Governor Spanberger Signs Landmark Paid Family & Medical Leave Law Supporting Three Million Virginians

RICHMOND, VA — Governor Abigail Spanberger today signed landmark legislation creating a paid family and medical leave program to support more than three million workers across the Commonwealth. Virginia is the first state in the South with statewide paid family and medical leave.

The Governor was joined by legislators, workers, small business owners, and families from across the Commonwealth who will now be able to welcome a new child, care for loved ones, and recover from illnesses without sacrificing their pay. Under the new law patroned by Senator Jennifer Boysko and Delegate Briana Sewell, Virginia workers will be able to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to address serious health needs for themselves or a family member, including parental leave.

“Today, we are empowering millions of Virginia parents and workers with the security, dignity, and peace of mind they deserve,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “Virginia is now the first state in the South to create a paid family and medical leave program. Under this landmark law, hardworking Virginians will have the freedom to take care of loved ones, recover from illness, and spend time with their newborns — all with the confidence that they will keep their paychecks. Because no one should have to choose between spending time with their newborn and paying their bills. No one should have to drain their savings or fall behind on rent because a loved one gets sick. And no one should be forced to return to work while facing a serious illness.”

Spanberger continued, “Not only is this law a huge win for workers, but it will allow small- and mid-sized businesses to better thrive in our Commonwealth by offering competitive benefits they previously could not afford. Thank you to Senator Boysko, Delegate Sewell, and every other leader in the General Assembly who has worked for years to get paid family and medical leave across the finish line. I am proud to partner with you to deliver this historic achievement for Virginia workers and parents, and I look forward to continuing working together as we make our Commonwealth a better place to start a family, create a career, and build a business.”

“I am thrilled to stand here today with Governor Spanberger, Delegate Sewell, and all of our stakeholders to celebrate paid family and medical leave becoming law in our Commonwealth,” said Senator Jennifer Boysko. “We know the tremendous difference it makes for parents and families when they have the time and financial security to stay home and bond with their new baby — and we know the confidence it gives them when they return to the workforce.”

Boysko continued, “This data-driven legislation is built on experience and knowledge, and it has been a key priority for Senate and House Democrats for years. From Arlington to Abington, Virginians will not have to make the impossible choice between caring for a loved one, recovering from a medical crisis, bonding with a newborn, or affording rent, groceries, utilities, and other basic needs.”

“Access to up to 12 weeks of paid family and medical leave means families will no longer be forced to choose between financial security and life’s most important moments,” said Delegate Briana Sewell. “It means parents can be present in the early days of the child’s life. It means care givers can show up for loved ones. And it means workers facing serious illness can focus on healing instead of financial fear.”

Sewell continued, “This is sound and proven policy. When families are stable, communities are stronger. When workers are supported, businesses are stronger. And then when people have the time and security to care for what matters most, Virginia is stronger.”

The Governor was joined by Abbey Conley, a mother from Henrico County who had to take 12 weeks of unpaid maternity leave when her first child was born. Conley spoke about the huge difference access to paid family and medical leave would have made for her family.

“In 2017, I was working for a small Richmond non-profit. I was getting ready to give birth to my son. My employer did not have a parental leave policy. They offered me 12 weeks of unpaid leave, even though they were not required to — but they couldn’t afford to pay me during that time,” said Conley. “My husband’s employer was even less flexible. After just a few days at home once the baby was born, he was back at work. I was home alone, doing my best to recover from a c-section and care for my sweet baby. Our bills were piling up, and the stress levels were rising. Paying full price health insurance premiums, on top of not getting paid, ate into our little reserves fast.”

Conley continued, “Paid leave would have made a huge difference for my family, and it will make a huge difference for working families across Virginia — good people who are trying to show up for their babies, for their families, for themselves and for their loved ones, while also showing up for their employers and their colleagues and the people who are counting on them.”

The Governor was also joined by Monica Jackson, owner of Jackson Child Care. Jackson highlighted how paid family and medical leave will empower small businesses like hers to better recruit and retain talented employees.

“As a small employer, I also face challenges that larger companies often don’t,” said Jackson. “I am unable to offer benefits such as paid family and medical leave, even though they would help attract and retain highly skilled employees essential to maintaining a high-quality early childhood program.”

Jackson continued, “A publicly available paid leave program helps level the playing field for small businesses, allowing programs like mine to remain open, operate sustainably, and continue serving the families who rely on us for their own financial stability. Childcare is not simply a family issue — it is an economic infrastructure. When families have access to paid leave during critical life events, children can recover at home, families remain financially stable, and childcare programs can maintain healthier environments for everyone.”

Governor Spanberger was also joined by David Metnick, Managing Director at Accenture in the Health and Public Service Practice. Metnick spoke about how supporting employees and their families with paid family and medical leave has allowed the company to better compete, expand, and thrive in the global economy.

“At Accenture, we’ve seen firsthand how paid family and medical leave can support people through some of life’s most important moments, whether welcoming a child, caring for a loved one, or managing personal health, while staying connected to work,” said Metnick. “As a company of more than 800,000 people globally, including over 80,000 in the United States and more than 8,000 here in Virginia, we recognize how critical it is to create an environment where people feel supported and able to thrive.”

Metnick continued, “Moments like today reflect the importance of collaboration across sectors to support working families and strengthen the workforce for the future. We commend the leadership that brought this forward and are pleased to be here to recognize this milestone for the Commonwealth.”

Beginning in 2028, most Virginia workers — including part-time workers and small business employees, will be able to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave for significant life events. These events include caring for a new child, recovering from a serious illness, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or meeting the unique needs of military families. Under the law, Virginians will receive approximately 80 percent of their average weekly wage, capped at 100 percent of the state’s average weekly wage. Currently, the average Virginia worker who takes four weeks of unpaid leave loses more than $3,600 in income.

Virginia’s paid family and medical leave program will be administered through the Virginia Employment Commission. Self-employed Virginians will have the option to enroll in the program, and Virginia businesses will be able to continue offering private paid family and medical leave plans that meet minimum requirements under the new law.

Click here for additional details about Virginia’s paid family and medical leave law.

BACKGROUND

Recent polling shows that more than 80 percent of Virginians support establishing a paid family and medical leave program. The new law builds on the Governor’s previous actions to raise Virginia’s minimum wage to $15 per hour, boost workforce training and apprenticeships, address wage theft, and attract new investment to Virginia to create new opportunities for workers.

Since taking office in January, Governor Spanberger has remained laser-focused on building a stronger, safer, and more affordable Virginia. The Governor has signed bipartisan legislation to lower costs for families, announced more than $5 billion in new business investment creating more than 3,000 new jobs across the Commonwealth, and worked to contend with the uncertainty coming from Washington that is making life more expensive for all Virginians.