Virginia enacts paid family and medical leave; paycheck deductions start in April 2028
HB 1207 creates a state paid leave program funded partly from wages. Nothing comes out of Virginia paychecks in 2026 or 2027; contributions begin on April 1, 2028.
Virginia became the latest state to enact paid family and medical leave. HB 1207 was approved on April 22, 2026 as Chapter 1093 of the 2026 Acts of Assembly, and the Virginia Employment Commission is building the program.
Nothing changes on a Virginia paycheck in 2026 or 2027. The Commission’s own timeline:
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 2026–2027 | The VEC writes regulations and builds the system |
| October 1, 2027 | The Commissioner sets the contribution rate for 2028 |
| January 1, 2028 | The program begins administration |
| April 1, 2028 | Payroll contributions begin for employers and employees |
| December 1, 2028 | Benefits become available |
The rate is not known yet, and this site does not guess it. What the law does fix is the shape: the program is funded by contributions from employers and workers, employers may choose to cover part of the employee’s share, and employers with 10 or fewer employees do not pay the employer contribution. Wages above the Social Security wage base are not charged.
Benefits will replace up to 80% of a worker’s average weekly wage, capped at the state average, for up to 12 weeks.
Virginia joins Maryland, where contributions begin on January 1, 2027, on the list of states whose paycheck calculators will need a new deduction line in the next two years. The Virginia calculator on this site will add one as soon as the rate is published.