Va. Advancing Paid Family and Medical Leave Legislation Signals Strong Support for Small Businesses
Statement from Awesta Sarkash, Vice President of State Policy and Advocacy for Small Business Majority, on why Virginia’s small businesses would benefit from a public paid family and medical leave program
“Virginia continues to show clear support for small businesses now that both the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate have passed legislation that would create a commonwealth-run paid family and medical leave program. Small businesses that have long struggled to recruit and retain a talented workforce will be better able to compete with large companies that offer more robust benefits packages including paid family and medical leave.
When small businesses can’t attract or retain top talent, it impacts their bottom line and their ability to innovate – but it’s also important to note that support for paid family and medical leave isn’t just about profits. Entrepreneurs also want to do right by their employees, which is why it’s no surprise that a Small Business Majority survey found 70% of small business owners nationwide support establishing state-run paid family and medical leave programs.
Implementing paid family and medical leave is a commonsense policy solution that small businesses have supported for many years. We strongly encourage Gov. Spanberger to sign this critical new program into law as soon as possible so that small businesses and their employees can begin to take advantage of new benefits.”
About Small Business Majority
Small Business Majority is a national small business organization that empowers America's diverse entrepreneurs to build a thriving and equitable economy. We engage our network of more than 85,000 small businesses and 1,500 business and community organizations to advocate for public policy solutions and deliver resources to entrepreneurs that promote equitable small business growth. Our deep connections with the small business community along with our scientific research enable us to educate the public about key issues impacting America’s entrepreneurs, with a special focus on advancing the smallest businesses and those facing systemic inequalities. Learn more about us on our website and follow us on Twitter(X), Facebook and Instagram.