Labor & Employment 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

introduced · Vermont · House Mar 18, 2025

H 485: An act relating to granting State employees in the Executive Branch and Judiciary the right to strike

H 485 would grant unionized state employees in the Executive Branch and Judiciary the right to strike. Currently, these employees in Vermont are prohibited from striking under state law. The bill amends the State Employees Labor Relations Act to explicitly allow strikes as a labor action. This change directly affects unionized workers in the executive and judicial branches of state government.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 24, 2025

H 90: An act relating to the Vermont earned income tax credit and the Vermont child tax credit

This bill (H 90) increases Vermont’s earned income tax credit and child tax credit amounts and prevents these credits from being used to pay other state debts. It raises the credit percentage to 55% for households with qualifying children and 100% for households without children, based on the federal credit amount. The bill specifically prohibits tax debt setoff - meaning the state cannot seize these credits to cover unpaid taxes or other obligations. The changes apply retroactively to taxable years beginning January 1, 2025, directly benefiting low-to-moderate-income Vermont residents who qualify for these credits.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 19, 2025

H 262: An act relating to restricting electronic monitoring of employees and the use of employment-related automated decision systems

H 262 restricts Vermont employers from using electronic monitoring of employees (like tracking computer use or location) and automated decision systems (such as AI tools for hiring or promotions) without specific limitations. Employers may only use such monitoring if it serves one of seven defined purposes (e.g., safety, compliance, or performance assessment) and is the least invasive method necessary. The bill requires employers to justify monitoring based on objective evidence and prohibits using it for general surveillance or non-essential purposes. It directly affects all Vermont employers, including contractors and job applicants, by imposing new requirements on workplace monitoring practices.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✗ Technology

Sub-Topics Artificial Intelligence

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 20, 2025

H 290: An act relating to the State Employees Labor Relations Act

H 290 amends Vermont's State Employees Labor Relations Act to include Assistant Attorneys General as state employees eligible for collective bargaining. Currently, these employees are excluded from the definition of "State employee" under the law, but the bill would remove that exclusion. This change would allow Assistant Attorneys General to form unions and negotiate contracts with the state regarding workplace conditions, pay, and benefits. The law is scheduled to take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Public Employees

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 26, 2025

H 356: An act relating to the creation of the Unemployment Compensation Benefit Modernization Advisory Committee

H 356 creates the Unemployment Compensation Benefit Modernization Advisory Committee to advise Vermont's Department of Labor on implementing technological upgrades to the unemployment benefits delivery system. The committee, composed of appointed legislators, Department of Labor staff, labor representatives, employers, and legal aid attorneys, will monitor the upgrades, make recommendations, and assist with testing. It must submit quarterly reports to legislative committees starting September 2025, with the committee dissolving by June 2026 or once the system is fully implemented. This bill directly affects how unemployment benefits are delivered to Vermont workers by establishing a formal advisory process for technology changes.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Technology

Sub-Topics Unemployment

introduced · Vermont · Senate Jan 30, 2025

S 37: An act relating to unemployment insurance eligibility and benefits

This Vermont bill (S 37) changes unemployment insurance rules for workers at educational institutions. It makes employees in non-teaching roles (like administrative staff) eligible for benefits between academic terms, removing a previous barrier that denied benefits if they had a reasonable expectation of returning to the same job. The bill also clarifies that wages earned in jobs that wouldn’t qualify for benefits shouldn’t count toward calculating weekly benefit amounts. This directly affects education workers between school terms who previously faced eligibility hurdles. The law takes effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Unemployment

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 25, 2025

H 338: An act relating to unemployment compensation

This bill amends Vermont's unemployment compensation law to allow striking workers to receive benefits under specific conditions. It removes disqualifications for workers not participating in a labor dispute, those affected by employer lockouts (not temporary work suspensions), and those unemployed for more than 14 days due to a labor dispute (unless replacement workers were hired during that period). The change directly affects workers involved in labor disputes who meet these criteria, ensuring they can access unemployment benefits during strikes or lockouts. The bill modifies existing disqualification rules in Section 1344 of Vermont law without altering broader eligibility. It is currently before the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Unemployment

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 18, 2025

H 235: An act relating to unemployment insurance eligibility and benefits

This bill changes Vermont's unemployment insurance rules to make benefits more accessible for certain workers. It prevents wages from specific jobs (like part-time work that wouldn't normally qualify for benefits) from reducing an individual's weekly benefit amount. It also extends eligibility to workers at educational institutions who hold non-teaching roles (such as administrative or support staff) between academic terms, allowing them to claim benefits during those gaps. Previously, these workers were often ineligible during school breaks unless they had a guaranteed return position. The changes apply immediately upon the bill's passage.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Unemployment

introduced · Vermont · Senate Feb 28, 2025

S 99: An act relating to analyzing benefits cliffs within Vermont’s public assistance benefits’ structure

This bill requires Vermont's Agency of Human Services to analyze "benefits cliffs" in public assistance programs by November 2025. It mandates a report inventorying all public assistance programs, analyzing how increased earnings affect total household resources (including taxes and benefits), and proposing solutions to eliminate situations where earning more reduces net income. The report will directly inform policymakers about barriers affecting Vermonters receiving public assistance who face reduced benefits when their earnings rise slightly. It does not change existing programs but sets a deadline for studying these structural issues to support future policy decisions. The bill is currently pending in the Health and Welfare Committee.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

All labor & employment bills