Vermont Worker Rights
Vermont has a minimum wage above federal that rises with inflation, earned sick time, and a state OSHA plan (VOSHA).
- Vermont
Pay
- Minimum wage: above the federal rate and adjusted every January.
- Overtime: 1.5x over 40 hours a week, with some exemptions.
- Final pay: within 72 hours if you’re fired; by the next regular payday if you quit.
- Prevailing wage: applies to some state-funded construction.
Breaks and leave
- Earned sick time: 1 hour for every 52 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year.
- Breaks: reasonable opportunities to eat and use the restroom.
Unions and right-to-work
Vermont is not a right-to-work state, so a union contract can require covered workers to pay at least a fee for representation. Private-sector workers have the right to organize under federal law. See Your Right to Organize.
Where to file
- Unpaid wages and overtime: Vermont Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Program.
- Discrimination and harassment: Vermont Attorney General’s Civil Rights Unit, or the U.S. EEOC.
- Safety: VOSHA, the state plan, covers most private and public employers.
- Work injuries: report the injury to your employer right away, in writing, and follow up with Vermont’s workers’ compensation agency. See Workers’ Compensation.
Check current rules: this is a summary. Wage rates and labor laws change often, usually on January 1 or July 1, and cities and counties can add their own rules. Confirm details with the Vermont Department of Labor before acting. Federal protections apply too. See Where to Get Help.
Standards & references
Last updated: