please I would have been more than willing to appear in person had I known about this hearing.

Please support the COVID-19 workers compensation presumption legislation. As an APRN caring for COVID patients and seeing the impact of COVID on my colleagues, nurses need this legislation. We need to care for the caregivers/nurses. We need to be supported for our work and dedication to caring for these patients.

As a nurse, I think that it is critically important that those working with covid patients have access to worker's compensation coverage when they become exposed to or infected by covid as a consequence of their job caring for sick and dying patients. We ask healthcare providers to serve their communities, month after month. The least we can do is ensure that they have some minimal degree of financial protection if they become ill as a consequence of this work serving their communities. I encourage support of this legislation.

Dear honorable representatives of the house subcommittee L&C I am both a doctorally prepared advance practice nurse in the hospital and in an outpt facilty owned by the same health care system. I was exposed and diagnosised with COVID from my work exposure as it was wide spread to many of us. I have been proud of how my employer has executed a plan to take care of patients. However, I have been more than concerned about the care of employees. In brief, I found out accidentally that I had been exposed at a work related wide spread exposure, which impacted my exposure to those in my "circle" (put my 90 year old mother at risk, my daughter tested +; my grandkids them missed 2 weeks of traditional school), had to find my own testing center, and had to use my limited PTO (new to this position) for my time off. I know of many non health care businesses that are taking better care of their employees, covering testing, time off etc., than our own health care systems. Yet everyday, we get up and put our health and the health of our loved ones at risk. We need your support! Dr. Rosie Taylor-Lewis, DNP, ANP-BC, GNP, PMHNP-BC

I have been caring for COVID-19 positive patients since it's arrival to our county in a critical care setting. During my typical shift, at least four of my five patients will be COVID-19 positive. The patients I care for are weak, confused and anxious. They are medically fragile and code quickly. I have always volunteered to take these patients knowing that I have increased risk. I spend much of my twelve hour shift in PPE, trying to provide quality care to scared people. I sit at the beside and hold hands to comfort my patients because of their panic attacks and isolation. I have to run into rooms to keep patients from falling because they removed their oxygen and have become confused. I have helped with CPR on patients that are only later confirmed to be COVID-19 positive . PPE gowns and gloves rip, masks slip during care and anxious patients grab at PPE as they cough in our faces. We reuse PPE. Cohort studies report frontline HCWs have a significantly increased risk of COVID-19 infection. For persons working in a healthcare setting, COVID-19 is an occupational disease, and should be compensable under the Workers' Compensation Act. We should not have to prove contact as it is nearly impossible.

My name is Holly Zimmerman; I have been working as an RN for 34 years. It is the only job I know. When I got sick with COVID-19 on July 27, 2020, I had seizures and a severe respiratory infection. I subsequently developed long-haul syndrome with cognitive deficits and vision changes. I have been so weak I require physical therapy due to frequent falls. Among a multitude of other symptoms. Since I contracted COVID-19 at work, I was not able to collect Unemployment or Workman's compensation due to the CARES act. This translates to 6 months of absolutely NO income. I have been living off my 401K and receiving public assistance. I am in the process of selling my car. COVID-19 has ruined my life as I knew it. My neurologist doesn't think I will be able to return to nursing at the bedside due to cognitive losses. I also have changes in my heart function. I get frustrated because I miss my patients. Nursing is all I ever wanted to do. In my opinion and through research, the CARES act was TO quickly created. By excluding healthcare providers, a situation has been created that has destroyed many healthcare workers financially. No one could predict there would be long-term consequences from COVID-19 or that so many would lose everything, including their life. Passage of HB 1985 will help thousands regain what they lost a financial future.

Please support HB1985

As a nurse on a COVID-19 unit, I saw patients struggling for every breath. One patient was on the unit for almost 2 months while we supported his oxygenation. He needed high-flow nasal cannula and an oxygen mask most of that time. When he eventually left the unit, it was to get a lung transplant because the scarring from his battle with COVID had damaged his own lungs too badly. Our protective masks have to be so tight, they are leaving marks on our faces for hours after our shifts end. This has become the new normal but we should not settle for this world that COVID has made for us. We should not become complacent with the lives lost or scarred forever.

As a frontline nurse in a busy Newport News Emergency Department, I contracted the COVID -19 virus and was denied to return to work for 14 days, with no pay unless I wanted to use my hard-earned vacation time. I should not have to use vacation time to cover living expenses (bills, gas, insurance) when I put myself on the frontlines to save lives. A workman's compensation presumption legislation will alleviate the burden of meeting my needs for wages, associated medical and ongoing care expenses, disability benefits, and funeral assistance. Please support HB 1985!!

Mr. Chairman Thank you for allowing me to present these comments concerning HB 1985 concerning COVID 19. This bill is quite different than all of the rest of the bills you will be seeing as it only relates to Health Care Providers. This bill does nothing for firefighters, EMS providers and so forth. The code section referenced , 8.01-581.1 which defines "Health Care Providers", it does not relate EMS providers. Even though a reference is made to emergency medical attendant or technician, these are not the providers that are in 32.1-111. EMS providers are under the Department of Health and not Health Professions. Therefore the organizations that I represent are OPPOSED to this piece of legislation. Thank you for the opportunity to provide these written comments.

