Virginia Expands Access to Paid Family Medical Leave
Apr 29, 2026
Virginia Expands Access to Paid Family Medical Leave
Apr 29, 2026
It’s official – Virginia joins states across the country in expanding access to paid family and medical leave (PFML). On April 22, Gov. Abigail Spanberger and the Virginia General Assembly passed SB2 into law, making Virginia the 14th state (plus the District of Columbia) to adopt a mandatory PFML program. The new program will kick off with contributions and benefit payments beginning in 2028 and provide covered individuals up to 12 weeks of paid leave per benefit year for covered reasons, such as caring for a new member of the family, a loved one who needs support, or a service member.
Employers may meet Virginia’s new requirements through a private plan as a flexible, proven path to compliance while streamlining administration and support for employees.
Private plans also enable employers and employees to leverage the expertise of life insurance companies that have delivered paid leave benefits to millions of American workers for decades. These plans:
- Enhance Benefit Options: While private plans must at minimum match state program benefits, they frequently permit employers to offer enhanced benefit offerings.
- Integrate with Existing Benefits: Employers often already provide access to certain benefits, such as short-term disability insurance, long term disability insurance, and family leave insurance. Utilizing a private plan through an employer’s life insurance provider streamlines access, creating a unified contact point for all employee benefits.
- Improve Employee Experience: Leveraging their longstanding experience, life insurance carriers typically offer expedited claims processes, elevated employee satisfaction, and comprehensive support during pivotal life events.
As PFML programs proliferate across the U.S. and spark discussions regarding potential federal action, policymakers have an opportunity to build upon the successful private sector paid-leave framework led by the life insurance industry. Life insurers bring decades of expertise in the administrative and compliance needs of employers and working with existing Family and Medical Leave Act requirements in states with mandatory PFML programs or a private plan option.
The bottom line is that American workers should not have to choose between a paycheck and caring for themselves or a loved one. America’s life insurers are eager to work on this issue that is critically important to so many American families.
Steven Ferenczy
Steven Ferenczy is Assistant Vice President, Paid Leave Policy & Implementation at the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), where he works to develop policy positions regarding Paid Family Medical Leave (PFML) at the state and federal levels and works with regulators and members to implement statutory PFML programs. Prior to joining ACLI, Steven worked on the broker side where he built out a leave and absence compliance practice working with employers of all sizes across the United States and also was in private practice at a national labor and employment law firm.
