FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
May 20, 2026       
                                                          
Richmond, Va. – Governor Abigail Spanberger today signed two bills into law that will provide Virginia workers with up to five days of paid sick leave (SB 199 and HB 5), making Virginia the first state in the South to require businesses to offer paid sick days. 

For nearly a decade, the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy (VICPP) has led a broad statewide coalition of advocacy organizations fighting for this legislation.  

“We are grateful to the bill patrons, Sen. Barbara Favola and Del. Kelly Convirs-Fowler, and to the hundreds of faith leaders, coalition partners, and advocates who testified at the General Assembly, held rallies, and signed petitions in support of this legislation,” said the Rev. Dr. LaKeisha Cook, VICPP’s executive director. “Providing paid sick days for workers is a moral imperative, and it is good for business and the health of the Commonwealth.”   

Senator Barbara Favola, chief patron of SB 199, said, “I have carried a paid sick days bill for the past three years because I believe that Virginia workers deserve to be treated with dignity. That means being able to take time off to see a doctor when you are sick without the fear of losing a job and sacrificing the ability to support your family.  I am incredibly proud that Governor Spanberger signed SB 199, a measure that recognizes the people who power our economy. I look forward to continuing to work with the Governor on matters important to Virginia workers and their families.”  
 
“For too long, Virginia workers have had to make a nearly impossible choice between their health and their paycheck,” said Delegate Kelly Convirs-Fowler, chief patron of HB5. “I am proud to have helped deliver this protection for working families across the Commonwealth, and grateful to Governor Spanberger for her commitment to making it law today.” 

The legislation establishes a statewide standard requiring employers to provide up to five paid sick days (40 hours) per year. Workers will earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Part-time workers will accrue paid sick leave based on the hours they work. Large and small businesses will benefit, as the law helps maintain healthier workplaces and supports employee recruitment and retention. 
 
About 1.2 million private-sector workers — roughly 41% of Virginia’s workforce — currently lack access to paid sick leave, according to the Center for Law and Social Policy. This lack of coverage disproportionately impacts low-wage workers, including those in food service and personal care. This bill will impact a significant number of those workers. 
 
Patrick Anderson, the owner of a small business in Alexandria, said, “It makes no sense for someone to come to work ill or worry about a sick loved one. This is not a question of cost, but of morality.” 
 
“We are thrilled that workers will now be guaranteed paid time to care for themselves and their family members when they are sick,” said Ramón Zepeda Ramos, economic justice organizer for VICPP. “This is an earned benefit that will positively impact working families across the Commonwealth and protect the public from the spread of illness.”  

MEDIA CONTACTS 
Ramón Zepeda Ramos, VICPP economic justice organizer, ramon@virginiainterfaithcenter.org 
Roberta Oster, VICPP director of communications, roberta@virginiainterfaithcenter.org  
 
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The Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy advocates for economic, racial, and social justice in Virginia’s policies and practices through education, prayer, and action. VICPP is a nonpartisan, nonprofit coalition of more than 750 faith communities working toward a more just society.