Virginia is one of the states that has enacted a gradual increase in its minimum wage, from $7.25 to $15 per hour by 2026. While this policy is intended to improve the living standards of low-wage workers and reduce income inequality, it has also triggered unintended consequences for some sectors of the economy, especially health care. In this article, we will explore how Virginia’s minimum wage hike has led to massive layoffs for health care workers in 2024, and what this means for the state’s health care system and the affected workers.