In 2020, Virginia passed a minimum wage increase after not having an increase since 2009. Though it was a win for workers, the newly passed law does not provide the same protections for domestic workers. In Virginia, when it comes to the minimum wage, our domestic workers deserve more. No one who works full time should have to live in poverty. A consumer-based economy simply doesn’t work if people have no disposable income. Therefore, an increase in the minimum wage is needed in order to assist in disposable income promotion and to fuel our consumer-based economy. Virginia must remove the most obviously racist domestic workers exemption from the minimum wage law. Including domestic workers in the minimum wage increase would go a long way towards empowering working people, protecting the dignity of work for Virginians, boosting economic growth, and more importantly securing job safety and security for the workers. HB 2032 addresses and includes domestic workers with essential worker protections and benefits.

I’m writing in strong support of HB2032, which would include domestic workers in laws regarding OSHA and the Virginia Workers Compensation Act. I employ house cleaners in my home. This policy is needed for the dignity of domestic workers who provide such important care to so many Virginians. I know that this bill will benefit everyone in our state. My wife and I are not supremely neat people. We have a dog who sheds his own body weight once a week. We like to spend time outside, and often the outside follows us inside. Thanks to COVID-19 our fairly small house has become the place where both of us work, sleep, eat, and try to relax; work has come home, and home has become our getaway. We've employed house cleaners for several years: the women that clean our home currently have worked for us for nearly three years; they come every two weeks and in the span of 90 minutes restore order and cleanliness, doing a job that neither of us wants to or enjoys doing. For us it's a time saver, and honestly a huge quality of life improvement, not to mention a reducer of marital friction. As we've done in the past, we hired our cleaners on the recommendation of a friend. We prefer to work with individuals rather than a company as we like interacting with the person responsible for the work and scheduling directly. Bringing someone into your home and giving them complete, unsupervised access is an exercise in trust; having a direct relationship with the people doing the work, and knowing the same person is going to be in charge and present every time helps build that trust. And trust goes both ways: I hope by now that the women (and they are almost always and only women) who come into our home feel safe and comfortable, that their work is valued, and that they are respected as people, regardless of where they are from or what they look like. We take pride in being kind and fair in how we deal and interact with the people who work for us, in and around our home. We believe that we provide a working environment that respects the people and their cultures, is safe from physical harm, and is devoid of emotional, physical, and sexual harassment. Although this is our home, we believe that the people who work for us should be afforded the same dignity, safety, and protections that we enjoy as traditional employees. Before learning about this bill and the fact that domestic workers do not enjoy the same basic rights and protections that most Americans are afforded, we hadn't considered ourselves as employers: every two weeks our cleaners arrive, and we pay them for the work performed. But that doesn't make them or the work they do any less valuable than the people that clean your offices regularly, and who have protections codified in state law. The same workplace safety standards and protections against discrimination should be considered basic rights that are afforded to all workers, regardless of their relationship with their employer or their immigration status. These basic benefits are absolutely crucial to every worker. I've greatly relied on benefits from my own employer, especially since the pandemic began. And the workers who make many parts of my life possible deserve no less. Domestic workers should not have to rely on the good intentions of their employers in order to have their work respected and their rights protected. We must make this the law in Virginia, so that all workers are guaranteed access to these basic rights and benefits.

Hand in Hand: the Domestic Employers Network is a national network representing employers of nannies, home attendants, and house cleaners working for dignified and respectful working conditions. We support HB 2032 in favor of workers compensation and health and safety standards including domestic workers. Across the country and here in Virginia, employers of nannies, home attendants, and house cleaners support these policies and know that increased clarity benefits worker and employer alike. Hundreds have signed Hand in Hand’s “Pledge to Pay” throughout the COVID-19 crisis, continuing to pay domestic employees even while ensuring, for everyone’s safety, that their employee stay home. Many employers pay medical bills out of pocket for nannies or caregivers, both because they understand the financial implications of the loss of work and because they care about their employees. Others are nervous about liability; still others don’t pay at all—part of the reason that many thousands of domestic workers have been out of work for nearly eleven months now. Without adequate policy, the livelihoods and safety of domestic workers is up to chance. It’s time to change that in Virginia, and make sure that all workers in the Commonwealth have safe and dignified employment. Thanks for supporting HB 2032

HB 1754 Our opinion is that this bill, if passed as written, would make it illegal for an employer to ever discharge an employee who had submitted a workers compensation claim. How could an employer EVER prove that the reason for the discharge wasn't the sole reason. It is impossible to prove a negative. HB 2032 First, domestic workers in Virginia may be covered by a workers compensation policy. If they are a sole proprietor, an LLC, or a corporation they may buy a workers compensation policy and opt to cover themselves. If they are full time employees of another, their employer can purchase a workers compensation policy to cover them. This can be accomplished in both by adding the WC 00 03 14 A. (Ed. 07-11). WORKERS COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYERS LIABILITY COVERAGE FOR RESIDENCE EMPLOYEES endorsement to the policy. Requiring multiple employers to buy a workers compensation policy for one domestic employee (if they work for more than one employer, which is often the case) could be VERY problematic as there could be a question as to which policy would apply if there is an injury where the time and place of the injury is not obvious. This could cause a serious delay in payments to the domestic employee while the insurance companies decide which one has the coverage. There could also be other issues if there are multiple policies. Please, let's discuss this further so that we can avoid any confusion and unintended consequences.

