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House advances vocational rehabilitation bill with working group and apprenticeship fixes
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Summary
Lawmakers advanced S.173, approving committee amendments that add worker protections for future vocational rehabilitation requests and create a working group to recommend improvements to Vermont’s vocational rehabilitation and apprenticeship rules; the House proposed the amendments to the Senate.
On second reading the Vermont House advanced S.173, a bill addressing vocational rehabilitation and making technical corrections to state apprenticeship law, adopting committee amendments and proposing those amendments to the Senate.
A member presenting the committee strike‑all amendment described two main components: additions to workers’ compensation forms to preserve a claimant’s right to request vocational rehabilitation services in the future if their injury later affects their ability to earn a pre‑injury wage, and a working group to recommend improvements to the vocational rehabilitation system. “Vocational rehabilitation services are provided when a worker’s injury prevents the worker from returning to suitable employment,” the presenter said, outlining services from resume help to ergonomic modifications and noting that Vermont currently has about 25 certified vocational rehabilitation counselors.
The bill creates a working group whose members (other than the commissioner of labor and the commissioner of financial regulation or their designees) are appointed by the Speaker of the House and the Committee on Committees. The working group must meet for the first time before Aug. 14, 2026, may meet up to five times, and must submit a report to the General Assembly on or before Dec. 15, 2026. The working group’s membership must include two representatives of workers’ compensation claimants, two representatives of employers or insurance carriers, and up to two Vermont certified vocational rehabilitation counselors.
Appropriations reported estimated costs for the working group: approximately $4,000 in per diems to be paid from the Department of Labor’s budget and roughly $2,700 for legislator per diems to be absorbed by the legislative budget, according to the appropriations member.
Members asked questions on the appointment process. A member raised concern that having the Speaker and the Committee on Committees appoint community‑voice slots could concentrate power in legislative leadership; the presenter replied that the issue had not been raised in testimony. The House accepted the committee report as amended and proposed the amendments to the Senate.
Why it matters: The changes broaden the ability of injured workers to seek vocational rehabilitation services over time and direct a short‑term working group to examine the prescreening process and how Vermont delivers services; the working group’s recommendations will inform future statutory adjustments and implementation.
Next steps: The House has proposed its amendments to the Senate and appropriations has noted the working group costs; the working group must complete its report to the General Assembly by Dec. 15, 2026.
