On May 20, Virginia became the 19th state to enact paid sick time and the first Southern state to do so! This news comes on the heels of Virginia becoming the 15th state to enact paid family and medical leave earlier in the Spring.
The following is a statement from Inimai Chettiar, President of A Better Balance:
“No worker should be forced to sacrifice their paycheck or risk their job when they or a loved one are sick. We applaud Governor Spanberger for signing paid sick time for all Virginians into law and taking this major step toward making life more healthy and affordable for millions of families.
As Virginia becomes the first Southern state with a paid family and medical leave program and now paid sick time under the leadership of Governor Spanberger and the Virginia legislature, other leaders across the country should take note. In an affordability crisis and a midterm year, Virginia’s leadership sends a clear message: workers should no longer be forced to sacrifice their paycheck or risk their jobs as they care for themselves and their loved ones. When politicians campaign on—and deliver—policies that make life more affordable and address families’ real needs around health and caregiving, voters listen.
We congratulate our partners at the Virginia Interfaith Center for this critical victory, who we worked alongside for 8 years to secure paid sick time for all Virginians. We look forward to supporting Virginia’s workers as they exercise their new rights.”