Dear Members of the Virginia General Assembly: On behalf of the Coalition for a Strong Virginia Economy, our 31 business associations wish to express our position that it is crucial that the General Assembly avoid mandates and increased taxes on small businesses and instead looks for ways to help businesses recover. We respectively ask the committee not to move these bills forward. HB 1785 Ward HB 1977 Askew HB 2037 Tran HB 2040 Hudson HB 2015 Ayala HB 2016 Ayala HB 2103 Reid HB 2137 Guzman HB 2228 Guzman Best Regards, Associated Builders and Contractors of Virginia Associated General Contractors of Virginia Delmarva Chicken Association Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Harrisonburg – Rockingham Chamber of Commerce Heavy Construction Contractors Association National Federation of Independent Business Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Northern Virginia Transportation Business Coalition Precast Concrete Association of Virginia Richmond Area Municipal Contractors Association Shellfish Growers of Virginia Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy Virginia Agribusiness Council Virginia Association of Roofing Professionals Virginia Association for Home Care and Hospice Virginia Automatic Merchandising Association Virginia Contractor Procurement Alliance Virginia Forestry Association Virginia Forest Products Association Virginia Loggers Association Virginia Manufactured Association and Modular Housing Association Virginia Manufacturers Association Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Virginia Poultry Federation Virginia Retail Federation Virginia Seafood Council Virginia Trucking Association Virginia Veterinary Medical Association Virginia Wholesalers and Distributors Association Virginia Wineries Association

Businesses can't afford it. The Gov. bankrupted them, they can't afford it and you'll only put more folks out of work. Pity the ones in power have zero clue on how things affect the regular working folks.

HB1977 - If someone gets something they've not earned, it should be returned. HB2037- remove (iii) and I'd support. "Belief" is not fact. HB2040 - support HB2103 - if we had the economy before Virginia's rulers ruined our economy, maybe, but this is NOT something to put in when our economy is trashed, the G A is raising minimum wage. Stop killing small business and making our taxes go sky high with legislation that has failed Commieformia to having 1/2 the homeless USA population, and sent people moving out of the state to live.

Legal Aid Justice Center supports this bill, because each of its four provisions makes Virginia’s unemployment insurance system work better for workers. Codifying that Virginia won’t stop benefits to people when a question of eligibility comes up just makes sense. That’s what the VEC recently implemented, and what the constitution and federal law requires. Virginia should also join the 42 jurisdictions that already allow waiver of overpayments in some circumstances. When folks are facing crushing debts, they should have a chance at relief. In the current pandemic, this is more important than ever. Also, we should strengthen the incentives for employers who want to participate in unemployment claims, to do that timely and adequately. Nebraska tells employers that if they delay on a claim, without a good reason for that delay, they lose the opportunity to appeal it. That’s fair and reasonable. And we should make sure that Virginians actually owe an overpayment, before they are told they do. Telling Virginians that they owe overpayments, even if an underlying issue is under appeal or within the appeal period, is premature. It causes confusion for claimants, violates due process, and creates additional work for the VEC. We hope the committee will support this bill, because it makes important steps forward. Thank you for your consideration.

Dear Members of the Virginia General Assembly: On behalf of the Coalition for a Strong Virginia Economy, our 31 business associations wish to express our position that it is crucial that the General Assembly avoid mandates and increased taxes on small businesses and instead looks for ways to help businesses recover. We respectively ask the committee not to move these bills forward. HB 1785 Ward HB 1977 Askew HB 2037 Tran HB 2040 Hudson HB 2015 Ayala HB 2016 Ayala HB 2103 Reid HB 2137 Guzman HB 2228 Guzman Best Regards, Associated Builders and Contractors of Virginia Associated General Contractors of Virginia Delmarva Chicken Association Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Harrisonburg – Rockingham Chamber of Commerce Heavy Construction Contractors Association National Federation of Independent Business Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Northern Virginia Transportation Business Coalition Precast Concrete Association of Virginia Richmond Area Municipal Contractors Association Shellfish Growers of Virginia Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy Virginia Agribusiness Council Virginia Association of Roofing Professionals Virginia Association for Home Care and Hospice Virginia Automatic Merchandising Association Virginia Contractor Procurement Alliance Virginia Forestry Association Virginia Forest Products Association Virginia Loggers Association Virginia Manufactured Association and Modular Housing Association Virginia Manufacturers Association Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Virginia Poultry Federation Virginia Retail Federation Virginia Seafood Council Virginia Trucking Association Virginia Veterinary Medical Association Virginia Wholesalers and Distributors Association Virginia Wineries Association

HB1977 - If someone gets something they've not earned, it should be returned. HB2037- remove (iii) and I'd support. "Belief" is not fact. HB2040 - support HB2103 - if we had the economy before Virginia's rulers ruined our economy, maybe, but this is NOT something to put in when our economy is trashed, the G A is raising minimum wage. Stop killing small business and making our taxes go sky high with legislation that has failed Commieformia to having 1/2 the homeless USA population, and sent people moving out of the state to live.

