Labor & Employment (Labor Standards) in Vermont

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 19, 2025

H 261: An act relating to establishing a 32-hour workweek

This bill establishes a 32-hour workweek in Vermont by requiring employers to pay overtime (1.5x regular wage) for hours worked beyond 32 per week, replacing the current 40-hour standard. It also reduces the maximum weekly work limit for minors under 16 from 40 to 32 hours and adjusts earned sick time accrual rates to align with the new standard. Exemptions apply to certain healthcare workers (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.), who would follow separate overtime rules for 8-hour workdays or 64-hour biweekly periods. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

in committee · Vermont · House Feb 10, 2026

H 403: An act relating to fair labor standards and housing standards for agricultural workers

H.403 repeals Vermont's exemption that previously allowed agricultural employers to pay below minimum wage and skip overtime for farm workers. It requires all agricultural workers (excluding employers' immediate family) to receive at least Vermont's minimum wage ($12.55 starting 2022, adjusted annually) and overtime pay for hours exceeding 60 per week (starting January 2026). The bill also mandates inspections of farm employee housing to assess safety and adequacy, requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to survey workers about housing conditions - including rent, maintenance, privacy, and heat - using multilingual forms. These changes directly affect Vermont farms employing agricultural workers and their housing providers, aiming to align labor and housing standards with statewide requirements.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Renters Labor Standards Minimum Wage

introduced · Vermont · Senate Feb 13, 2025

S 67: An act relating to increasing the State minimum wage based on the livable wage

S 67 would increase Vermont's minimum wage to $18.60 per hour starting January 1, 2026, and adjust it annually based on the lower of a 5% increase or the previous year's consumer price index (CPI). It defines "livable wage" as the hourly rate needed for a full-time worker in shared housing with employer health insurance to cover basic needs, as calculated by Vermont's Joint Fiscal Office. This bill directly affects all Vermont employers who currently pay the state's minimum wage, requiring them to raise wages to meet this new standard. The change takes effect on July 1, 2025, with the first adjusted rate applying in 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Insurance Labor Standards Minimum Wage

introduced · Vermont · Senate Mar 19, 2025

S 128: An act relating to eliminating certain exemptions from the minimum wage and overtime, including the tipped minimum wage; increasing the minimum wage; and requiring that inmates receive the minimum wage for work performed

This Vermont bill increases the state's minimum wage to $25.00 per hour starting January 1, 2026, with annual adjustments tied to inflation, and eliminates the lower "tipped minimum wage" that previously allowed hospitality workers (like servers in restaurants) to be paid less than the standard rate if tips covered the difference. It also requires inmates in Vermont correctional facilities to be paid at least the minimum wage for all work performed, with wages held in a separate fund and subject to limited deductions for maintenance or victim payments. The bill directly affects most Vermont workers - particularly tipped employees in hotels, motels, and restaurants - and inmates in state correctional facilities. The new minimum wage takes effect January 1, 2026, and corrections policies must align by that date.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 25, 2025

H 347: An act relating to expanding coverage of the minimum wage and overtime laws and maintaining the authority of the Attorney General to enforce complaints of employee misclassification

H.347 would raise Vermont's minimum wage to $20.00 per hour starting January 1, 2026, with annual adjustments based on inflation. It eliminates the current exemption for agricultural workers from overtime pay, phasing in overtime requirements over time (from 60 hours/week to 40 hours/week by 2036), and removes the separate "tipped minimum wage," requiring all tipped workers to earn at least the full minimum wage. The bill also sets a new salary threshold of $1,128,000 annually (adjusted yearly) for workers to qualify as exempt from overtime and minimum wage rules, and removes the option for subminimum wages for people with disabilities. It maintains the Attorney General's authority to enforce employee misclassification complaints.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Gig Economy Labor Standards Minimum Wage

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 28, 2025

H 99: An act relating to regulating earned wage access services

This bill establishes a regulatory framework for "earned wage access services" in Vermont, requiring providers to obtain a state license before offering these services. It defines key terms like "earned but unpaid income" (wages owed but not yet paid) and "provider" (businesses delivering pre-pay advances), and distinguishes between direct-to-consumer providers and employer-integrated providers. The core mechanism mandates licensing for all providers (excluding certain federally insured financial institutions), with applications requiring details about service types, fees, and business history. This directly affects workers accessing early pay and businesses offering these services, aiming to create oversight for a growing financial product.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 18, 2025

H 239: An act relating to temporary State employees

This bill (H 239) would extend key rights to temporary Vermont state employees who work over 1,280 hours annually for two years. It requires temporary workers to receive comparable pay, whistleblower protections, sick/annual leave, and health insurance meeting ACA standards after six months of employment. The bill also prohibits termination without good cause and clarifies that such employees qualify as "State employees" for labor rights purposes. These changes apply to temporary workers in state agencies, colleges, and courts who meet the hour threshold, effective July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Insurance Labor Standards

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 10, 2025

S 6: An act relating to repealing the Commissioner of Labor’s authority to recommend a subminimum wage for individuals with a disability

This bill (S.6) repeals a specific provision in Vermont law that allowed the Commissioner of Labor to recommend lower wages for workers with disabilities. It directly affects individuals with disabilities who may have been subject to subminimum wage recommendations under current law. The key mechanism is amending 21 V.S.A. § 385 to remove the Commissioner’s authority to "recommend a suitable scale of rates... for persons with disabilities, which may be less than the regular minimum wage." The change would eliminate the legal basis for such lower wage recommendations, requiring all workers to be paid at least the standard minimum wage. The bill does not create new wage requirements but removes an existing exception.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 25, 2025

H 348: An act relating to protecting workers from extreme temperatures in the workplace

H.348, the Extreme Temperature Worker Protection Act, requires employers to create workplace plans addressing hazards from extreme heat or cold. It directly affects workers in outdoor or uncontrolled environments, such as construction, agriculture, and landscaping, who face risks of heatstroke or hypothermia. The key provision mandates employers to evaluate temperature risks and implement controls like hydration breaks, rest periods, or shelter access. The bill aims to prevent occupational illnesses, injuries, and fatalities caused by temperature extremes.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Workplace Safety

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

All labor & employment bills