Notable leave developments are coming to Virginia. The state has enacted a significant expansion of its existing paid sick leave law—which presently only applies to home health workers—to all employees statewide. In addition, under the state’s new Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance program, employees will be eligible for up to 12 workweeks of partially-paid, job-protected leave for certain qualifying family and medical reasons, as well as certain qualifying military exigencies.

Paid Sick Leave

The expanded paid sick leave law will now apply to all Virginia employers but takes effect in phases based on employer size as follows:

• Effective July 1, 2027, for employers with 50 or more employees;
• Effective January 1, 2028, for employers with 25 or more employees;
• Effective January 1, 2029, for employers with 1 or more employees.

Employees of covered employers will be entitled to accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 40 hours per year. Employees may carry over unused paid sick leave from year to year; however, employers may limit usage to 40 hours in a given year. In lieu of carryover, employers may frontload the full amount of paid sick leave to employees for their immediate use at the start of each year. Employees must start accruing, and may use available paid sick leave, upon commencement of employment.

Employees may use available paid sick leave for their own or a covered family member’s medical or preventative care needs, as...

Read Full Story: https://news.google.com/rss/articles/CBMisgFBVV95cUxPWTZQb1FIQ1FlTFR5akZOQzB2...