Virginia moves forward on paid leave: ComplianceDashboard has you covered 

Keeping up with paid leave laws is getting more complex by the year. Here’s a look at how ComplianceDashboard helps HR stay informed and ahead. 

With Virginia’s legislature passing landmark legislation to establish a statewide Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program, employers are once again reminded of a growing reality: State paid leave compliance is no longer optional, and it’s no longer simple. 

Starting December 1, 2028, Virginia’s law (HB1207/SB2) will guarantee workers in the state the right to paid family and medical leave when they cannot work due to serious health or caregiving needs. 

Notably, Virginia is the first Southern state to pass a comprehensive Paid Family and Medical Leave program, signaling a meaningful shift in the regional and national paid leave landscape. 

Here’s the good news: You don’t have to track it all on your own. The ComplianceDashboard covers every state that offers Paid Family and Medical Leave and Paid Earned Sick Leave and we’re tracking what’s next so you don’t have to. 

ComplianceDashboard has paid leave laws for all 50 states on the platform. See it in action. 

The paid leave landscape is growing 

With the governor’s expected signature, Virginia will become the fourteenth state, plus Washington  D.C., to establish a statewide paid family and medical leave program. And as the first southern state to take this step, Virginia’s action reflects growing momentum for paid leave laws beyond traditionally earlyadopting regions. 

For employees, the impact is significant. For employers, it’s another reminder that statelevel paid leave requirements continue to expand, evolve, and differ in meaningful ways — and that no region should be considered exempt from future change. 

The intent of Virginia’s legislation is clear: Workers should not have to choose between caring for themselves or their families and earning a paycheck. 

Virginia is an example of inclusive paid leave programs and compliance complexities 

Virginia’s new program is designed to be broad, inclusive, and protective — and it introduces several compliance considerations employers must understand: 

Broad Worker Coverage 

Nearly all workers in Virginia will be eligible, including: 

• Privatesector employees 
• Local government workers 
• Fulltime and parttime employees 
• Selfemployed individuals (with the option to opt in) 

Up to 12 Weeks of Paid Leave 

Eligible workers may take leave to: 

• Address their own serious health condition 
• Care for a family member 
• Bond with a new child 
• Safe leave 
• Address certain safetyrelated or military deployment needs 

Wage Replacement 

Workers on leave will receive 80% of their average weekly wages, up to a statedetermined cap tied to Virginia’s average weekly wage. 

Job & Health Coverage Protection 

Employees will: 

• Have the right to return to their job after leave 
• Maintain employersponsored health coverage while on leave 

StateRun Insurance Model 

The program will be funded through shared employer and employee contributions and administered by the state, allowing workers to apply directly for benefits when needed. 

What this means for HR 

Virginia’s legislation isn’t just about benefits — it’s about compliance infrastructure. Across the country, paid leave laws now vary by state, creating a compliance environment that’s increasingly difficult to manage manually.  

Regardless of state, each new paid leave law brings: 

• New eligibility rules 
• Contribution requirements 
• Notice and posting obligations 
• Coordination with existing benefits 
• Ongoing updates and regulatory guidance 

How ComplianceDashboard makes compliance easy for HR 

As more states and regions adopt paid leave programs, tracking requirements manually is not sustainable. 

ComplianceDashboard tracks all states that currently offer: 

• Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) 
• Paid Earned Sick Leave (PESL) 
• Virginia also just passed: Two bills that will provide workers with up to five days of paid sick leave have passed the Virginia General Assembly.(SB 199 and HB 5).

And we continuously monitor: 

• Legislative changes 
• Regulatory updates 
• New programs and expansions 
• Employer obligations as laws evolve 

All the requirements in one place 

Virginia’s move toward paid family and medical leave and its position as the first Southern state to do so is another sign of what’s ahead: more laws, more complexity, and more responsibility for employers. 

With ComplianceDashboard: 

• You stay ahead of paid leave requirements 
• Your HR team gains efficiency 
• Your employees get the benefits they’re entitled to 
• Your organization reduces risk with confidence 

We track it, so you don’t have to. 

Because when it comes to benefits compliance — we’ve got you.