Virginia SB 760: Unemployment benefits; maximum duration.

Bill Text

2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26103442D

SENATE BILL NO. 760

Offered January 19, 2026

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 60.2-602 and 60.2-619 of the Code of Virginia, relating to unemployment benefits; maximum duration.

—————

Patrons—Ebbin; Delegates: Martinez and Bennett-Parker

—————

Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

—————

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 60.2-602 and 60.2-619 of the Code of Virginia are amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 60.2-602. Weekly benefit amount.

A. Beginning July 6, 2008, for claims effective on or after July 6, 2008, but before July 6, 2014, an eligible individual's weekly "benefit amount" shall be the amount appearing in Column B in the "Benefit Table" in this section subsection on the line on which in Column A of such table, there appears the total wages for insured work paid to such individual in the two quarters of his base period in which such total wages were highest.

Benefit Table Division C Duration of Benefits beginning July 6, 2008, but before July 6, 2014

SEE PRINTED BILL FOR TABLES

B. Beginning July 6, 2014, for claims effective on or after July 6, 2014, but before January 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly "benefit amount" shall be the amount appearing in Column B in the "Benefit Table" in this section subsection on the line on which in Column A of such table, there appears the total wages for insured work paid to such individual in the two quarters of his base period in which such total wages were highest.

Benefit Table Division C Duration of Benefits beginning July 6, 2014, but before January 1, 2026

SEE PRINTED BILL FOR TABLES

C. Beginning January 1, 2026, for claims effective on or after January 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly "benefit amount" shall be the amount appearing in Column B in the "Benefit Table" in this section subsection on the line on which in Column A of such table, there appears the total wages for insured work paid to such individual in the two quarters of his base period in which such total wages were highest.

Benefit Table Division C Duration of Benefits beginning January 1, 2026

SEE PRINTED BILL FOR TABLES

D. Beginning July 1, 2026, for claims effective on or after July 1, 2026, an eligible individual's weekly "benefit amount" shall be the amount appearing in Column B in the Benefit Table Division C Duration of Benefits beginning January 1, 2026, in subsection C, on the line on which in Column A of such table, there appears the total wages for insured work paid to such individual in the two quarters of his base period in which such total wages were highest, except that an eligible individual's "weekly benefit" amount shall be paid for a maximum duration of 26 weeks.

§ 60.2-619. Determinations and decisions by deputy; appeals therefrom.

A. 1. A representative designated by the Commission as a deputy shall promptly examine the claim. The deputy shall only examine or consider in the claim review process information or evidence from an employer or third party if the deputy (i) has provided the claimant with a reasonable opportunity to review and respond to all potentially disqualifying issues or conflicting or otherwise adverse material facts within such information or evidence, (ii) has documented all material responsive information received from the claimant pursuant to clause (i), and (iii) considers material responsive information in the deputy's evaluation of the claim. On the basis of the facts found by him, the deputy shall either:

a. Determine whether or not such claim is valid, and if valid, the week with respect to which benefits shall commence, the weekly benefit amount payable and the maximum duration thereof, except that the maximum duration of weekly benefits shall be 26 weeks for claims effective on or after July 1, 2026, pursuant to subsection D of § 60.2-602; or

b. Refer such claim or any relevant question to the Commission's Administrative Law Division's Office of First Level Appeals or to the Commission, which shall make its determination in accordance with the procedure described in § 60.2-620.

2. When the payment or denial of benefits will be determined by the provisions of subdivision A 2 of § 60.2-612, the deputy shall promptly transmit his full finding of fact with respect to that subdivision to the Commission's Administrative Law Division's Office of First Level Appeals, which shall make its determination in accordance with the procedure described in § 60.2-620.

B. (Effective until July 1, 2028) Upon the filing of an initial claim for benefits, the Commission shall cause an informatory notice of such filing to be mailed to the most recent 30-day or 240-hour employing unit of the claimant and all subsequent employing units, and any reimbursable employing units that may be liable for reimbursement to the Commission for any benefits paid. However, the failure to furnish such notice shall not have any effect upon the claim for benefits. If a claimant has