H.461 would expand Vermont unpaid family leave to include bereavement, safe leave and broader family definitions

A bill to expand Vermont's Parental and Family Leave Act would broaden who counts as a family member and add new permitted uses — including bereavement leave and safe leave for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking — while preserving the statute's existing 12-week unpaid cap, lawmakers heard during a Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee meeting.

Representative Emily Prazow, the bill’s lead sponsor, told the committee the measure (H.461) "amends various sections of title 21 of the Vermont statutes to expand employee access to unpaid leaves," and that it updates definitions to include domestic partners and people in loco parentis while adding bereavement and safe-leave categories. Prazow said the bill does not create paid leave or change the total 12-week entitlement; instead it expands allowable uses and who qualifies.

Key changes explained: Committee discussion and the sponsor's presentation described several concrete changes: - A broader definition of "family member" to expressly include domestic partners, individuals in loco parentis, grandparents, grandchildren and siblings. -…