                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA

CLOSURE OF UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT; CIVIL RELIEF FOR FURLOUGHED EMPLOYEES AND
CONTRACTORS (§ 44-209)

A. As used in this section:
			&#8220;Closure of the United States government&#8221; means a closure of the
United States federal government as a result of a lapse of appropriation that
leads to (i) the curtailment of federal agency activities and services, (ii) a
shutdown of nonessential operations, (iii) nonessential workers being
furloughed, and (iv) only essential employees in departments covering the safety
of human life or protection of property being retained.
			&#8220;Written proof&#8221; means (i) a paystub issued by a federal
government agency showing zero dollars in earnings for a pay period within the
period of any closure of the United States government, (ii) a copy of a furlough
notification letter or essential employee status letter indicating the
employee&#8217;s status as nonessential, or (iii) a letter from a company under
contract with the United States government issued and signed by an officer or
owner of the company or by the company&#8217;s human resources director stating
that the employee&#8217;s not receiving payment from the contractor is directly
attributable to a closure of the United States government.

B. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any tenant as defined
in &#xA7; 55.1-1200 who is a defendant in an unlawful detainer for nonpayment of
rent pursuant to &#xA7; 55.1-1245 for rent due after the commencement of a
closure of the United States government seeking a judgment for the payment of
money or possession of the premises shall be granted a 60-day continuance of
such unlawful detainer action from the initial court date if the tenant appears
on such court date and provides written proof that he was furloughed or
otherwise was or is not currently receiving wages or payments as a result of a
closure of the United States government, and is (i) an employee of the United
States government, (ii) an independent contractor for the United States
government, or (iii) an employee of a company under contract with the United
States government. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply if the
landlord has filed a material noncompliance notice for a non-rent violation of
the rental agreement or of the Code of Virginia.

C. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any homeowner who,
after the commencement of a closure of the United States government, defaults on
a note that is secured by a one-family to four-family residential property
located in the Commonwealth and is subject to a foreclosure proceeding on any
mortgage or to the execution of or sale under any deed of trust shall be granted
a 60-day stay of such proceeding if the homeowner, within 90 days of such
closure or 90 days following the end of a closure of the United States
government, whichever is later, requests a stay and provides written proof to
his lender that he was furloughed or otherwise was or is not currently receiving
wages or payments as a result of a closure of the United States government, and
is (i) an employee of the United States government, (ii) an independent
contractor for the United States government, or (iii) an employee of a company
under contract with the United States government.

D. Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, any owner who rents a
one-family to four-family residential dwelling unit located in the Commonwealth
to a tenant as defined in &#xA7; 55.1-1200 and who, after the commencement of a
closure of the United States government, defaults on a note that is secured by
such dwelling unit and is subject to a foreclosure proceeding on any mortgage or
to the execution of or sale under any deed of trust shall be granted a 60-day
stay of such proceeding if the owner, within 90 days of such closure or 90 days
following the end of a closure of the United States government, whichever is
later, requests a stay and provides written proof to his lender that his tenant
was furloughed or otherwise was or is not currently receiving wages or payments
as a result of a closure of the United States government, and is (i) an employee
of the United States government, (ii) an independent contractor for the United
States government, or (iii) an employee of a company under contract with the
United States government.

E. The provisions of this section shall not (i) apply in an instance where a
separate, signed legal agreement exists between a landlord and tenant or
homeowner and mortgage holder to stay legal action or defer the filing of an
unlawful detainer motion for nonpayment of rent or foreclosure proceeding on any
mortgage or to the execution of or sale under any deed of trust for a term of 60
days or greater or (ii) affect any other terms of a valid rental agreement or
note secured by a one-family to four-family residential property, mortgage, or
deed of trust unrelated to nonpayment of rent or default of a mortgage caused by
a closure of the United States government.

HISTORY: 2020, c. 1202; 2025, c. 520.