Leave Management
Virginia Joins the Growing Paid Family and Medical Leave Movement
Virginia will become the first southern state to enact a statutory paid leave program.
May 29, 2026
Effective July 1, 2026, the state of Virginia will join the growing movement of states to enact a paid family and medical leave (PFML) program, which signals a sizable shift in the Southeast as the first southern state to join the statutory paid leave force.
Timeline for Impact
Contributions to the program will begin on April 1, 2028, with benefits payable beginning December 1, 2028. Employers with fewer than 10 employees are exempt from contributing to the program, but are still responsible for managing employee contributions. Employers with more than 10 employees must contribute and collect employee contributions, as the program is widely funded by a combination of both employee and employer contributions.
Eligible Reason for Leave and Time Allowed
Covered employees may take up to 12 weeks of PFML each benefit year for the following reasons:
- Caring for their own, or their family member’s, serious health condition
- Bonding with their child during the first 12 months after the child’s birth, adoption, or foster care placement
- Seeking certain safety-related services (limited to up to four weeks in a benefit year)
- Attending to a qualifying exigency or care for next of kin or a family member who is a service member
PFML may be taken on a continuous or intermittent basis, and any paid leave taken under this law will run concurrently with the employee’s available federal Family and Medical Leave Act entitlement.
Employer Responsibilities
To comply with Virginia PFML, employers must perform the following actions:
- Withhold and submit contributions
- Provide required employee notices
- Support employee leave requests
- Coordinate the internal payroll system to comply with necessary deductions
For additional information, please visit the Virginia Employment Commission website at www.vec.virginia.gov.
The above information does not constitute advice. Always contact your employee benefits broker or trusted advisor for insurance-related questions.
