Labor & Employment (Minimum Wage) in Vermont

passed · Vermont · House Mar 20, 2026

H 556: An act relating to exceptions to applicability of State minimum wage

H 556 would amend Vermont's minimum wage law to exclude municipal legislators (such as mayors and town council members) from the legal definition of "employee." This means local elected officials would no longer be covered by state minimum wage and overtime requirements. The bill adds a specific exception to the definition of "employee" in Vermont law, effective July 1, 2026. It directly affects municipal legislative body members in cities and towns across Vermont. The change applies only to local elected officials, not state legislators or other government workers.

Topics ✗ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 16, 2026

H 713: An act relating to raising the minimum wage for employees working for a national fast food chain

H 713 requires national fast food chains (defined as brands with over 60 locations nationally) to pay employees a minimum of $20 per hour starting January 1, 2027, with annual increases tied to the standard statewide minimum wage formula. It directly affects workers at large fast food chains operating across multiple states under a single brand. The bill also creates the Fast Food Council, composed of industry representatives, franchise owners, employee advocates, and a public member, to study and recommend future wage and working condition standards. The Council must submit its first report by December 15, 2028, and annually through 2031.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 22, 2026

H 743: An act relating to increasing the State minimum wage based on the livable wage

This bill increases Vermont's minimum wage to $18.60 per hour starting July 1, 2026, based on the state's defined "livable wage" (the hourly rate needed for a full-time worker in shared housing with employer health coverage to cover basic needs). Future annual increases will be set at the smaller of 5% or the Consumer Price Index (CPI-U) change from the previous year, rounded to the nearest cent. It directly affects all employers in Vermont who pay the minimum wage, including businesses with low-wage workers across sectors like retail, hospitality, and agriculture. The change replaces the current $12.55 minimum wage and aligns future adjustments with inflation data.

Topics ✓ Housing ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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 · House Feb 26, 2025

H 374: An act relating to repealing the Commissioner of Labor’s authority to recommend a subminimum wage for individuals with a disability

This bill (H 374) would remove the Commissioner of Labor's authority to recommend lower-than-minimum wages for workers with disabilities. It directly affects individuals with disabilities who might have been paid subminimum wages under current law. The bill amends Vermont law to delete the specific provision (21 V.S.A. § 385(5)) that allowed the Commissioner to propose reduced wage rates for this group. If passed, the change would eliminate the legal mechanism for recommending such lower wages, requiring all workers to be paid at least the standard minimum wage. The bill is currently under review by the Committee on General and Housing.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Minimum Wage

signed · Vermont · House May 29, 2026

H 294: An act relating to telecommunications services and wages in correctional facilities

This bill requires Vermont correctional facilities to provide free telephone, video, and electronic communication services to incarcerated individuals at no cost to them. It caps commissary prices at no more than 10% above fair market value for comparable community products. The bill mandates that incarcerated individuals receive at least the federal minimum wage for their labor, with wages held in a separate fund and subject to limited deductions for maintenance or victim restitution. Additionally, the Department of Corrections must evaluate contracts with Global Tel Link and the Keefe Group by January 1, 2026, to ensure pricing does not exceed community rates or competitor offerings.

Topics ✓ Criminal Justice ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Corrections Victims' Rights 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

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