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Senate advances bill expanding reasons and covered family members under Vermont's unpaid leave law
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Summary
The Senate ordered third reading of H.4.61 after committee reports that the bill would expand the Vermont Parental and Family Leave Act to add bereavement, safe leave, qualified exigency (military) leave, an expanded family‑member definition and coverage for certain airline flight crews without increasing the total unpaid weeks available.
The Vermont Senate on the floor ordered third reading of H.4.61 after committee reports that the bill expands the grounds and covered relationships under the Vermont Parental and Family Leave Act but does not increase the total 12 weeks of unpaid, job‑protected leave available to eligible employees.
Senator Chittenden (committee reporter) told the chamber the bill preserves the current 12‑week maximum but creates additional categories of leave: bereavement leave (with parameters, including a limit of up to two of the 12 weeks for bereavement, and no more than five consecutive workdays for a single bereavement use), "safe leave" for victims of domestic violence/sexual assault/stalking, and qualifying exigency leave related to a family member's active military duty. The bill also expands the statute's definition of "family member" to cover a wider range of relationships including domestic partners, grandparents, grandchildren and siblings of the employee and the employee's spouse or partner.
Chittenden said the measure extends coverage to airline flight crew employees who meet the federal Family and Medical Leave Act's special eligibility rules. The committee report listed testimony from labor and advocacy groups, employers and lawmakers; witnesses included Emmett Avery (Vermont Paid Family coalition), Carrie Brown (Vermont Commission on Women), JP Isabel (Vermont State Labor Council AFL‑CIO), Emily Krasnow (bill sponsor, Representative) and representatives of airline and business interests.
What the bill changes: it adds definitions for bereavement, domestic partner and domestic violence (by reference to existing statutory provisions), allows use of accrued paid leave or short‑term disability during unpaid leave without extending the leave length, and specifies types of documentation an employer may require to support safe leave, bereavement or qualifying exigency requests while protecting private medical information.
Appropriations and fiscal notes: the Appropriations Committee supported the bill, noting a likely de minimis fiscal effect on the state. The committee on economic development, housing and general affairs reported a 4‑1‑0 committee vote in favor. On the floor the Senate approved the committee's recommendation and ordered third reading by voice vote.
Next steps: With third reading ordered on the floor, the bill will proceed through the legislative process; the bill text includes sections with definitions, effective dates and administrative provisions for employers and employees.
