{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/40.1-27.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/40.1-27.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/40.1-27.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/40.1-27.html"}],"law_id":56917,"edition_id":1,"section_id":56917,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-27","catch_line":"Preventing employment by others of former employee","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 40-22; 1970, c. 321.","full_text":"No person doing business in this Commonwealth, or any agent or attorney of such person after having discharged any employee from the service of such person or after any employee shall have voluntarily left the service of such person shall willfully and maliciously prevent or attempt to prevent by word or writing, directly or indirectly, such discharged employee or such employee who has voluntarily left from obtaining employment with any other person. For violation of this section the offender shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, on conviction thereof, be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500. But this section shall not be construed as prohibiting any person from giving on application for any other person a truthful statement of the reason for such discharge, or a truthful statement concerning the character, industry and ability of such person who has voluntarily left.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":208474,"text":"No person doing business in this Commonwealth, or any agent or attorney of such person after having discharged any employee from the service of such person or after any employee shall have voluntarily left the service of such person shall willfully and maliciously prevent or attempt to prevent by word or writing, directly or indirectly, such discharged employee or such employee who has voluntarily left from obtaining employment with any other person. For violation of this section the offender shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, on conviction thereof, be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500. But this section shall not be construed as prohibiting any person from giving on application for any other person a truthful statement of the reason for such discharge, or a truthful statement concerning the character, industry and ability of such person who has voluntarily left.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":13640,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12777,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:27","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:27","permalink":{"id":219807,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13640,"identifier":"1","token":"40.1\/3\/1","url":"\/40.1\/3\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12777,"edition_id":1,"name":"Protection of Employees","identifier":"3","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12776,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":219805,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12777,"identifier":"3","token":"40.1\/3","url":"\/40.1\/3\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12776,"edition_id":1,"name":"Labor and Employment","identifier":"40.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:52","permalink":{"id":219723,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12776,"identifier":"40.1","token":"40.1","url":"\/40.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":77584,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-22","catch_line":"Safety and Health Codes Commission continued as Safety and Health Codes Board","url":"\/40.1-22\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-22","metadata":false},{"id":67414,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-22.1","catch_line":"Governor authorized to enter certain agreements","url":"\/40.1-22.1\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-22.1","metadata":false},{"id":64288,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-23","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/40.1-23\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-23","metadata":false},{"id":66063,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-26","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/40.1-26\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-26","metadata":false},{"id":56917,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-27","catch_line":"Preventing employment by others of former employee","url":"\/40.1-27\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-27","metadata":false},{"id":54740,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-27.1","catch_line":"Discharge of employee for absence due to work-related injury prohibited","url":"\/40.1-27.1\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-27.1","metadata":false},{"id":74658,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-27.2","catch_line":"Preference for veterans and spouses","url":"\/40.1-27.2\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-27.2","metadata":false},{"id":82455,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-27.3","catch_line":"Retaliatory action against employee prohibited","url":"\/40.1-27.3\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-27.3","metadata":false},{"id":78662,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-27.4","catch_line":"Discipline for employee's medicinal use of cannabis oil prohibited","url":"\/40.1-27.4\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-27.4","metadata":false},{"id":70077,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28","catch_line":"Unlawful to require payment for medical examination as condition of employment","url":"\/40.1-28\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28","metadata":false},{"id":68891,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.01","catch_line":"Nondisclosure or confidentiality agreement; provisions regarding sexual assault or sexual harassment; condition of employment","url":"\/40.1-28.01\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.01","metadata":false},{"id":60284,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/40.1-28.1\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.1","metadata":false},{"id":63131,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.5","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/40.1-28.5\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.5","metadata":false},{"id":79328,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.6","catch_line":"Equal