# Virginia — State paid family and medical leave program contribution rates, benefits, and eligibility

For Virginia, program name is Paid Family and Medical Leave; benefits start date is December 2028; total contribution rate is to be set by October 1, 2027; employer share is 100 percent of premium for employers with 11 or more workers; 50 percent for smaller employers; may withhold up to 50 percent from employees; employee share is up to 50 percent of premium may be withheld from employees, recorded from its source on 2026-08-15.

- **State:** Virginia _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Program name:** Paid Family and Medical Leave _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Benefits start date:** December 2028 _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Total contribution rate:** to be set by October 1, 2027
- **Employer share:** 100 percent of premium for employers with 11 or more workers; 50 percent for smaller employers; may withhold up to 50 percent from employees
- **Employee share:** up to 50 percent of premium may be withheld from employees
- **Maximum weekly benefit:** 100 percent of SAWW
- **Wage replacement formula:** 80 percent of workers' wages, up to a maximum benefit of 100 percent of SAWW
- **Family leave duration:** 12 weeks
- **Medical leave duration:** 12 weeks
- **Employer size threshold:** 1 employee
- **Covered reasons:** bonding, own serious health condition, family caregiving, military exigency, safe leave _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Program website:** https://law.lis.virginia.gov/vacode/60.2-804/

## What the source says

> 1 <https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/SB2/text/CHAP0981> Virginia ’s newly enacted program, passed in April 2026, will also begin paying benefits in December 2028. 2 Without a federal paid family and medical leave program—like the U.S.

## Source

- https://www.newamerica.org/insights/explainer-paid-leave-benefits-and-funding-in-the-united-states/

Last verified: 2026-08-15. Review by: 2026-12-13.
Part of [State paid family and medical leave program contribution rates, benefits, and eligibility](https://referencesource.org/state-paid-family-leave-programs/).