I am asking that you consider voting for HB 2063, the overtime wage act. The lack of Virginia’s overtime law reflects poorly on the values we hold as a Commonwealth. People should be paid for the work performed

Madame Chairwoman, members of the Committee, Charlie Jackson on behalf of the Service Employees International Union. I want to offer our thanks to Del. Mullin for his and his staffs good work in past 48 hours to find peace in the valley to ensure that his good bill includes Union airport workers like baggage handlers and wheelchair pushers. With the amendments made today, SEIU supports this legislation. Charlie Jackson

The Virginia Education Association (VEA) is in support of HB2063. Thanks.

The Fredericksburg Regional Chamber is concerned that the language in this legislation is contradictory to federal legislation governing exempt and non-exempt positions.

I’ve worked in the construction industry in Virginia for many years. A lot of us construction workers have to work long hours but don’t get paid any overtime. If we had a Virginia overtime law, workers could go to their local state court to be protected. It is right for Virginia to have a overtime state law to protect workers. I support this bill to allow us workers to pursue overtime claims in state court.

Please approve HB2063 - Mullin, the Virginia Overtime Wage Act, to go forward, and I also urge you so co-patron and/or support this bill as it goes forward to a vote as well. Virginia is one of the *worst* states for Workers, which makes it undesirable for : Most people, who are workers, including families, single adults, students, from all demographics. COVID 19 has shined a light on the inequities of workers, especially frontline and essential workers - most of whom work in wage positions that would be effected by this bill. When businesses require employees to work overtime and then do not pay them accordingly, that is *wage theft* pure and simple. You may say, well, this is already covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act; however, when federal law is the only coverage and the burden is on the employee to file suit to get what they are owed from their hard work, it is even more difficult for people in wage employee positions to have the time and resources to do this. By passing the Virginia Overtime Wage Act, Virginians can file suit in their local state court, which will increase their access to important labor protections. Please side with workers and report this bill out so it can move forward for a vote.

Chairman and Members of the Committee: On behalf of the Mid-Atlantic Pipe Trades Association and our over 8600 members and families across Virginia, I ask you to support HB 2063 – Virginia Overtime Wage Act. One of the biggest problems facing the works, whether they work in construction or other industries, is Wage Theft. One of the most common forms of Wage Theft is non-payment of overtime. Last year the Virginia Legislature gave workers in the construction industry a Private Right of Action to use if they have wage issues or get misclassified. Unfortunately, without a commonwealth overtime law, workers still must go to federal court if their wage theft issues involved overtime. Typically, the federal courts are more expensive, and unlike cases covered by Virginia's private right of action law, legal fees are not one of the benefits of winning your case. Without the help of legal fees, a low wage worker likely will not have the means to take their employer to court are slim. Under HB 2063, workers would use the Commonwealth's private right of action for overtime cases. Access to the Private Right of Action would allow workers to recoup legal fees when they win and more significant damages against their employer, which would hopefully discourage them from committing this crime again. For the reasons named above, I ask you to support HB 2063.

My name is Yoleisy Mansfarrol Cadena, I live in 509 Logan Pl. apartment 4 Newport News, Virginia 23601 I am a US Citizen. I have been working in the construction Industry during the last 13 years and during that time I have been denied overtime pay for any hours worked after 40 in a work week. Not to long ago I was informed that I was entitled to workers benefits and protections such as overtime. That led me and other coworkers to attempt to recuperate the money we were owed but it has been very difficult, because Virginia has no overtime laws. At times I get discouraged but I know that there are thousands of workers that are going through the same thing as I did, here in Virginia and we need to continue on our quest to get our money back. For that very reason I support Virginia House Bill 2063.

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, my name is Jeff Hager and I run Atlantic Construction Services, a construction company with expertise in Commercial and Industrial Drywall, Metal Stud Framing, Acoustical Ceilings, and Structural Metal Framing. In the past five years, my business has suffered significantly because of the prevalence of wage theft in the construction industry. It has been my mission to ensure that all my workers are paid properly in accordance with the law and that I pay them the legally-required overtime premium. However, I have seen firsthand how my business has suffered as I attempt to compete with unscrupulous contractors that fail to classify their workers properly and fail to pay their workers overtime. It has become increasingly difficult to compete with companies that use lower-tier subcontractors that fail to pay their workers any overtime. These unseemly practices hurt law-abiding businesses such as mine and have directly led to a decline in my business. By creating a Virginia Overtime Law, we can weed out the bad actors in the industry and make sure that companies like mine are competing on a level playing field. Currently, the threat of a federal FLSA suit is not a significant deterrent to the unscrupulous practices that are common in our industry. I kindly ask you to support HB2063.

