H.919 would classify incarcerated individuals working under the Vermont Department of Corrections as temporary state employees for labor-related rights. This applies to anyone performing work "for, at the direction of, or under the supervision of" the Department. The bill grants these individuals access to wage and hour protections, workers’ compensation, unemployment insurance, and collective bargaining rights during their labor. It directly affects incarcerated people working in Vermont correctional facilities, changing their legal status for employment benefits without altering prison operations.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This bill clarifies Vermont's unemployment insurance rules for adjunct faculty at colleges and universities. It directly affects part-time instructors who teach between academic terms but lack guaranteed future work. The key provision defines "reasonable assurance" of future employment as requiring a concrete job offer meeting specific criteria: written or verbal offer from an authorized person, same position, pay at least 90% of previous year, and not contingent on factors like funding or enrollment. If an adjunct isn't offered a position for the next term, they qualify for retroactive benefits. The changes take effect July 1, 2025.
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.
