Vermont Leave Laws
Vermont’s leave framework includes unpaid job-protected family and parental leave, short-term family leave, bereavement leave, earned sick time, town meeting leave, crime-victim court leave, jury/witness protections, and certain public/elected-office leave rights. Vermont also has a voluntary family and medical leave insurance structure, but it is not the same as a broad mandatory statewide paid family and medical leave program.
The most important compliance distinction is that Vermont’s Parental and Family Leave Act provides unpaid job-protected leave, while Earned Sick Time provides shorter paid leave for health, family-care, and safety-related reasons. Vermont’s Parental and Family Leave Act was amended effective July 1, 2025, expanding covered qualifying reasons and definitions.
Vermont Leave Laws
Vermont’s leave framework includes unpaid job-protected family and parental leave, short-term family leave, bereavement leave, earned sick time, town meeting leave, crime-victim court leave, jury/witness protections, and certain public/elected-office leave rights. Vermont also has a voluntary family and medical leave insurance structure, but it is not the same as a broad mandatory statewide paid family and medical leave program.
The most important compliance distinction is that Vermont’s Parental and Family Leave Act provides unpaid job-protected leave, while Earned Sick Time provides shorter paid leave for health, family-care, and safety-related reasons. Vermont’s Parental and Family Leave Act was amended effective July 1, 2025, expanding covered qualifying reasons and definitions.
State Leave Summary
| Field | State-Specific Summary |
| State | Vermont |
| Primary Leave Agencies | Vermont Department of Labor; Vermont Legislature / Vermont Statutes Online; Vermont courts |
| Main Leave Categories | Parental and family leave, short-term family leave, bereavement leave, earned sick time, town meeting leave, crime-victim court leave, jury/witness leave, elected official leave |
| Federal Interaction | Vermont parental/family leave may overlap with federal FMLA when both apply, but Vermont has its own employer coverage, eligibility, and qualifying reasons. Earned sick time should be evaluated separately from FMLA and Vermont parental/family leave. |
Job Protected Entitlements
| Leave Type | VT Law/ Program | Job Protected | Paid Leave | Covered Employers | Employee Eligibility | Duration |
| Parental / Family Leave | Vermont Parental and Family Leave Act | Yes | Generally unpaid | Covered Vermont employers under PFLA | Employee must satisfy statutory eligibility requirements | Up to 12 weeks in a 12-month period for qualifying parental/family reasons. |
| Short-Term Family Leave | Vermont Short-Term Family Leave | Yes / protected | Generally unpaid | Covered Vermont employers | Eligible employee under statute | Up to 4 hours in any 30-day period and up to 24 hours in any 12-month period for qualifying short-term family needs. |
Paid Benefit Programs
| Leave Type | VT Law/ Program | Job Protected | Paid Leave | Administered By | Eligibility Basis | Duration |
| Voluntary Family and Medical Leave Insurance | Vermont Family and Medical Leave Insurance, where available | Not a standalone universal job-protection law | Yes, if covered by policy/program | Depends on employer participation and policy terms | Covered worker must meet CT Paid Leave eligibility requirements | State employee program materials describe up to 6 weeks of benefits with wage replacement, subject to program rules. |
Job-Protected Leave Entitlement Descriptions
These laws create a protected right to take time away from work and generally require the employer to preserve employment rights, restore the employee to the same or comparable position, or otherwise avoid interference or retaliation.
Vermont Parental and Family Leave
Vermont’s Parental and Family Leave Act provides unpaid, job-protected leave for qualifying reasons. Effective July 1, 2025, the statute was amended to expand available leave reasons and update definitions. The statute provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period for covered parental and family leave reasons.
*State Leave Law Summaries are for informational purposes only and are subject to change. To the extent possible, we will update these leave laws as and when States update their policies. However, there may be a time lag. Further, for specific applicability with a personal situation, Qcera advises contacting your employer’s HR department for support.