My name is Frank Mainwaring and I am a retired law enforcement officer in Emporia, Virginia. I support enactment of the Virginia Overtime law. Fortunately, I never had to sue my employer for wage theft when I worked for the force, but a Virginia overtime law is a good protection to have on the books for workers throughout Virginia. A Virginia law will allow working people in small towns and rural counties to bring a claim in their local circuit courts instead of having to find a federal court lawyer in one of the big cities. I know because unfortunately I did have to sue my employer for discrimination and retaliation in federal court in Richmond because there was no comparable state law which would have allowed me to file suit in Greensville Circuit Court. This Virginia Overtime law will allow folks to bring a claim against their local employer in their local court in any case where overtime wages are not paid. I hope, like me, no one will ever have to sue their employer for unpaid overtime, but the protection is good for workers throughout the Commonwealth, so I support this bill.

The Roanoke Regional Chamber is concerned that this proposal may further burden business owners, especially those who employ salaried employees and may have to calculate and budget for a new payroll structure.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee, for allowing me to testify in support of HB2063. My name is Greg Akerman, and I am the Northern Virginia Director for the Baltimore/DC-Metro Building Trades, a Council of 16 construction trades unions representing over 24,000 working families. We strongly support this legislation to create a Virginia Overtime Law. Nonpayment of overtime is a rampant issue in the construction industry. Oftentimes, through the use of unscrupulous, multiple-tiered subcontractors, workers will work more than 40 hours a week and not be paid an overtime premium. This is particularly an issue on public works projects, where federal overtime lawsuits have been filed against contractors performing work on the new General Assembly Building and nearly every university in the Commonwealth, and hundreds of workers have signed onto these lawsuits. Yet, workers continue to struggle to recoup their wages through federal overtime lawsuits because of the challenges of the federal court system, the lack of sufficient damages in the FLSA, and a sometimes non-responsive US Department of Labor. Workers should be able to have state court remedies available to them if they are not paid overtime and they should be able to go to the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry to file a claim. In addition, we work closely with our contractor's associations that pay workers a fair wage and ensure all workers get paid overtime. However, the contractors that make up these associations are hurt by the unscrupulous actors in the construction industry that fail to pay workers overtime. Without a state remedy, responsible contractors in the Commonwealth are being driven out by unscrupulous actors that gain a competitive advantage by not paying overtime. In order to support working families and protect responsible businesses, please support HB2063.

Here to answer Workers' Compensation related questions on behalf of DHRM.

Asking that Virginia pass HB 2080

I support this bill.

As firefighters and EMTs; our job is killing us. EMTs in Virginia should enjoy the same health benefits as firefighters; inadequate as they are. Workers across Virginia and across industry need to know who is on our side. Vote yes on HB2080.

I work in the Fire and EMS service and I support this bill. EMS personnel are exposed to COVID-19 among other diseases and they have limited PPE and in a non-sterile environment. They have nothing to protect them from losing everything if they get this disease. I have already scene several of my EMS colleges contract COVID from work. Please support and pass this bill.

Hello! Thank you for bringing this important subject to light. As a single role paramedic for the first 17 years of my career, it always seemed shortsighted that single role paramedics where overlooked when it comes to coverage under Heart and Lung. As part of our job, we breath the same diesel exhaust (a known cancer causing carcinogen) as our firefighter colleagues; the same toxic smoke from a building fire while on scene to provide first aid to crews. I look forward to the passage of this very important legislation. Sincerely, Jason Schmauder

Please support HB 2080 and take care of Paramedics who take care of others. We deserve coverage for occupational hazards whether employed as firefighters or not. The time has come to recognize and acknowledge the physical toll that this line of service takes on a body. Thank you!

My name is Max Gonano and I am the president of the Virginia Beach Professional Firefighters, IAFF Local 2924. I am writing to ask you to support Del. Convirs-Fowler’s HB2080 which would give localities the option of including full time salary career single role EMS providers the same kind of workers compensation heart disease presumption that is enjoyed by the firefighters, police officers, sheriffs, and correctional officers in the Commonwealth of Virginia. While many EMS providers are cross trained as Firefighters, thus including them in the current heart disease workers compensation presumption, that is not the case in every jurisdiction. Through a legislative oversight, EMS providers who are not cross trained in firefighting are not covered under workers compensation heart disease presumption. This is wrong. In Virginia Beach there are approximately 68 full-time salary EMS providers that cannot be included in heart disease presumption without this legislation because they are single role providers. This legislative oversight means that EMS providers responding to EMS calls in the City of Virginia Beach do not have the same workers compensation presumptions that are enjoyed by the cross trained Fire/EMS providers in the rest of the Commonwealth. This legislation requested by the City of Virginia Beach, among others, is not an unfunded mandate on localities because it is entirely optional. On Line 37, this bill outlines that those EMTs “employed by any locality that has authorized such presumption by ordinance.” Voting for this legislation means voting to allow the few localities that have single role career EMS the option to provide them with the same heart disease presumption that is currently maintained for firefighters, police officers, sheriffs, and correctional officers. This is a matter of parity and a matter of fairness for those that have been on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic for the last 10 months. I ask for your support.

