Richmond does not impose a hotel-specific living wage. Hospitality workers receive Virginia's statewide minimum wage of $12 per hour, scheduled to rise toward $13.50 in 2025 and beyond under General Assembly law.
Richmond has not enacted a hotel-industry living wage like Los Angeles or other large tourism markets. Virginia's Dillon's Rule prevents cities from setting industry-specific wage floors above the state minimum. Hotel housekeepers, bellhops, and front-desk staff serving Richmond's convention center, VCU medical district, and historic Monument Avenue area earn at least Virginia's statewide minimum wage, which the General Assembly raised from $7.25 to $12 and scheduled additional increases toward $13.50. Tipped workers receive a lower cash wage with tip credit. Federal Fair Labor Standards Act floors apply.
No city living wage law applies. Failure to pay Virginia's state minimum wage exposes employers to Department of Labor and Industry enforcement and back-pay claims.
See how Richmond's hotel living wage rules stack up against other locations.
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