Labor & Employment in Vermont

in committee · Vermont · House Jan 15, 2026

H 334: An act relating to limiting employer restrictions on individuals separating from employment

This Vermont bill (H 334) bans most noncompete agreements and "stay-or-pay" provisions that require employees to repay employers upon leaving a job. It prohibits agreements restricting work for competitors after separation, with limited exceptions for business sales or dissolution. Employers must notify affected employees about void agreements and cannot retaliate against workers who refuse such terms. The law applies to all Vermont employers and covers existing contracts that violate these restrictions.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

introduced · Vermont · House Jan 9, 2025

H 3: An act relating to the minimum qualifications required for State employment

H.3 would eliminate college degree requirements for most Vermont state jobs, requiring agencies to prioritize relevant work experience and job-specific skills instead. This change directly affects state job applicants without degrees and hiring managers who would adjust their evaluation criteria. The bill aims to increase access to state employment by broadening eligibility beyond traditional academic qualifications. It has been referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs for further review.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment ✓ Veterans

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 5, 2025

H 149: An act relating to expanding equal pay protections

H.149 expands Vermont's equal pay law to cover all protected classes under state fair employment practices, including sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and other characteristics like race, religion, and age. The bill prohibits employers from paying less for equal work based on these factors and allows pay differences only for legitimate reasons such as seniority, merit, or a business-related factor that doesn't perpetuate discrimination. It applies to all Vermont employers and takes effect on July 1, 2025. The law clarifies that employers cannot reduce other employees' wages to comply with the new requirements.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 402: An act relating to the Vermont Municipal Labor Relations Act

H 402 would amend Vermont's Municipal Labor Relations Act to allow municipal supervisory employees to organize and collectively bargain, removing their current exclusion from the law. It also expands the definition of "municipal public safety employee" to include support staff working in public safety departments (like dispatchers or technicians), granting them bargaining rights. These changes would directly affect municipal supervisory staff and public safety support workers across Vermont towns and cities. The bill would take effect on July 1, 2025, if enacted.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining

introduced · Vermont · House Feb 25, 2025

H 344: An act relating to creating a good cause standard for termination of employment

This bill establishes a "good cause" standard for employer terminations in Vermont, requiring employers to have a legitimate, reasonable business reason (such as poor job performance) to fire most employees. It explicitly excludes trivial, arbitrary, or unrelated reasons for termination and creates an exception for employees with less than 90 days of service. Employers must post a notice about this requirement in a conspicuous location at their workplace. The law takes effect on July 1, 2025, directly affecting Vermont employers and their workforce.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

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

in committee · Vermont · House Feb 27, 2025

H 57: An act relating to survivor benefits for law enforcement officers

H.57, "Jessica's Law," would extend Vermont's existing $80,000 survivor benefit for emergency personnel to law enforcement officers. It requires the state to pay this benefit to surviving spouses, children, or parents when a certified law enforcement officer dies "in the line of duty" or from an occupation-related illness. The bill amends existing law to include law enforcement officers under the same eligibility criteria and benefit structure currently applied to firefighters and emergency personnel. The benefit would be administered by a state review board and take effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

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

in committee · Vermont · House Feb 19, 2025

H 175: An act relating to clarifying the right of adjunct faculty to receive unemployment insurance benefits

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.

Topics ✓ Labor & Employment

Sub-Topics Unemployment

All labor & employment bills