Last updated: 2026-09-21.
Statewide MandateHow Vermont's real statutory thresholds apply to specific employer profiles. Each section re-frames the state law above for one audience — the underlying figures never change, only the lens does.
For employers with fewer than 15 employees: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "1 employee". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For employers with 50 or more employees: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "1 employee". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant, café, and food-service operators: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including restaurants & food service, use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 52 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail stores, shops, and chains: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including retail employers, use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 52 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For clinics, hospitals, and healthcare staffing: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including healthcare employers, use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 52 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For hr teams onboarding new employees: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Size note: Your obligation turns on the threshold "1 employee". The Compliance Checker applies your headcount automatically. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant and food-service operators with fewer than 15 employees: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small restaurants (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 52 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For restaurant groups and chains with 50 or more employees: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large restaurants & chains (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 52 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail stores and shops with fewer than 15 employees: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small retail (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 52 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For retail chains with 50 or more employees: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large retail & chains (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 52 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For clinics and healthcare practices with fewer than 15 employees: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including small healthcare (under 15 employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 52 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
For hospitals and healthcare systems with 50 or more employees: Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. No local ordinances are tracked beyond the state law. Source: https://labor.vermont.gov/; retrieved 2026-09-21.
Industry note: The law is industry-neutral — all covered employers, including large healthcare systems (50+ employees), use the same statewide thresholds: 1 employee, accrual 1 hour per 52 hours worked, cap 40 hours/year. Use the Compliance Checker to apply your headcount to the correct rule.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Statewide mandate | Yes |
| Employer threshold | 1 employee |
| Accrual rate | 1 hour per 52 hours worked |
| Max accrual / year | 40 hours/year |
| Paid or unpaid | paid |
| Carryover | Yes |
| Qualified reasons | Own/family illness, preventive care. |
| Effective date | Jan 1, 2017 |
| Official source | https://labor.vermont.gov/ ↗ |
Vermont has no federal paid sick-leave mandate — the FFCRA expired and the Healthy Families Act has not passed; the federal FMLA is unpaid and limited to 50+ employee employers. Vermont's Earned Sick Time law (effective Jan 1, 2017 for most employers; small businesses with 5 or fewer employees got an extra year) requires paid sick time from the first employee, accruing 1 hr/52 hrs, well beyond the federal floor.
Vermont is one of only two New England states (with Maine) using a slow 1-in-52 accrual, but it is sick-time-only whereas Maine's earned leave is any-purpose. Neighbors New Hampshire, Massachusetts (1 hr/30 hrs, employer-size split), Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island all mandate paid leave, most at a faster 1-in-30 rate. Vermont's 24-hour annual use cap and 40-hour carryover are modest, and its ≤5-employee small-business grace period is unusual regionally. Vermont also has a voluntary state paid leave (VTSPL) program — distinct from the sick-time mandate.
| Year | Change |
|---|---|
| 2016 (eff. Jan 1, 2017) | Vermont Earned Sick Time law enacted (Act 64); all employers with 1+ employee must provide paid sick time, 1 hr/52 hrs, 24-hr use cap, 40-hr carryover. |
| 2018 | Small businesses with 5 or fewer employees got an additional year (eff. Jan 1, 2018) to come into compliance. |
| 2023–2025 | Vermont launches a voluntary state paid leave (VTSPL) program (employers may opt in); the mandatory sick-time standard is unchanged. |
| 2026 | No change to the Earned Sick Time accrual/cap tracked. |
Employers in Vermont most often trip on the items below. Amounts are typical statutory ranges — confirm the current figure with the state labor department before acting.
| Violation | Typical penalty / fine | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Failing to provide earned sick time or denying its use | The Vermont Dept. of Labor investigates and can order restitution and penalties; employees may also pursue a private action. Confirm current penalty figures with VT DOL. | Misapplying the ≤5-employee grace period is a frequent error. |
| Retaliation | Prohibited; remedies include back wages and reinstatement. | 'Use-it-or-lose-it' policies that violate the 40-hour carryover are a common violation. |
| Requiring disclosure of the reason | Employers may require reasonable advance notice for foreseeable leave but cannot demand the medical reason; over-reaching notice rules draw complaints. | Keep notice policies within the statutory bounds. |
Use the button below to print or save a one-page compliance summary for Vermont. It includes the state law table and any local ordinances above.
Yes. Vermont requires paid sick leave for 1 employee. Accrual is 1 hour per 52 hours worked, capped at 40 hours/year, with carryover Yes.
Employees accrue 1 hour per 52 hours worked. The max accrual is 40 hours/year.
No local ordinances are tracked for Vermont beyond the state law.
A focused set of free calculators and guides across related topics — no account required.