Current News

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont’s unemployment rate held at 2.4 percent in February as the major indices remained sluggish, with the labor force and employed down and unemployed up, but in small numbers. This of course is expected to change for the worse dramatically with the COVID-19 pandemic. Already unemployment claims are spiking and are expected to increase exponentially in coming weeks.

Vermont Business Magazine University of Vermont Health Network officials have mobilized a task force to increase the availability of eHealth appointments across the Network to ensure access to medical services during this ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Vermont Business Magazine Governor Phil Scott on Thursday announced that Vermont schools will be closed for the rest of the academic year. Don Tinney, a high school English teacher who serves as the president of the 13,000-member Vermont-NEA, said: "While we are disappointed and saddened, we understand the fierce urgency of maintaining the health and safety of all our students, educators, school administrators, parents, and all Vermonters."

Vermont Business Magazine Vermont Senator Patrick Leahy announced just before midnight Thursday that Vermont is poised to receive nearly $2 billion in federal resources in the emergency spending package poised to pass Congress this week. Chief among the federal resources coming to the state will be $1.25 billion through the Coronavirus Relief Fund, established to support state and counties that are addressing the economic devastation brought about by the virus. Leahy pushed for a small state minimum for the $150 billion fund, ensuring that Vermont would receive sufficient support.

Vermont Business Magazine The National Life Group Foundation has approved grants of $100,000 each to community foundations in Vermont and Texas as an initial investment to support Coronavirus relief.

Vermont Business Magazine The Vermont Department of Health has reported that there are now 158 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Vermont and nine deaths as of Thursday afternoon. This is 35 more cases and one additional death. Chittenden County presents the most cases with 75, with Windsor County second at 17. There are still no positive cases reported in Grand Isle or Essex counties.

Vermont Business Magazine The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released its first round of guidance on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), providing information to employees and employers about how each will be able to take advantage of the protections and relief offered by the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (“FMLA Expansion”) and the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (“EPSLA”).

Vermont Business Magazine In response to the Coronavirus pandemic, Vermont Housing Finance Agency (VHFA) announced today the award of $100,000 in grants to the state’s nonprofit housing providers and public housing agencies. Another $20,000 will be donated to Vermont-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations selected by VHFA’s 38 staff members.

Vermont Business Magazine Tuesday, March 31 is National Equal Pay Day, symbolizing the fact that the average American woman must work three months into 2020 to earn what the average American man made in 2019.

Vermont Business Magazine Attorney General TJ Donovan today joined a coalition of 27 attorneys general in calling on the US Department of Education to provide federal student loan borrowers with emergency measures to help during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a letter to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, the coalition asks the US Department of Education to take specific steps to protect borrowers from further financial burden and debt collection due to job losses and lost wages.

Vermont Business Magazine As reports appear in the news of certain drugs being potentially used for treatment or prevention of COVID-19, the Vermont Department of Health strongly urges caution. At this time, the Food and Drug Administration has not approved any drugs specifically for the treatment of patients with COVID-19.