My name is Kurt Detrick and I serve as a district Vice President for the Virginia Professional Firefighters, an organization that represents almost 9,000 firefighters and paramedics across the commonwealth. I am writing today is STONG SUPPORT of HB2080. Our career EMS providers are exposed to many of the same hazardous environments. It is long over due for them to receive the same benefits under that our firefighters do. Career EMS providers are exposed to long work hours, lack or sleep, exposures to carcinogens which all have been proven to lead to long term health complications. We are requesting the support and passage of HB2080. Respectfully, Kurt Detrick

The Virginia Trucking Association supports HB 2134 to ensure that trucking fleets will not be subjected to misclassification claims because they have acted to protect the health and safety of their workforce by providing PPE to independent contractors and others who enter their work locations.

This bill will ensure that if a business acts in good will to provide personal protective equipment for contract workers they contract with, this action should not be to their detriment in a potential misclassification suit. The problem this will resolve is simple: the state code, as it stands, can be weaponized in a misclassification lawsuit if a business generously provides PPE to their independent contract workers. We are still in a pandemic. The General Assembly needs to remove any hesitancy a business owner might have in offering PPE to their customers, employees, and contractors. This small change removes the potential legal threat a business could face if they offer PPE to contractors in the same way they face no legal threat in offering PPE to their customers and employees. Pass this legislation. In doing so, you provide assurances to businesses across Virginia that they can offer PPE to anyone they do commerce with and not be sued for it.

It is critical that you support HB2207. Our Corrections Officers work hard to provide a safe environment  for the offenders of the Commonwealth to serve their sentences and prepare them for a productive re-entry to society. They play a critical role in keeping our communities safe. If one of our Corrections Officers were to be unfortunate enough to contract this deadly virus in the line of duty, they shouldn't be burdened with the need to prove  they contracted the virus in the workplace. They deserve this protection due to the nature and environment in which they work while serving the citizens of Virginia. Thank you for your consideration and support. Charles (Bubba) Craddock President National Coalition of Public Safety Officers, CWA Local 2201

This bill will provide certain workers with the presumption of illness for their occupations from COVID-19. This legislation is needed for the uniformed corrections employees of Virginia's Department of Corrections. Correctional officers are often forced to come into contact with inmates that suffer from many infectious diseases. The closed environment of a correctional facility and responsibilities that officers have while on duty increase the risk of exposure that these officers have in becoming infected. We support reporting this bill and we ask for your vote in its favor. This bill will make a real difference for the men and women who work on these posts. Del. Jones' budget amendment is listed below. Thank-you.

Our Union along with our Sister Local in Richmond represent Corrections Officers in the VA Department of Corrections at all facilities across Virginia. All law enforcement officers, corrections officers and emergency medical service personnel deserve to be protected with this presumption due to the immediate threat they all face from coming in contact with the virus daily. There have been tremendous numbers of COVID-19 outbreaks in the VA Correction Facilities since the outbreaks started in March of 2020. Virginia DOC staff and inmates are at great risk due to the confined and close housing environments, that exist at all these facilities. Please support HB2207 and show law enforcement, corrections officers and EMS Personnel that Virginia stands with them in the work they do every day. Chuck Simpson President NCPSO/CWA Local 2204 Roanoke VA

I am available to answer questions as a subject matter expert for Workers' Compensation.

Please consider putting these bills into effect.

In favor of programs to better facilitate the development and progress of my community.

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Answering questions related to Workers' Compensation Bills

The Virginia Sheriffs Association supports HB 2207. There are hundreds of COVID cases in Virginia’s Sheriff’s offices and one death of a deputy sheriff just last week. Deputy Sheriff’s in jails, on patrol and in our courts are exposed daily to this virus as a direct result of their profession.

I recommend support of Delegate Jones bill. Working families in Virginia need to know they are protected when their essential jobs continue to make them susceptible to potentially contracting COVID-19. There should not be such an unprotected risk while they are working to provide for their families. We represent telecom employees who perform work each day in customer's homes and businesses. This puts them at risk for COVID-19 daily. We also represent Officers in the Virginia Department of Corrections, who are at extreme risk of contracting the virus because they work daily in enclosed areas with positive and potentially positive cases. As of today, there are active COVID-19 cases that include 704 offenders and 337 VADOC staff members across the commonwealth. Please join us and the working families of Virginia in supporting HB 2207.

