Vermont business groups, gender equity commission press committee for clearer rules on H.461 unpaid-leave expansion

The Senate Economic Development, Housing & General Affairs Committee on April 23 took testimony on H.461, a bill to expand employee access to unpaid family and medical leave.

Supporters and opponents agreed on the bill's intent but diverged on operational details employers say are unclear or costly. Megan Sullivan, vice president of government affairs for the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, told the committee that the bill's expanded family definitions and bereavement provisions create new compliance and operational burdens for small employers.

The bill would add an inclusive definition of "in loco parentis" and broaden the family-member definition used to qualify for leave. Carrie Brown, executive director of the Vermont Commission on Women, testified in favor of the expansion as a step toward making it easier for…