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. - Bereavement leave: employees could use up to two weeks of the 12-week leave entitlement for bereavement or to handle estate matters occurring within one year of a family member’s death. - Safe leave: the bill would allow leave for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking for purposes including medical care, counseling, safety planning, housing, or legal proceedings; documentation rules include the option of a "self-attestation" to reduce burdens on survivors. - Military qualifying-exigency and caregiver leave: the bill references federal regulations so the state law aligns with federal family-leave provisions for service-members' families. - Use of accrued paid leave: employees may elect to use accrued paid leave or short-term disability insurance during a period of unpaid leave; the bill removes a current 6-week cap on combining paid leave with the unpaid entitlement (but it does not extend the 12‑week total).

Support, concerns and next steps: Prazow said the bill was drafted with input from the Vermont Chamber and other employers to limit disruption to small businesses and described broad support from business and advocacy groups. She told the committee the bill "is timely in addressing the evolving needs of Vermont's workforce." Several advocates and interest groups then spoke or signaled they would offer technical suggestions: Carrie Brown, who identified herself as an executive director at a state commission, suggested explicitly adding intermittent leave language to align Vermont law with federal FMLA practice; Charlie Glesserman, policy director at the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, asked that certain survivor-related proceedings (for example, criminal cases and relief-from-abuse orders) be clarified in the safe-leave definitions; JP Isabella (AFL–CIO of Vermont) and others offered technical language proposals for specific workforces (for example, airline crew rules tied to federal hours-of-service limits).

Sponsor and committee procedure: Prazow told the committee the bill passed earlier in its companion process and that it had broad committee support; she said it "passed unanimously, voice vote" in the venue she referenced. Committee members requested additional witness testimony before moving forward, including representatives from business groups (Vermont Chamber, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility), the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, airline representatives (for sector-specific language), the state adjutant general's office, and insurers or short-term disability stakeholders.

Enforcement and practical questions raised: Senators asked where an employee should turn if an employer denies a leave request or refuses an intermittent schedule. Committee members were told federal and state enforcement paths exist — for example, the U.S. Department of Labor enforces FMLA interference claims and state options include the Attorney General’s Civil Rights Unit and other complaint channels — but committee members requested clearer guidance and that the bill's paperwork and notice language be practical for both survivors and small employers.

What happens next: Committee members suggested collecting technical language on intermittent leave, military/airline-specific rules, and survivor‑related court proceeding definitions and asked the sponsor to work with stakeholders and return with any agreed edits or additional witnesses at a future meeting.