On behalf of the more than 9,000 Virginia Professional Fire Fighters, I rise in support of HB2207 and thank Delegate Jones, as well as Senator Vogel and Senator Saslaw for bringing this critically important legislation forward. Since the beginning of the pandemic Virginia’s firefighters and paramedics have been on the frontlines providing emergency medical care and transporting very sick patients with COVID-19 to the hospital. We do so in uncontrolled environments, requiring us to be in close proximity and for prolonged periods of time. Despite the best safety protocols and increased levels of PPE we are not immune to COVID-19 and the number of cases among those in uniform continues to rise. However Virginia’s Workers Compensation Act falls short of providing assurances that our firefighters and paramedics will be protected when they are infected with COVID-19 through an exposure to a sick patient. HB2207 has language at the request of our localities and insurance providers. • On lines 47 – 49, the legislation requires “a positive diagnostic test for COVID-19, an incubation period consistent with COVID-19, and signs and symptoms of COVID-19 that require medical treatment.” • Additionally, to curb the fiscal impact, language was added on lines 89-94 to establish a window for a COVID-19 diagnosis between March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2021 These men and women proudly serve our communities across Virginia everyday, it is imperative that our firefighters serving can access benefits that they valiantly deserve should they require medical care. Please support the bill, thank you!

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, on behalf of the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association I would like to share with you our concerns regarding HB2228. Our organization and members are concerned with how broadly it’s written and we believe it would be burdensome for hospitality and tourism businesses and lead to increased premiums for workers compensation. Moreover, we have concerns that it would be difficult to determine to differentiate which injuries were work related and which are related to activities outside the workplace that involve repetitive motions and stresses.

The Virginia Association for Home Care and Hospice opposes any bill that would increase labor cost. Virginia's Medicaid Personal Care program is near collapse and these types of mandates increase the cost of services. Unchecked these government mandates will make in home care for those in need of care too costly.

We support this bill

We support this bill

We support this bill

Dear Members of the Virginia General Assembly: On behalf of the Coalition for a Strong Virginia Economy, our 31 business associations wish to express our position that it is crucial that the General Assembly avoid mandates and increased taxes on small businesses and instead looks for ways to help businesses recover. We respectively ask the committee not to move these bills forward. HB 1785 Ward HB 1977 Askew HB 2037 Tran HB 2040 Hudson HB 2015 Ayala HB 2016 Ayala HB 2103 Reid HB 2137 Guzman HB 2228 Guzman Best Regards, Associated Builders and Contractors of Virginia Associated General Contractors of Virginia Delmarva Chicken Association Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce Harrisonburg – Rockingham Chamber of Commerce Heavy Construction Contractors Association National Federation of Independent Business Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce Northern Virginia Transportation Business Coalition Precast Concrete Association of Virginia Richmond Area Municipal Contractors Association Shellfish Growers of Virginia Thomas Jefferson Institute for Public Policy Virginia Agribusiness Council Virginia Association of Roofing Professionals Virginia Association for Home Care and Hospice Virginia Automatic Merchandising Association Virginia Contractor Procurement Alliance Virginia Forestry Association Virginia Forest Products Association Virginia Loggers Association Virginia Manufactured Association and Modular Housing Association Virginia Manufacturers Association Virginia Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Virginia Poultry Federation Virginia Retail Federation Virginia Seafood Council Virginia Trucking Association Virginia Veterinary Medical Association Virginia Wholesalers and Distributors Association Virginia Wineries Association

oppose all marked bills

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, on behalf of the Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association I would like to share with you our concerns regarding HB2228. Our organization and members are concerned with how broadly it’s written and we believe it would be burdensome for hospitality and tourism businesses and lead to increased premiums for workers compensation. Moreover, we have concerns that it would be difficult to determine to differentiate which injuries were work related and which are related to activities outside the workplace that involve repetitive motions and stresses.

Virginia Professional Fire Fighters supports the bill as written. Virginia is the only state that does not allow for repetitive motion claims, such as carpal tunnel and spinal disc problems, in workers compensation. As many know fire fighting along with other manual labor trades can wreck havoc on a workers back. Please support HB 2228 and bring Virginia in line with every other states workers compensation practices.

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American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) supports HB 2228 introduced by Delegate Guzman. Currently, Virginia does not provide a remedy through the workers’ compensation system for injuries due to repetitive work activities known as “repetitive stress injuries” meaning that Virginia workers are required to bear the costs associated with this, even when they arise out of and in the course of employment. In 2020, The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission (VWC) conducted an analysis and study of the issue of covering repetitive motion and HB 2228 would implement the finding of that study. As a Union representing public employees with a dedication to making our communities stronger, healthier, and safer, we urge you to support HB 2228 to allow workers to be covered by repetitive stress injuries under Virginia Worker’s Compensation Act.

On behalf of the Prince William Chamber of Commerce and our 1200+ members, we are concerned that covering injuries from repetitive motions and stresses under workers’ compensation will make it difficult to differentiate which injuries were work related and which were because of age and participation in activities outside the workplace that involve repetitive motions and stresses. Based on our conversation with employers , they believe they will see an increase in their workers compensation insurance premiums, due to the increased number of claims under this policy. Given the pandemic and other issues that businesses are facing, we cannot support the legislation and urge you to oppose the bill.

