Virginia GOP libertarians oppose new paid family leave program

By AI, Created 4:40 PM UTC, May 18, 2026, /AGP/ – The Republican Liberty Caucus of Virginia has adopted a resolution opposing Virginia’s new paid family and medical leave program, which will be funded by payroll deductions starting in 2028. The group says the plan adds a new payroll tax and expands state control over labor relations.

Why it matters: - The resolution adds organized Republican opposition to a new statewide benefit that will affect employers and workers through payroll deductions. - The program creates a new state-run leave benefit, which supporters frame as income support and critics frame as a payroll-tax expansion. - The dispute sets up another political fight over how Virginia should fund family leave and how much control the state should have over workplace benefits.

What happened: - The Republican Liberty Caucus of Virginia adopted a resolution opposing Virginia’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program. - Governor Spanberger signed SB2 into law on April 22, creating the program. - Payroll deductions for the program are scheduled to begin April 1, 2028. - Benefits would begin as early as December 1, 2028.

The details: - The program would be administered by the Virginia Employment Commission. - The benefit would provide up to 12 weeks of paid leave. - The leave pay would be about 80% of wages. - Corey Fauconier, secretary of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Virginia, said the program would “unnecessarily interfere in the job market” and create “unintended consequences and inflexible labor relations.” - Fauconier also said the program should not be funded through a new payroll tax with no upper limit and argued that state administration by unelected bureaucrats makes the plan worse. - Similar bills were vetoed in prior years. - Governor Spanberger required changes to the original SB2 and sent it back to the Virginia General Assembly.

Between the lines: - The caucus is framing the issue as a government-overreach and tax-growth problem rather than a labor benefit. - The program’s delayed start gives lawmakers, administrators and employers time to prepare, but it also prolongs the political fight over implementation. - Opposition from a Republican-aligned group signals that the program could remain contested even after enactment.

What’s next: - The Virginia Employment Commission will be responsible for running the program if implementation stays on schedule. - Employers and workers should expect payroll deductions to begin in 2028 if the law remains unchanged. - Further political or legal challenges could emerge as the state moves from passage to implementation.