Employee handbook requirements in Vermont (2026)
A compliant Vermont employee handbook layers Vermont-specific policies on top of the
federal baseline.
Below are the 3 Vermont-specific requirements in our library, plus the federal baseline that also applies.
Standard state
3 Vermont-specific items
110 federal baseline items
Vermont-specific handbook requirements
Policies driven by Vermont state law that a handbook should address.
Vermont Earned Sick Time (PSL — 2017)
Paid Sick Leave
1 hr per 52 hrs worked; 40-hr annual use cap; 40-hr rollover; 365-day waiting period (up to 1 year before use). Notable: Vermont allows the longest new-hire waiting period of any state in this dataset.
Authority: VT Stat. Ann. tit. 21 §§ 481 et seq. (Vermont Earned Sick Time, eff. Jan 1, 2017 for large employers, Jan 1, 2018 for all); VT Dept of Labor guidance
Vermont Bereavement Leave Act
Bereavement
Vermont enacted a bereavement leave law effective July 1, 2025 covering all employers. Employees are entitled to up to 3 days of unpaid bereavement leave following the death of a family member. Covered family members include spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, sibling, grandparent, grandchild, and any person with whom the employee has an equivalent relationship. Employees may substitute accrued paid leave.
Authority: VT Stat. Ann. tit. 21 § 490 (VT Bereavement Leave Act); VT H.492 (enacted 2025); VT Dept of Labor guidance
Vermont Pay Transparency (Wage Range Disclosure)
Pay Transparency
Vermont Pay Transparency Law (effective July 1, 2025) requires employers with 5 or more employees to disclose the salary or hourly wage range in job postings. VT has one of the lowest employer size thresholds of any pay transparency law in the US. Must also provide range to current employees on request and upon offer of promotion or transfer. Civil penalty: $1,000-$5,000 per violation.
Authority: VT Stat. Ann. tit. 21 § 495k (VT Pay Transparency); VT H.704 (2024, eff. July 1, 2025); VT Dept of Labor
Generate a Vermont-compliant handbook
Pacta builds a federal base plus a Vermont addendum tailored to your company — in minutes, not weeks. Attorney review is available before you distribute it.
Start your Vermont handbook →
See Vermont risk →
Federal requirements that also apply in Vermont
110 federal baseline policies span these areas — every Pacta handbook includes them.
Assignment / Placement Agreement · 10
DOT / FMCSA Compliance · 10
Arbitration Agreement · 8
Code of Conduct · 6
Benefits · 5
Confidentiality · 5
Offer Letter · 5
Employee Classification · 4
Pay / Payroll · 4
Safety / Workers' Comp · 4
Separation / Final Pay · 4
Introduction / At-Will · 3
Timekeeping · 3
Accommodation (Disability) · 2
Assignment Lifecycle · 2
Drug-Free / Alcohol · 2
EEO / Protected Classes · 2
Expense Reimbursement · 2
Harassment · 2
Hiring / Onboarding · 2
Remote Work · 2
Social Media / Recording · 2
Three-Party Relationship · 2
AI Tools · 1
Arbitration · 1
Bereavement · 1
Driving / Vehicles · 1
Emergency Procedures · 1
Employee Records · 1
FMLA / Family Leave · 1
Gifts / Anti-Bribery · 1
Jury Duty Leave · 1
Lactation / Nursing Mothers · 1
Meal / Rest Breaks · 1
Military Leave · 1
Overtime · 1
Paid Sick Leave · 1
Pay Transparency · 1
Pay Transparency Notice · 1
Pregnancy / Parental Leave · 1
Salary Basis / Safe Harbor · 1
Voting Leave · 1
Vermont handbook FAQ
Does Vermont require employers to have an employee handbook?
No U.S. state requires an employee handbook outright. But Vermont requires that a number of employment policies be provided to employees in writing, and a handbook is the standard, defensible way to do that. This page is informational only and is not legal advice.
What does a Vermont employee handbook need to include?
A compliant handbook layers Vermont-specific policies on top of the federal baseline (equal-opportunity, at-will, leave, anti-harassment, pay practices and more). The Vermont-specific items are listed on this page; the exact set depends on your headcount, industry, and the localities you operate in.
How do I create a compliant Vermont handbook?
Pacta's handbook generator builds a federal base plus a Vermont state addendum tailored to your company, then returns a formatted draft you can edit. Every draft must be reviewed by qualified employment counsel before you distribute it to employees.
Handbook requirements in other states
This page is general information about Vermont employment-policy requirements, not legal advice,
and may not reflect the most current law. AI-generated handbooks must be reviewed and approved by qualified
employment counsel licensed in the applicable jurisdiction(s) before distribution to employees.