Virginia’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program will provide eligible workers with paid, job-protected time away from work during important life events.
The Virginia Employment Commission is developing and will administer the new program. Benefits will become available beginning December 1, 2028.
What is Paid Family and Medical Leave?
Paid Family and Medical Leave, also known as PFML, will provide eligible Virginia workers with up to 12 weeks of paid leave each year for qualifying family and medical reasons, including:
- Welcoming and caring for a new child through birth, adoption or foster care
- Recovering from a serious health condition
- Caring for a family member with a serious health condition
- Military family needs
- Domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking
This program is funded through a public trust, which is funded by a small payroll contribution paid by employers, self-employed individuals, and workers. Employers may choose to cover a portion of the employee’s contribution.
Employers with 10 or fewer employees are not required to pay the employer contribution.
It is designed to provide wage replacement of up to 80% of the employee’s average weekly wage, up to a cap of the state’s average weekly wage.
Who Will Be Eligible?
The program is expected to cover most Virginia workers, including:
- Full-time and part-time employees
- Employees of small businesses
- Self-employed individuals who choose to participate
State government employees will receive a similar benefit. Employers may also apply to offer an approved private plan that meets or exceeds the benefits provided by the state program.
Specific eligibility requirements, documentation standards and application procedures will be provided as the program is developed and regulations are finalized.
Program Timeline
- 2026–2027: Program Development
VEC will develop regulations, technology, policies, and guidance for workers and employers. Throughout this process, the agency will continue engaging stakeholders and sharing updates as implementation progresses. - October 1, 2027
The VEC Commissioner will establish the Paid Family and Medical Leave contribution rate for calendar year 2028. The Commissioner will set the contribution rate annually by October 1 for the upcoming calendar year. - January 1, 2028
VEC will establish and begin administering Virginia's Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program. - April 1, 2028
Payroll contributions begin for covered employers and employees. - December 1, 2028
Eligible workers may begin applying for Paid Family and Medical Leave benefits. VEC will begin accepting claims and paying out family and medical leave benefits to eligible individuals.
Learn More
Additional information will be shared as program requirements and regulations are finalized.
Read the Virginia Paid Family and Medical Leave FAQs
The VEC is currently hosting listening sessions to get input from the public as the program takes shape. You can register for upcoming sessions here and view previous sessions here.
Sign up to stay up to date on the latest PFML news: Join our Paid Family & Medical Leave Mailing List
The legislation establishing Virginia’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program can be found here: SB2/HB1207.
News
RICHMOND, VA– July 7, 2026 – The Virginia Employment Commission (VEC) will hold a series of nine virtual listening sessions starting later this month to hear directly from Virginians as the Commission works to develop regulations for the Commonwealth’s newly enacted Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Insurance Program. Click the link to RSVP to one or more of the virtual listening sessions.
RICHMOND, VA – June 15,2026 – This morning, the Virginia Employment Commission’s Notice of Intended Regulatory Action (NOIRA) in connection with the newly enacted Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Insurance Program was officially published in the Virginia Register of Regulations and posted to the Virginia Regulatory Town Hall site.
RICHMOND, VA– May, 27, 2026 – On Tuesday, May 26, 2026, the Virginia Employment Commission’s Request for Information (RFI) was officially posted on the Commonwealth’s procurement site, eVA. The RFI can be found here.
Richmond, VA — April 22, 2026 – Today, Governor Abigail D. Spanberger and the General Assembly passed landmark legislation establishing Virginia’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. Beginning in 2028, the law will guarantee working Virginians the right to take up to twelve weeks of paid time off to welcome a child, care for a seriously ill loved one, or recover from their own serious health condition.
