Paid family leave will create opportunity in Virginia

During my 36-year federal government career, I experienced family medical crises in 1988, 1993 and 2012 that required me to take long periods and great amounts of time off from work. As a federal employee, I was able to leverage several policies that enabled me to both care for myself and my family members, continue to earn money and attend to my job. When I retired in 2016, I was awarded the U.S. Coast Guard’s Distinguished Career Service Award.

Being able to care for my and my family members’ medical needs without losing my ability to receive a salary (as well as affordable access to health insurance) kept me committed to my government career. I probably could have earned a higher salary in the private sector but knowing that my livelihood could suddenly be in jeopardy by an unexpected medical crisis convinced me to make public service my career.

The organizations I worked for also benefited. Training and development costs didn’t go down the drain and there was no need to invest in finding my replacement. I was still on call for any information my supervisors needed until I returned to my job. I provided valuable service at all stages of my career.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin can make paid family and medical leave (PFML) a reality for every working Virginian. The 2024 General Assembly passed the PFML Act after years of legislative work and two state-funded studies that demonstrated the financial feasibility of an employee-employer funded program. Administered by the Virginia Employment Commission, the program would provide up to 80% of a worker’s wage up to a pre-established maximum benefit level. All we need is the governor’s signature to begin providing benefits in 2027.

Federal law already requires that employers provide job-protected, unpaid leave for serious personal or family illness and childbirth, but about 40% of the workforce is exempted and many of the rest can’t afford to take leave without pay, forcing them to choose between their family or their job. Women are disproportionately affected since they often are the primary caregiver for children and aging parents.

Fourteen other states have already adopted a PFML program. In California, workers in low-wage, high-turnover industries are much more likely to return to their jobs now that PFML is available. If the rate of women’s participation in the U.S. workforce rose to that in Germany and Canada where PFML and other family policies support working women, about 5 million more U.S. women would be in the workforce.

For those who worry about the costs of such a program, they should consult the state-sponsored studies that demonstrate the program’s financial feasibility and actuarial soundness. (Insurers already offer private PFML plans in Virginia.)

The bill requires employers with more than 10 employees to split required payments to the fund in half with its employees, but employers with fewer employees are exempted from their share. This would put small businesses on a level recruitment-and-hiring playing field with larger ones in offering this critical benefit.

Employee contributions would be deducted from their wages. Estimates are this would equal roughly 0.5% of a worker’s paycheck. A worker earning $50,000 annually would pay about $4.57 a week or $238 a year, a small price for assurance of a paycheck during medical emergencies or the birth of a child.

And it seems a small cost for employers to retain good employees and avoid costly hiring and training costs. Furthermore, it makes Virginia “an attractive place to live, work and raise a family,” Youngkin’s vision for the state’s economic development.

A statewide PFML program will build stronger families, healthier workers, successful businesses, and improve overall health outcomes. We encourage Youngkin to sign SB373ER to make it a reality.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin can make paid family and medical leave a reality for every working Virginian.