The Vermont House Committee on General and Housing recently endorsed a new legislative measure, H.66, that has the potential to position the state as having the most comprehensive paid family and medical leave initiative in the nation. The bill was advanced on February 16th and is now under consideration by the House Ways & Means Committee.
This proposed legislation offers eligible employees up to 12 weeks of paid leave for various circumstances, including personal health, maternity or parental leave, family care, safe leave, and bereavement, with the latter being limited to two weeks.
To qualify, employees must have worked with the same employer for at least six months while maintaining an average of 20 working hours per week. The bill outlines a wage replacement scheme that provides 100% of an employee’s pay, up to the state’s average weekly wage of $1,135 per week. Notably, this would expand the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) in Vermont to include any entity employing one or more individuals in the state.
Implementation of the program would necessitate a significant administrative effort, including doubling the Treasurer’s Office workforce and an initial investment of $100 million. Funding for the program would be sourced from a payroll tax set at 0.55%, which the employer and employee would share equally.
