CHAPTER 304
An Act to direct the Department of Human Resource Management to amend its policies relating to employee designations, pay, and benefits for nursing staff at state psychiatric hospitals.
[H 806]
Approved April 2, 2024
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. § 1. The Department of Human Resource Management (the Department) shall amend its policies to authorize the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services and state psychiatric hospitals to have the option to designate as full-time employees nursing staff and psychiatric technicians who work at least 36 hours per week in order to allow state hospitals to utilize 12-hour shifts for such staff. The Department's policies shall not require reductions in pay or other benefits for such employees based solely on the fact that the employee works 36 hours per week. The Department shall also examine whether this change in policy should be extended to comparable direct care positions at other executive branch agencies to help improve recruitment and retention of critical nursing and other direct care positions experiencing high turnover or vacancy rates.