Labor & Employment in Vermont

introduced · Vermont · Senate Feb 11, 2025

S 58: An act relating to requirements for the pay plans of certain law enforcement officers and firefighters employed by the State

This bill requires that law enforcement officers in Vermont's Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Liquor and Lottery, and Department of Motor Vehicles, plus State firefighters, be placed on step pay plans allowing them to reach the highest pay step after 18 years and six months of service. It permits collective bargaining agreements to set the number of steps, time in each step, or advancement conditions, while ensuring current employees transition to the new plan by July 1, 2025 - starting one step higher than their current placement. The bill applies to all new collective bargaining agreements for these roles effective July 1, 2025, or later. It does not change existing pay structures but mandates a standardized timeline for reaching maximum pay.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 25, 2025

H 327: An act relating to labor requirements for certain energy projects

H 327 requires corporations building new energy facilities (costing over $100,000) after January 1, 2025, to submit two items to Vermont's Public Utility Commission: a line-item budget from the contractor and an attestation confirming either union labor was used at prevailing wage plus 42.5% fringe benefits, or non-union labor paid the mean prevailing wage plus the same fringe benefits. Fringe benefits include health insurance, retirement contributions, and paid leave. The Commission must make these documents publicly available (with personal details removed) and the law takes effect July 1, 2025. This directly affects energy project contractors and developers regulated by the Public Utility Commission.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Insurance Collective Bargaining Labor Standards Paid Leave

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 7, 2025

H 163: An act relating to workers' compensation

This bill updates Vermont's workers' compensation system by expanding wage definitions to include health insurance benefits, requiring employers to cover translation services for non-English speaking injured workers, and creating a process for requesting medical case management services. Insurers must approve or deny medical case management requests within 14 days, with injured workers able to seek Department intervention if denied. It also increases penalties for late payments, charging 5% of the benefit amount for the first late payment, escalating to 25% for fifth or subsequent late payments. The changes directly affect injured workers (especially non-English speakers), employers, and insurance carriers, aiming to improve access to care and timely compensation.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Insurance Workers' Compensation

signed · Vermont · Senate May 29, 2025

S 117: An act relating to wage and hour, unemployment compensation, and workers' compensation

This bill (S.117) updates Vermont's wage, unemployment, and workers' compensation laws. It establishes a $12.55 minimum wage starting January 1, 2022, with annual increases tied to either 5% or the Consumer Price Index (capped at 5%), and allows lower wages for learners, apprentices, and workers with disabilities under specific conditions. Employers who willfully withhold wages face penalties of up to double the unpaid amount, with half paid to the employee and half covering administrative costs. The bill also modernizes unemployment processes by enabling electronic communication for notices and requiring employers to submit separation information within 10 days of requests to determine claimant eligibility.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage Unemployment

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 18, 2025

H 255: An act relating to establishing increased criminal penalties for an assault of a public transit worker

H 255 increases criminal penalties for assaulting public transit workers in Vermont. It adds up to one year in prison for a first assault offense and up to 10 years for repeat offenses against workers while they perform their duties. The bill also prohibits intentionally exposing transit workers to bodily fluids (like blood or vomit), punishable by up to one year in jail or a $1,000 fine. "Public transit worker" is defined to include drivers (employees or volunteers) and support staff at transit centers. The law applies to all such assaults committed while workers are on duty, excluding individuals under 18 in residential facilities.

Topics ✗ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Corrections Violent Crime Public Transit

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 25, 2025

H 333: An act relating to collective bargaining for agricultural workers

This bill removes the exclusion of agricultural workers from Vermont's State Labor Relations Act, granting them collective bargaining rights previously denied. It directly affects farm workers across Vermont by amending the definition of "employee" to include them, ending a specific exemption that had kept them outside labor protections. The key mechanism is revising Section 1502 of the law to delete the provision that barred agricultural laborers from being covered under collective bargaining rules. The change takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards

introduced · Vermont · Senate May 16, 2025

S 155: An act relating to the use of automated traffic law enforcement (ATLE) systems by municipalities

Bill S 155 authorizes municipal law enforcement agencies to use Automated Traffic Law Enforcement (ATLE) systems, such as traffic cameras, as part of a pilot program until July 1, 2027. These systems can be deployed in municipal work zones to enhance worker safety and at other locations with high rates of crashes or speeding where traditional enforcement is impractical. The bill requires clear signage notifying drivers of ATLE use, engineering analysis for deployment locations, and that systems in work zones only operate when workers are present. It also mandates annual calibration, daily logs of activity, and an annual report from the Agency of Transportation detailing system usage, violations, and collected penalties.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Transportation

Sub-Topics Traffic Safety

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 25, 2025

H 336: An act relating to enhancing enforcement of employment laws

H.336 allows employees, worker organizations, or whistleblowers to file lawsuits on behalf of Vermont’s Labor Commissioner to enforce workplace laws, such as minimum wage or misclassification rules. It directly affects workers who face violations (e.g., unpaid wages or improper contractor status) and provides a mechanism for them to seek penalties and remedies. Key provisions include sharing recovered fines (70% to the Labor Department, 30% to the filer if the Commissioner doesn’t intervene) and requiring 25% of those funds to support workforce education programs. The bill also prohibits contracts from blocking these lawsuits and sets clear court procedures for filing claims.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards Minimum Wage

signed · Vermont · House May 22, 2025

H 461: An act relating to expanding employee access to unpaid leave

H 461 expands Vermont's unpaid leave protections by updating definitions to include more family relationships and caregiving situations. It specifically broadens eligibility for family leave to cover individuals standing "in loco parentis" (day-to-day caregivers without legal ties), domestic partners meeting specific cohabitation requirements, and nontraditional family structures. The bill also clarifies safe leave for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including specific protections for estate administration during bereavement. These changes directly affect Vermont workers who care for extended family members, LGBTQ+ partners, or victims of violence, ensuring they qualify for leave under the same standards as traditional family situations. The law, signed by the Governor on May 22, 2025, aligns state policy with inclusive standards for low-income workers and nontraditional households.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 22, 2025

H 60: An act relating to prohibiting discrimination based on immunization status

This bill adds "immunization status" to Vermont's existing anti-discrimination laws, prohibiting discrimination based on vaccination history in three key areas: public accommodations (like restaurants and stores), housing (including rentals and sales), and employment. It defines "immunization status" as an individual's vaccination record for infectious diseases. The law prevents businesses, landlords, and employers from refusing service, housing, or jobs, or imposing different terms, due to a person's vaccination status. This applies to all covered entities across Vermont, expanding current protections to include vaccination history as a protected characteristic.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Public Health

All labor & employment bills