It is hard to imagine a rationale to justify making the Commonwealth of Virginia the lone exception to the standard of the rest of the country in relation to workman's compensation and repetitive injury coverage. According to JLARCs own report in 2019. "In contrast to the 49 other states, Virginia does not provide a remedy through the workers’ compensation system for injuries due to repetitive work activities, such as lifting boxes over several weeks (also known as “cumulative trauma injuries”). As a result, Virginia workers are required to bear the costs associated with cumulative trauma injuries, even when they arise out of and in the course of employment." Virginia’s Workers’ Compensation system could benefit from this much-needed improvement, making the workers compensation system less complicated and fairer. House Bill 2228 would especially benefit workers employed in plants and other workplaces where repetitive activities are a normal part of the work day. Virginia’s workers’ compensation system does not cover cumulative trauma injuries. This Legislation addresses these inequities. Thank you for supporting this legislation!

My name is Gregory Camden and I have been representing injured workers in Virginia for more than 25 years. I would like to speak remotely. I can be reached at 757-818-3193 or gcamden@montagnalaw.com. Below are my comments concerning House Bill Number 2228 relating to workers' compensation; injuries caused by repetitive and sustained physical stressors. My comments address a large group of workers in Virginia who perform repetitive tasks for their employer, day in and day out. This would involve workers at Smithfield Foods in Smithfield, Virginia. However, this is just one example of employees who are affected by repetitive injuries on a daily basis in Virginia. Last year when Covid hit the nation, our government labeled workers at meat processing plants "ESSENTIAL WORKERS". This included the workers at Smithfield Foods. The workers at Smithfield Foods are largely impacted by repetitive injuries. The work performed there is fast paced with the meat products moving by conveyor belts and the employer keeping track of quotas. If the meat product is not packaged quick enough, it will spoil. The workers use many types of knives and cutting tools including "Wizard Knives" which are oscillating knives used to trim the fat from the hogs. The workers also pack the edible meat, including loins, into boxes and/or plastic bags and return them to the conveyor belt system. After removing the edible meat, workers have to lift the remaining carcasses to dispose of them. Over time these repetitive activities led to rotator cuff tears, cubital tunnel syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome and other injuries to the body. As I said at the beginning of this submission, when Covid hit we needed these food processing workers to continue putting food on our tables so we labeled them "ESENTIAL WORKERS". Now it is our turn to help these "ESSENTIAL WORKERS" and provide them with the protection they deserve under our workers' compensation laws as they continue to put food on our tables. In 2018 the Joint Legislative Audit Review Commission (JLARC) directed a review of the Virginia Workers' Compensation system. We have that 2019 report. It states that "Virginia is the only state in which employers are not obligated to compensate workers for work-related cumulative trauma injuries." Page ii, see also page 34. The report recommended that the General Assembly take legislative action to, "[e]xpand coverage to allow cumulative trauma injuries to be compensable." Page iv, see also page 37. Last week we celebrated Martin Luther King, Jr. day. One of his well known quotes was, "The time is always right, to do what is right." Now is the time to do what is right, and protect Virginia's "ESSENTIAL WORKERS". Gregory Camden 757-818-3193 gcamden@montagnalaw.com

As an insurer I would ask for a delayed enactment clause. The loss costs (base rates) for the coming year have already been published by the Bureau of Insurance and they do not factor in coverage for these types of injuries. New rates take effect April 1, so delaying the enactment of this legislation until July 1, 2022 would allow the rate setting calculations to factor in these injury types. Unlike commercial carriers, self-insureds and group self-insureds (to include The Commonwealth and municipalities) do not have offsetting revenue sources from other insurance lines. The impact of passing this legislation without providing time for insurers to collect premiums to cover these injuries could be catastrophic. Thank you for your consideration.

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Answering questions related to Workers' Compensation Bills

If passed, this bill will cause a serious increase in worker’s compensation insurance premiums once the losses work there way thru the system. In my opinion it would also cause an availability issue.

Virginia Loggers Association opposes this bill because it expands the definition of “occupational disease” to include injuries which arise out of repetitive and sustained motions. This legislation would rebut the case law which has previously held that impairments resulting from the cumulative trauma from repetitive motion are not “diseases.” Such impairments have previously been classified as “injuries,” requiring a claimant to demonstrate a sudden mechanical change in order for the injuries to be considered compensable. The case law as it stands has previously left a gap in which “wear and tear” injuries were generally not compensable as they are not diseases and a claimant cannot prove a sudden mechanical change if the injury develops over time. The rules have become broader in recent years and the window of “sudden mechanical change” had been widening. THIS BILL HAS THE POTENTIAL TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE COMP CLAIMS VS EMPLOYERS. THE END RESULT OF THIS IF PASSED WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE COMP CLAIMS AND SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER PREMIUMS AS A RESULT.