pay irrespective of sex","url":"\/40.1-28.6\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.6","metadata":false},{"id":68884,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/40.1-28.7\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7","metadata":false},{"id":64716,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:1","catch_line":"Genetic testing or genetic characteristics as a condition of employment","url":"\/40.1-28.7_1\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_1","metadata":false},{"id":74612,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:10","catch_line":"Prohibited use of employee's social security number; civil penalty","url":"\/40.1-28.7_10\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_10","metadata":false},{"id":63600,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:11","catch_line":"Veterans benefits and services poster","url":"\/40.1-28.7_11\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_11","metadata":false},{"id":81572,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:2","catch_line":"Employers to allow crime victims leave to attend criminal proceedings","url":"\/40.1-28.7_2\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_2","metadata":false},{"id":55131,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:3","catch_line":"Earned income tax credit; employer notice to employee","url":"\/40.1-28.7_3\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_3","metadata":false},{"id":54612,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:4","catch_line":"Release of employee's personal identifying information","url":"\/40.1-28.7_4\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_4","metadata":false},{"id":79093,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:5","catch_line":"Social media accounts of current and prospective employees","url":"\/40.1-28.7_5\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_5","metadata":false},{"id":80547,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:6","catch_line":"Employers to allow leave for volunteer members of Civil Air Patrol; civil remedy","url":"\/40.1-28.7_6\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_6","metadata":false},{"id":81771,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:7","catch_line":"Misclassification of workers","url":"\/40.1-28.7_7\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_7","metadata":false},{"id":64853,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:8","catch_line":"Covenants not to compete prohibited; exceptions; civil penalty","url":"\/40.1-28.7_8\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_8","metadata":false},{"id":58507,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-28.7:9","catch_line":"Limiting employees' sharing wage information with other persons prohibited; civil penalty","url":"\/40.1-28.7_9\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-28.7_9","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":66063,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-26","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/40.1-26\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-26","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":54740,"structure_id":13640,"section_number":"40.1-27.1","catch_line":"Discharge of employee for absence due to work-related injury prohibited","url":"\/40.1-27.1\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-27.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/40.1-27\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 1970, chapter 321.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":219825,"object_type":"law","relational_id":56917,"identifier":"40.1-27","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-27","url":"\/40.1-27\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/40.1-27\/","token":"40.1\/3\/1\/40.1-27","dublin_core":{"Title":"Preventing employment by others of former employee","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 40.1-27","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>No person doing business in this Commonwealth, or any agent or attorney of such person after having discharged any <span class=\"dictionary\">employee<\/span> from the service of such person or after any <span class=\"dictionary\">employee<\/span> shall have voluntarily left the service of such person shall willfully and maliciously prevent or attempt to prevent by word or writing, directly or indirectly, such discharged <span class=\"dictionary\">employee<\/span> or such <span class=\"dictionary\">employee<\/span> who has voluntarily left from obtaining employment with any other person. For violation of this section the offender shall be guilty of a <span class=\"dictionary\">misdemeanor<\/span> and shall, on <span class=\"dictionary\">conviction<\/span> thereof, be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500. But this section shall not be construed as prohibiting any person from giving on application for any other person a truthful statement of the reason for such discharge, or a truthful statement concerning the character, industry and ability of such person who has voluntarily left.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nPREVENTING EMPLOYMENT BY OTHERS OF FORMER EMPLOYEE (\u00a7 40.1-27)\n\nNo person doing business in this Commonwealth, or any agent or attorney of such\nperson after having discharged any employee from the service of such person or\nafter any employee shall have voluntarily left the service of such person shall\nwillfully and maliciously prevent or attempt to prevent by word or writing,\ndirectly or indirectly, such discharged employee or such employee who has\nvoluntarily left from obtaining employment with any other person. For violation\nof this section the offender shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, on\nconviction thereof, be fined not less than $100 nor more than $500. But this\nsection shall not be construed as prohibiting any person from giving on\napplication for any other person a truthful statement of the reason for such\ndischarge, or a truthful statement concerning the character, industry and\nability of such person who has voluntarily left.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 40-22; 1970, c. 321.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}