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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>73961</law_id><section_number>65.2-308</section_number><catch_line>Discharge of employee for exercising rights prohibited; civil action; relief</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="65.2">Workers' Compensation</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="3">Application and Effect of Title</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No <span class="dictionary">employer</span> or person shall discharge an employee solely because the employee intends to file or has <span class="dictionary">filed</span> a claim under this title or has testified or is about to testify in any proceeding under this title. The discharge of a person who has <span class="dictionary">filed</span> a fraudulent claim is not a violation of this section. <a id="paragraph-266016" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/65.2-308/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> The employee may bring an action in a <span class="dictionary">circuit</span> <span class="dictionary">court</span> having <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span> over the <span class="dictionary">employer</span> or person who allegedly discharged the employee in violation of this section. The <span class="dictionary">court</span> shall have <span class="dictionary">jurisdiction</span>, for cause shown, to restrain violations and <span class="dictionary">order</span> appropriate relief, including actual <span class="dictionary">damages</span> and attorney&#x2019;s fees to successful claimants and the rehiring or reinstatement of the employee, with back pay plus interest at the <span class="dictionary">judgment</span> rate as provided in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Judgment rate of interest" href="/6.2-302/">6.2-302</a>. <a id="paragraph-266017" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/65.2-308/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>1982, c. 327, &#xA7; 65.1-40.1; 1986, c. 259; 1991, c. 355.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
