Employees; paid medical and family leave, civil penalties. (HB973)

Introduced By

Del. Elizabeth Guzman (D-Dale City) with support from co-patrons Del. Kelly Fowler (D-Virginia Beach), Del. Paul Krizek (D-Alexandria), and Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-Herndon)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Paid medical and family leave for employees; civil penalties. Requires employers with 15 or more full-time employees to give to each such employee 40 hours of paid medical and family leave per year. The bill would require an employer to pay the employee for leave taken, up to the balance of the employee's paid leave balance, for a purpose for which the employee would be entitled to unpaid leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act. The measure does not require employers to compensate employees for unused medical and family leave upon termination of employment. The measure requires the Commissioner of Labor and Industry to administer and enforce these requirements and to investigate alleged violations of these requirements. The measure authorizes the Commissioner to impose a civil penalty of not more than $1,000 for a violation. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Failed

History

DateAction
01/09/2018Committee
01/09/2018Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/10/18 18103670D
01/09/2018Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/18/2018Assigned C & L sub: Subcommittee #1
01/25/2018Subcommittee failed to recommend reporting (3-Y 5-N)
02/13/2018Left in Commerce and Labor

Comments

ACLU-VA Women's Rights and Reproductive Freedom, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

The ACLU of Virginia supports HB973, which establishes an avenue for employees to earn paid family and medical leave in Virginia. Virginia’s workers, who comprise the backbone of the state’s economy, should not be forced to choose between financial stability and their health or the health of a loved one. This bill gives workers the opportunity to earn paid medical and family leave, thereby ensuring a healthy, stable, and productive workforce in Virginia. This bill will have a particularly significant impact on women workers. The majority of low-wage workers are women, and women make up nearly half the labor force. Seven in ten mothers of children under 18 hold jobs, and the vast majority contribute a substantial share of their families’ income. This bill would also have a significant impact on communities of color, whose workers are amongst those least able to give up a day’s pay in exchange for a day home sick, or home with a sick child or family member. Without paid medical and family leave days, workers often have no choice but to go to work sick, which puts the health of their co-workers and the public at risk. The standard proposed by HB973 would level the playing field by making paid medical and family leave days a near-universal practice, while also ensuring enough flexibility for employers to continue offering more generous benefits. The passage of HB973 would result in healthier workplaces, reduced turnover, more satisfied and productive workers, and better bottom lines for Virginia businesses.