BILL AS INTRODUCED H.261
2025 Page 1 of 4
VT LEG #379766 v.1
H.261 1
Introduced by Representatives Priestley of Bradford, Hooper of Burlington, 2
McCann of Montpelier, and McGill of Bridport 3
Referred to Committee on 4
Date: 5
Subject: Labor; employment practices; unemployment insurance; 32-hour 6
workweek 7
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to establish a 32-8
hour workweek by requiring employers to pay overtime for hours worked in 9
excess of 32 and making corresponding amendments to other employment 10
statutes. 11
An act relating to establishing a 32-hour workweek 12
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 13
* * * Overtime * * * 14
Sec. 1. 21 V.S.A. § 384 is amended to read: 15
§ 384. EMPLOYMENT; WAGES 16
* * * 17
(b) Notwithstanding subsection (a) of this section, an employer shall not 18
pay an employee less than one and one-half times the regular wage rate for any 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.261
2025 Page 2 of 4
VT LEG #379766 v.1
work done by the employee in excess of 40 32 hours during a workweek. 1
However, this subsection shall not apply to: 2
* * * 3
(4) Employees of hospitals, public health centers, nursing homes, 4
maternity homes, therapeutic community residences, and residential care 5
homes as those terms are defined in Title 18, provided: 6
(A) the employer pays the employee on a biweekly basis; and 7
(B) the employer files an election to be governed by this section with 8
the Commissioner; and 9
(C) the employee receives not less than one and one-half times the 10
regular wage rate for any work done by the employee: 11
(i) in excess of eight hours for any workday; or 12
(ii) in excess of 80 64 hours for any biweekly period. 13
* * * 14
* * * Employment of Children * * * 15
Sec. 2. 21 V.S.A. § 437 is amended to read: 16
§ 437. EMPLOYMENT OF CHILDREN; SPECIAL RESTRICTIONS; 17
HOURS FOR CHILDREN UNDER 16 YEARS OF AGE 18
* * * 19
(b) A child under 16 years of age shall not be employed more than eight 20
hours in any one day or more than 40 32 hours in any one week. 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.261
2025 Page 3 of 4
VT LEG #379766 v.1
* * * Earned Sick Time * * * 1
Sec. 3. 21 V.S.A. § 482 is amended to read: 2
§ 482. EARNED SICK TIME 3
(a) An employee shall accrue not less than one hour of earned sick time for 4
every 52 41 hours worked. 5
* * * 6
(c) An employer may: 7
(1) limit the amount of earned sick time accrued pursuant to this section 8
to a maximum of 40 hours in a 12-month period; or 9
(2) limit to 40 32 hours the number of hours in each workweek for 10
which full-time employees not subject to the overtime provisions of the 11
Federal Fair Labor Standards Act, 29 U.S.C. § 213(a)(1), may accrue earned 12
sick time pursuant to this section. 13
* * * 14
* * * Short-Time Compensation Program * * * 15
Sec. 4. 21 V.S.A. § 1451 is amended to read: 16
§ 1451. DEFINITIONS 17
As used in this subchapter: 18
* * * 19
(7) “Usual weekly hours of work” means the normal hours of work for 20
full-time or part-time employees in the affected unit when that unit is operating 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.261
2025 Page 4 of 4
VT LEG #379766 v.1
on its regular basis not to exceed 40 32 hours and not including hours of 1
overtime work. 2
* * * 3
* * * Effective Date * * * 4
Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE 5
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2025. 6