Economic Opportunity
COVID-19 & Unemployment Insurance: Recent Reforms & Next Steps for Virginia
During recessions, Virginia’s unemployment insurance (UI) system serves as the first line of defense by helping to stabilize the economy...
People are the Economy
The purpose of economic activity is to improve people’s lives, making us healthier, happier, and more fulfilled. And when people...
New Minimum Wage Legislation Will Strengthen Virginia’s Families & Economy
Nearly 800,000 people will benefit, including essential workers during COVID-19. In the 2020 session, the General Assembly passed historic legislation...
Resources for Virginia Workers, Families, and Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
Steps have been taken on the state and federal level in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to halt the spread...
Understanding Federal Action on COVID-19 and Potential Next Steps
This past week Congress passed and the President signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which takes some first...
STATEMENT: TCI Stands with our Communities and People in Virginia Most at Risk During COVID-19 Pandemic
As people across Virginia are increasingly impacted by the spread of COVID-19, the illness caused by the novel coronavirus, our...
Virginia Charts A Path To A $15 Minimum Wage
During the 2020 session, the General Assembly adopted new legislation to increase Virginia’s minimum wage. Historically, Virginia has followed the federal minimum wage, which has been set at $7.25 since July 2009. This bill, which now awaits Gov. Northam’s signature, would gradually increase Virginia’s minimum wage to $12 by January 2023 and then outlines a path to $15 by 2026, contingent on the approval of the General Assembly.
Making Ends Meet: Minimum Wages and Public Assistance
Everyone in Virginia who works full-time should be able to support their family with a decent standard of living, and raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2025 will help make that happen. As wages and income grow, families are likely to qualify for less help from programs such as SNAP (food stamps) and public health insurance.
Virginia Missed an Opportunity to Be at the Forefront of Equity in Policy
This legislative session, proposals have been put forward that would begin to reverse decades of policies that have hurt low-income people of color in Virginia, from ensuring our education system works for more students to strengthening the state’s safety net.