Committee hears testimony on H.459 after workers report being signed up for family leave without consent

The House General & Housing committee on Feb. 25 heard testimony on H.459, legislation that would require employer consent before workers' compensation leave is counted against an employee's Parental and Family Leave Act entitlement. Witnesses told the committee that some employers or third‑party administrators have enrolled injured workers in family leave without the worker's consent, leaving them with no remaining PFLA time when a later family or medical need arises.

The bill would, as drafted, exempt workers' compensation leave from counting against a worker's 12‑week PFLA entitlement for employers with 50 or more employees, according to testimony from Julio Thompson, assistant attorney general and co‑director of the Civil Rights Unit. "What I understand the bill to seek to do, is to exempt ... leave that's related to workers' comp ... from the parental and family leave act," Thompson said, and noted the change would shift several protections that PFLA currently provides.

Thompson told the committee his office enforces Vermont's…