Private Family Leave Legislation Now Law
On May 31st, NFIB State Director in Virginia Julia Hammond alongside NFIB Vice President of State Government Affairs, Tim Goodrich, were on hand to see Gov. Glenn Youngkin sign legislation that would provide a pathway for small business owners in Virginia to provide private family leave for their employees. The bill is bi-partisan and widely supported by small business owners here in Virginia.
HB 1156, patroned by Delegate Kathy Byron, R-Bedford, and SB 15, patroned by Senator Barbara Favola, D-Arlington, establishes family leave insurance as a class of insurance. The bill defines “family leave insurance” as an insurance policy issued to an employer related to a benefit program provided to an employee to pay for the employee’s income loss due to (i) the birth of a child or adoption of a child by the employee; (ii) placement of a child with the employee for foster care; (iii) care of a family member of the employee who has a serious health condition; or (iv) circumstances arising out of the fact that the employee’s family member who is a service member is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty.
“Our small business owners are struggling to hire and keep qualified workers. According to a recent NFIB survey, 48 percent of small business owners have open positions they can’t fill. The labor market is tight and our entrepreneurs need more tools in their tool box to recruit employees. That’s why this bill is so important because it opens up a market that Virginia small business owners have been asking for. Small business owners now have the flexibility to offer their employees a plan that makes the most sense for their needs,” said Julia Hammond, National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) State Director in Virginia.
