ICYMI: Governor Spanberger Takes Historic Action to Support Virginia Parents, Workers, & Families

RICHMOND, VA - Governor Abigail Spanberger continues to focus on making Virginia the best place in the nation to raise a family, create a career, and build a business.

Yesterday, on the heels of Mother's Day, Governor Spanberger signed legislation creating a paid family and medical leave program in Virginia to support more than three million hardworking Virginia workers, parents, and their families.

Under the new law, workers will be able to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to take care of a loved one, recover from serious illness, and spend time with their newborn. Governor Spanberger also penned an op-ed for MS Now highlighting how the law will empower small businesses across the Commonwealth to compete with larger employers, recruit better talent, and grow Virginia's economy by offering competitive benefits.

Read below for coverage from across the Commonwealth of Governor Spanberger delivering this historic win for Virginia parents, workers, and small business owners:

-

MS NOW: How Virginia's paid family leave policy helps workers - and businesses

By Governor Abigail Spanberger (Opinion)

Virginia's economic success has always come from two core priorities: supporting working families and making sure businesses can thrive in our commonwealth. This week, we are proving it once again.

On Monday, Virginia will become the first state in the South to establish a paid family and medical leave program. Under legislation championed by state Sen. Jennifer Boysko and Del. Briana Sewell that I was proud to sign into law, Virginians will be able to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for a new child, recover from a serious illness or tend to a family member in need. Virginians can lean on this portable program, modeled on the same proven system as unemployment insurance, during major life changes or moments of hardship throughout their careers.

As this landmark policy becomes law on the heels of Mother's Day weekend, I'm thinking about those of our neighbors this change will affect most. We know that the absence of paid leave across industries and employers of all sizes has disproportionately pushed working moms out of the workforce - or kept them from moving up in their careers. Women in Virginia are losing out on an estimated $2.2 billion in wages compared with women who live in countries with paid leave.

[…]

Polling this year has found that more than 80% of Virginians support establishing a paid family and medical leave program. That kind of consensus does not happen by accident - it reflects a shared intuition that the economy works better when workers are not forced to choose between their paycheck and their family.

[…]

At the end of the day, Virginia's greatest economic asset - and we have many - is our people: the workforce that powers growth across our commonwealth. The businesses that thrive here have always known that. What they needed were willing partners in state government who knew it, too.

Richmond Times-Dispatch: Gov. Spanberger signs Virginia's paid family leave bill into law

It's been a long time coming, said a beaming state Sen. Jennifer Boysko, D-Fairfax, of an eight-year battle that saw Gov. Abigail Spanberger ceremoniously sign into law a paid family medical leave program.

Proponents say it's the state's way of making real a federal promise that Americans won't risk losing their jobs when they need time off to bring a newborn or adopted child home, to care for an ailing parent, or to recover from serious illness themselves.

[…]

"We're doing two very important things for empowering millions of Virginians with security, dignity and peace of mind, and we are giving small businesses a new way to recruit talented people to their workforce," Spanberger said.

"No one should have to choose when you spend time with a newborn and paying your bills. No one should have to drain their savings, fall behind on their rent, because their child gets sick," she said.

NBC4 [Washington, D.C.]: Virginia approves first paid family and medical leave program in South

With a ceremonial bill signing Monday, Governor Abigail Spanberger put a spotlight on the commonwealth becoming the first southern state to offer paid family and medical leave.

When Chrischa Ives' daughter was born in 1999, Gabrielle suffered from a rare congenital syndrome that meant frequent hospital stays for everything from a liver transplant to aortic stent.

Like 56% of Virginians now, Ives did not have a job with paid leave. For years, she was torn between being with her little girl in the hospital and paying the bills.

[...]

"This is landmark," Boysko told News4. "It will give virtually everyone in Virginia the opportunity to care for themselves or their loved ones."

The paid leave - up to 12 weeks in some cases - would be available to parents caring for a new child both through birth or adoption, those recovering from a serious illness, caring for a family member, military members dealing with injury or those fleeing domestic violence.

WUSA9 [Washington, D.C.]: Virginia governor signs paid family and medical leave bill into law

Virginia is the latest state, and the first in the South, to offer a paid family and medical leave program to workers after Democratic Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed a bill into law.

Supporters, including small business owners and lawmakers, praised the move on Monday after similar legislation was vetoed twice before under former Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

[...]

The national business organization Small Business Majority reports 70% of small business owners nationwide support establishing a state-run paid family and medical leave programs.

FOX5 [Washington, D.C.]: Governor Spanberger signs paid family and medical leave bill

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed legislation today creating a paid family and medical leave program in the Commonwealth.

Under the new law, 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. That includes parental leave.

The Governor says the law empowers small businesses across Virginia to better compete with large companies by offering competitive benefits they would otherwise be unable to afford.

8News [Richmond]: Spanberger signs landmark Virginia paid family leave bill into law

Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) recently signed two bills into law establishing statewide paid family and medical leave.

"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 their child gets sick. And no one should be forced to return to work facing a serious illness," Spanberger said.

[...]

It also levels the playing field for small and mid-sized employers across the Commonwealth.

"Workers have the stability and strong financial footing, businesses are better able to attract and retain talented employees, reduce turnover and build a stronger, more reliable workforce," Spanberger said.

CBS6 [Richmond]: Virginia becomes first southern state to offer paid family and medical leave

Virginia made history Monday when Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed into law landmark legislation making it the first state in the South to offer paid family and medical leave.

The new law gives more than 3 million Virginians access to up to 12 weeks of paid leave, including families that don't benefit from the federal leave program because they are ineligible or can't afford to take unpaid time off.

[...]

Allison Gilbreath, a mother who has advocated for the legislation for the past eight years, attended the signing with her two children.

"I hope that this gives an opportunity for healing for many families, whether they are caring for a sick parent or their child or themselves, it will give them an opportunity to do it with dignity," Gilbreath said.

13 News Now [Norfolk]: Governor Spanberger signs landmark law creating paid family and medical leave program

Governor Abigail Spanberger has signed landmark legislation creating the paid family and medical leave program.

Under the new law, Virginia worker will be able to take up to 12 weeks of paid leave - that includes to care for new child, recover from a serious health condition, or care for a family member with a serious health condition.

WFXR [Roanoke]: Virginia first Southern state to offer paid family and medical leave

Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signs legislation to create a paid family and medical leave program.

The program will give eligible workers, both full-time and part-time, up to 12 weeks of benefits of 80 percent of their average weekly pay. There will be a cap based on the state's average weekly wage.

Virginia Mercury: Virginia becomes first Southern state with paid family and medical leave for workers

After Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed twin bills on Monday, Virginia is now on track to establish a paid family and medical leave program by 2028. The new law builds on the governor's campaign promises and several years of work by state lawmakers who have long championed the measure.

[…]

The new family and medical leave law can give small businesses a "competitive advantage" in attracting and retaining employees while boosting the larger companies that have already led by example, Spanberger said.

Though federal law requires companies with 50 or more workers to allow for the same amount of leave, it doesn't require workers to be paid.

Over a dozen states have enacted some form of mandated paid family leave laws and nine states have established a version for employers to opt-in.

Virginia's new law permits workers in companies with 10 or more employees to tap into a program to receive up to 80% of their pay while on leave.

[…]

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.

# # #