What is the difference between paid and unpaid leave?

Paid and unpaid leave refer to the amount of time an employee is allowed to take off from work for any reason. Paid leave is leave time that the employee is paid for, meaning the employee will still earn their normal wages for the hours they are not working. Unpaid leave is time that the employee is allowed to take off from work, but will not receive compensation for the hours they are not working. In Virginia, the legal minimum for paid leave is set by the Department of Labor and Industry. According to their website, most workers are entitled to a minimum of ten paid days of holiday, vacation and/or personal leave per calendar year. Additionally, Virginia employers must also provide employees with at least forty hours of paid sick leave each year. Employees may also be entitled to unpaid leave if they qualify under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or the Virginia Parental Leave Act (VPLA). Both laws allow employees to take unpaid leave for certain reasons, such as caring for a family member who is ill, recovering from a serious medical condition or taking care of a new child. Employees who take unpaid leave must be given the option to return to their job upon the expiration of their leave. Overall, paid and unpaid leave represent the different types of time off from work that employers may offer to employees. While paid leave must be provided by employers in Virginia, employees may also be entitled to unpaid leave if they qualify for certain reasons.

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What is the difference between paid and unpaid leave?

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