VPLC is using educational resources, litigation, legislative advocacy, and administrative pressure to fix broken systems and expand protections for Virginia workers. We believe everyone deserves timely, fair access to unemployment benefits when they need them most. From taking legal action to expose systemic delays to helping workers understand their rights, we’re making unemployment insurance work better for the people it’s meant to protect. Our focus is on creating a more responsive, inclusive system: one that doesn’t leave behind part-time, gig, or low-wage workers.
Our work in this area includes:
Holding the Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) Accountable
Too many Virginians have faced delayed or denied unemployment benefits when they needed help the most. We hold the VEC accountable for fair, timely, and transparent processing of claims. Our efforts include:
- Taking legal action in Harrison v. VEC to compel faster benefit decisions and appeals processing.
- Partnering with Legal Aid Justice Center and Legal Aid Works to represent thousands of affected workers.
- Advocating for better guidance, improved customer service, and reduced delays at the VEC.
Modernizing the Unemployment Benefits System
Virginia’s unemployment system must be accessible to all workers, regardless of internet access, literacy level, or language. We work to modernize the benefits process with equity at the center. We advocate for:
- Simplified applications that work for people with limited digital access or literacy.
- Multilingual notices and clear, transparent eligibility rules.
- Technology upgrades that serve claimants, not just administrative efficiency.
Expanding Protections for Vulnerable Workers
Virginia’s unemployment laws were not built for today’s workforce. We fight for inclusive policies that protect workers across all industries and employment types. Our policy goals include:
- Expanding eligibility for part-time, seasonal, gig, and undocumented workers.
- Challenging rules that create racial or gender disparities in access to benefits.
- Ensuring no one is excluded based on how they’re paid or where they work.
Our Economic Justice Team
Fighting for the Rights of Gig Workers
Featured:
Amazon Flex Drivers Win the Right to Unemployment Insurance Benefits
In Virginia, Amazon delivery drivers won the right to unemployment insurance by challenging Amazon all the way up to the Supreme Court– with support from VPLC. This article from the National Employment Law Project says more.
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