Vermont employment rules for employers

Vermont minimum wage is $14.42 per hour (employers of two or more employees), effective January 1, 2026. (21 V.S.A. § 384 (U.S. DOL WHD state minimum wage table))

“Vermont Applicable to employers of two or more employees Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $14.42”

“Beginning January 1, 2026, the State’s minimum wage will increase from $14.01 to $14.42 per hour”

dol.gov · labor.vermont.gov

• Biweekly or semimonthly with notice: Employers may pay bi-weekly or semi-monthly after giving notice to each employee. (21 V.S.A. § 342 (U.S. DOL WHD state payday table, footnote 23))

  “23 Vermont. Employers may implement bi-weekly and semi-monthly paydays with written notice.”

  “(A) after giving notice to each employee, pay biweekly or semimonthly, in lawful money or checks, each employee the wages earned by the employee to a day not more than six days prior to the date of payment”

  dol.gov · legislature.vermont.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

• General rule: Employers must pay wages weekly unless, after giving notice to each employee, they choose to pay bi-weekly or semi-monthly. (21 V.S.A. § 342 (U.S. DOL WHD state payday table))

  “Vermont X X 23 X 23”

  “Any employer that is doing business within the State shall pay each week, in lawful money or checks, the wages earned by each employee to a day not more than six days prior to the date of payment.”

  dol.gov · legislature.vermont.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

Employers must give employees reasonable opportunities during work periods to eat and use toilet facilities; no fixed length is set. (21 V.S.A. § 304 (U.S. DOL WHD meal period table))

“Vermont Employees are to be given "reasonable opportunities" during work periods to eat and use toilet facilities in order to protect the health and hygiene of the employee. 21V.S.A. Section 304 Universal application”

“An employer shall provide an employee with reasonable opportunities during work periods to eat and to use toilet facilities in order to protect the health and hygiene of the employee.”

dol.gov · legislature.vermont.gov

Employers must give employees reasonable opportunities during work periods to eat and use toilet facilities; no fixed paid rest period is set. (21 V.S.A. § 304 (U.S. DOL WHD rest period table))

“Vermont Employees are to be given "reasonable opportunities" during work periods to eat and use toilet facilities in order to protect the health and hygiene of the employee. Statute Applicable to all employers of one or more employees within the state.”

“An employer shall provide an employee with reasonable opportunities during work periods to eat and to use toilet facilities in order to protect the health and hygiene of the employee.”

dol.gov · legislature.vermont.gov

A discharged employee must be paid within 72 hours of discharge. (21 V.S.A. § 342(b)(2))

“is discharged from employment shall be paid within 72 hours of discharge;”

“If the employer discharges an employee, the employee must be paid within 72 hours from the time of discharge.”

legislature.vermont.gov · labor.vermont.gov

An employee who voluntarily leaves must be paid on the last regular payday, or, if there is no regular payday, on the following Friday. (21 V.S.A. § 342(b)(1))

“voluntarily leaves employment shall be paid on the last regular pay day, or if there is no regular pay day, on the following Friday;”

“An employee who voluntarily leaves an employment position, shall be paid on the last regular payday, or if there is no regular payday, on the following Friday.”

legislature.vermont.gov · labor.vermont.gov

Vermont does not require employers to provide paid vacation or to pay vacation when an employee leaves. Employers that have a written agreement (including an employee handbook, memorandum or correspondence) providing for vacation time are liable to their employees for that benefit. (Vermont Dept. of Labor, A Summary of Vermont Wage and Hour Laws (2019))

“However, employers who are parties to written agreements, which can be in the form of an employee handbook, memorandum, correspondence, etc., providing for vacation time, sick leave, holidays and/or severance pay are liable to their employees for these benefits.”

“However, employers who are parties to written agreements, which can be in the form of an employee handbook, memorandum, correspondence, etc., providing for vacation time, sick leave, holidays and/or severance pay are liable to their employees for these benefits.”

labor.vermont.gov · labor.vermont.gov

• Accrual: Vermont earned sick time: employees accrue at least one hour of paid earned sick time for every 52 hours worked (including overtime). (21 V.S.A. § 482)

  “(a) An employee shall accrue not less than one hour of earned sick time for every 52 hours worked.”

  “An employee earns one hour of earned sick time for every 52 hours of actual work, including overtime.”

  legislature.vermont.gov · labor.vermont.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

• Annual cap: Employers may limit accrual of earned sick time to 40 hours in a 12-month period. (21 V.S.A. § 482)

  “(1) limit the amount of earned sick time accrued pursuant to this section to a maximum of 40 hours in a 12-month period; or”

  “An employee will also be entitled to use up to 40 hours in 2025 and subsequent years.”

  legislature.vermont.gov · labor.vermont.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

• Effective date: Vermont's Earned Sick Time law took effect January 1, 2017 (employers of five or fewer full-time employees had to comply from January 1, 2018). (21 V.S.A. § 482)

  “(Added 2015, No. 69 (Adj. Sess.), § 4, eff. Jan. 1, 2017;”

  “A: All employers with more than five full-time employees must begin complying with the Earned Sick Time Law on January 1, 2017. Employers of five or fewer full-time employees will have to start complying by January 1, 2018.”

  legislature.vermont.gov · labor.vermont.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

• Employee eligibility: Covered employees are those employed for an average of at least 18 hours per week during a year (the statute lists exclusions, including federal employees, certain short seasonal jobs and individuals under 18 years of age). (21 V.S.A. § 481)

  “(5) “Employee” means a person who, in consideration of direct or indirect gain or profit, is employed by an employer for an average of no less than 18 hours per week during a year.”

  “A: Yes, as long as an employee works an average of 18 hours a week or more.”

  legislature.vermont.gov · labor.vermont.gov · verified Sep 24, 2026 · 2 official sources

Vermont employers must give each individual notification of the availability of unemployment compensation at the time of the individual's separation from employment; the notification may be based on model language from the U.S. Secretary of Labor. Employers must also post the Commissioner's notice on how to seek unemployment benefits. (21 V.S.A. § 1346(c)(2))

“(2) An employer shall provide an individual with notification of the availability of unemployment compensation at the time of the individual’s separation from employment. The notification may be based on model notification language provided by the U.S. Secretary of Labor.”

“(2) An employer shall provide an individual with notification of the availability of unemployment compensation at the time of the individual’s separation from employment. The notification may be based on model notification language provided by the U.S. Secretary of Labor.”

legislature.vermont.gov · legislature.vermont.gov