Vermont Business Magazine Today, the Vermont House passed H.107, the Paid Family and Medical Leave bill on a vote of 89-58. Today’s vote was the final hurdle for the proposed legislation before it heads to the governor’s desk. The bill guarantees up to 12 weeks of paid parental or bonding leave and up to 8 weeks of paid family care leave. The bill also contains the opportunity for individuals to opt-in to a personal medical leave policy for up to 6 weeks. Governor Phil Scott has consistently vowed to veto a mandatory family leave bill and has proposed a voluntary plan.
The House and Senate reached an agreement in a conference committee last week on H107. Advocacy groups that have championed the initiative expressed concern that the conference bill does not provide temporary disability insurance or enough public oversight of the program. The Senate voted on Friday (20-9) to approve the conference committee report, setting up today's House vote.
The bill ensures that any employee who works at least 675 hours in the past four calendar quarters for a company (with 10 or more employees who work at least 30 hours a week) is eligible for paid family leave and may choose to opt in for personal medical leave. Those in lower income brackets would receive proportionally higher wage replacement. Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks for bonding leave (if two parents are eligible, each parent receives up to 12 weeks), 8 weeks for family care leave, and 6 weeks for voluntary medical leave.
A personal medical leave piece is an opt-in program for employees who choose to have personal medical leave as part of the program.
“The strong support from both chambers in the legislature shows what a priority this is for communities across the state,” stated House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero). “Passing this bill into law will make Vermont the eighth state to implement a paid family and medical leave program and is a critical piece in recruiting and retaining a workforce in Vermont. So many Vermont families stay here and so many new residents make Vermont their home because we offer a strong quality of life and strong supports for our families. A paid family and medical leave policy will make Vermont the best place to live, work, raise a family, and grow a business.”
House General Housing and Military Affairs Committee Chair, Representative Tom Stevens (D-Waterbury) said, “In an era where too many Vermonters struggle to save for an emergency fund, a paid family and medical leave policy presents a critical opportunity for Vermont to take action on our shared commitment to address the wage gap and improve the lives of working families. Paid family leave puts more money in the pockets of working Vermonters, cultivates economic growth, and helps our state prosper.”
“We’ve all heard stories about families struggling during the best and worst times,” added House Majority Leader, Representative Jill Krowinski (D-Burlington). “Examples like the single mom who desperately wanted to stay home with her baby but had to go back to work after a couple weeks. Like the young professional who moved back to Vermont to help care for her sick parent. She used up all of her sick days and had to choose between taking care of her mom and paying her student loan. Like the families who are struggling to help a loved one through addiction. I think it’s really important to highlight that taking care of a family member in opioid treatment and recovery is covered under this bill. This is a critical tool ensuring people have the support they need as they fight addiction and get treatment. We took a vote today to rewrite the rules to help families get ahead. Vermonters cannot afford for us to delay any longer. I call on the Governor to support working families and sign this bill.”
However, the governor, in his Budget Address on Tuesday reiterated his opposition to the bill by saying, "I hear every day that one of the major hurdles to staying or relocating here is the affordability of life in Vermont. This includes taxes and fees. That’s why I cannot support a new $29 million payroll tax on working Vermonters."
The bill would levy a 0.20 percent payroll tax, with the opt-in costing the worker 0.38percent. The Democratic leadership in the House would need 100 votes to override the expected veto.
Source: House Speaker. Montpelier 1.23.20