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Vermont Passes Required Paid Sick Leave Bill


Earlier this month, Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin signed into law a bill that will require employers provide paid sick leave for their employees.  In a move lauded by President Obama, under the bill, H. 187, employees in Vermont who work full time will be guaranteed at least three paid sick days from work in a 12 month period beginning January 1, 2017.  By 2019, that number will increase to a guaranteed five paid sick days.

This new law applies to all employers in the state, but there is an exemption provided for new employers.  (These new employers will not have to comply until one year after the employer hires its first employee.)    In addition, the earned sick time requirements will not apply to federal employees, employees under the age of 18, employees employed for 20 weeks or fewer, or employees that are employed on jobs that last 20 weeks or fewer.

For those employers who already offer paid sick leave, this law might not impact them.  Of course, it depends on whether these employees are already offered as much (or more) paid sick leave as the law now requires!

With the passing of this bill, Vermont joins California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Oregon as the only states that require paid sick leave for employees.  Note, there are approximately 20 cities and the District of Columbia which have also implemented paid sick leave. 



A statement from President Obama's support of the new bill can be found here:   https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/03/09/statement-president

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