The Shadow
RICHMOND, VA (VR) — Governor Abigail Spanberger signed landmark legislation to create a statewide paid sick leave program for Virginia workers, ensuring that the more than one million workers who currently lack access to paid sick days can take care of themselves and their families without sacrificing their wages.
The new law requires employers to provide workers with one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked — up to five paid sick days per year — and extends these protections to both full-time and part-time employees.
“Virginia is making clear that a fair day’s work comes with the dignity of being able to stay home when you are sick or need to care for a sick family member,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “When working families are forced to come to work when they are sick or choose between caring for a sick child and losing a paycheck, it’s bad for them, their families, their colleagues, and the businesses that depend on healthy, reliable employees. Today, we are changing that. This law will protect workers, strengthen Virginia businesses, and make our Commonwealth a place where people can build the kind of stable, secure lives they deserve.”
Governor Spanberger continued, “I am proud to sign this law, and I thank the members of the General Assembly who fought to make paid sick leave a reality for many years. While I proposed amendments that would have eased implementation of this law and provided greater clarity to employers, I look forward to continuing to work with the General Assembly to further support the clear and optimal implementation of this policy in advance of its July 2027 start.”
“I have carried a paid sick day bill for the past three years because I believe that Virginia workers deserve to be treated with dignity. That means being able to take time off to see a doctor when you are sick without the fear of losing a job and sacrificing the ability to support your family,” said Senator Barbara Favola, Chief Patron of SB199. “I am incredibly proud that Governor Spanberger signed this bill into law, because it recognizes the people who power our economy. I look forward to continuing to work with the Governor on matters important to Virginia workers and Virginia families.”
“For too long, Virginia workers have had to make a nearly impossible choice between their health and their paycheck,” said Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler, Chief Patron of HB5. “I am proud to have helped deliver this protection for working families across the Commonwealth, and grateful to Governor Spanberger for her commitment to making it law today.”
BACKGROUND
Currently, approximately 1.2 million private-sector workers — more than a third of Virginia’s private-sector workforce — lack access to paid sick leave. This gap disproportionately affects low-wage workers, including those in food service and personal care. The new program has a phased implementation based on employer size, ultimately reaching workers across employer sizes and ensuring that all Virginians have the basic protection of paid sick days.
Recent polling shows that 80 percent of Virginians support establishing a paid sick leave program. This new law builds on the Governor’s recent actions to make Virginia the first state in the South to create a paid family and medical leave program, raise the statewide minimum wage to $15 per hour, and attract new investment to the Commonwealth to create new opportunities for workers.
