Parental Leave, Family Leave, and Short-Term Family Leave in the State of Vermont Poster

Vermont’s 	Parental Leave Law covers employers with 10 or more workers who work an average of 30 \
hours per 
week over the course of a year.	
 	Vermont’s 	Family Leave Law, which includes Short-Term Family Leave, covers employers with 15 or more workers 
who work an average of 30 hours per week over the course of a year.	
 	A worker who has worked for a covered employer for an average of 30 hours\
 a week for a year is entitled to leave 	
under these laws. During any 12 month period, the worker is entitled to \
up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave:  •Parental Leave :  during the pregnancy and/or after childbirth; or, within a year following the initial placement of a	
child 16 years of age or younger with the worker for the purpose of adop\
tion;	
•Family Leave:  for the serious illness of the worker, worker’s child, stepchild, ward, foster child, party to a	
civil union, parent, spouse, or parent of the worker’s spouse;	
and, in addition to the leave provided in 21 V.S.A. Sec. 472, a worker is entitled to short-term family leave  of up to 
4 hours in any 30 day period (but not more than 24 hours in any 12 mont\
h period) of unpaid leave: 
Short-Term Family Leave : to participate in preschool or school activities  directly related to the academic 
advancement of the worker’s child, stepchild, foster child or ward who lives with the worker; to a\
ttend or to accompany 
the worker’s child, stepchild, foster child or ward who lives with the worker or th\
e worker’s parent, spouse or 
parent-in-law to  routine medical or dental appointments ; to accompany the worker’s parent, spouse, or 
parent-in-law to  other appointments for professional services related to their care and well-being; to respond to 
a medical emergency  involving the employee’s child, stepchild, foster child or ward who lives with the worker or th\
e 
employee’s parent, spouse or parent-in-law.
 	The worker must give reasonable written notice of intent to take 	family or parental leave, including the anticipated 
dates the leave will start and end. The employer may not require notice more than 6 weeks prior to birth or \
adoption. If 	
serious		illness		is	claimed,		the		employer		may		require		certification		from		a	physician.		For		short-term family leave , a worker 
must give notice as early as possible, at least seven days before the le\
ave is to be taken unless waiting seven days could 	
have		a	significant		adverse		impact		on		the		employee’s		family		member.	
 	A worker may choose to use sick leave, or vacation leave, or any other ac\
crued paid leave time during the leave, up to 	
six weeks. The employer may not require the worker to do so. Use of paid leave does\
 not extend the overall leave time to 
which the worker is entitled.
	 The		employer		must		continue		to	provide		all	worker		benefits		unchanged		during		the		leave		period,		but		may		require		the			
worker to contribute to the cost at the existing rate of worker contribu\
tion.
	 Upon		return		from		leave,		a	worker		must		be		offered		the		job		held		previously		or	a	comparable		one		at	equal		pay,		benefits,			
seniority, and other terms and conditions.
Exceptions: A worker is not entitled to leave under the Parental and Family Leave Act if the employer can prove by clear 
and convincing evidence that:  •Layoff:  during the period of leave the employee’s job would have been terminated or the worker would have	
been laid off for reasons unrelated to the leave; or	
•Unique Services:  the worker performed unique services and hiring a permanent replacemen\
t during the leave,	
after giving the worker notice of intent to do so, was the employer’s only available alternative to prevent
substantial and grievous economic injury.	
This law sets a minimum standard for parental and family leave rights. I\
t does not prevent an employer from 
offering a more generous leave policy and does not reduce an employer’s obligation under a collective 
bargaining agreement or existing program that provides greater leave rig\
hts than the law requires.
EMPLOYEES ARE PROTECTED FROM RETALIATION OF ANY KIND IN CONNECTION WITH THE ENFORCEMENT OF THIS LAW.
A worker aggrieved by a violation of this law may: 	
• bring		a	private		lawsuit		for		injunctive		relief,		economic		damages		including		prospective		lost		wages		for		a	period		not		to	
exceed one year, attorney fees and court costs;	
• (if you are not a state worker)		lodge		a	complaint		with		the		Office		of	the		Attorney		General		at	828-3657 , or (if	
you are a state worker)	 lodge a complaint with the Vermont Human Rights Commission at  828-2480. These	
agencies may investigate your complaint and bring action in court to enf\
orce this law.
To obtain copies of this poster, call the Vermont Department of Labor at 828-0267 or visit our website at:	
http://www.labor.vermont.gov /
WH-14 (03/14)	
Equal Opportunity is the LawThe		State		of	Vermont		is	an	Equal		Opportunity/Affirmative		Action		Employer.			Applications		from		women,		individuals		with		disabilities,		and			people from diverse cultural backgrounds are encouraged.  Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals wi\
th 
disabilities.  711 (TTY/Relay Service) or 802-828-4203 TDD (Vermont Department of Labor).
Parental Leave, Family Leave, 
and Short-Term Family Leave