By: Wendy Love, VT Commission on Women

H.382, An Act Relating to Absence from Work for Health Care and Safety guarantees that Vermont workers can earn paid sick days.

H.382 “proposes to require that employers permit absence from work for personal or family health reasons without loss of pay.”

• An employee would earn one hour of paid sick time for every 30 hours worked, up to a maximum of 56 hours each year.

• Employees would not be able to “cash out” any unused hours if they left their job.

• Employees could use their paid sick time:
- to recover from or receive treatment for an illness or injury
- to care for a family member
- to obtain diagnostic, routine, preven¬tive, or therapeutic health care
- to take necessary steps for their safety as a result of sexual abuse, domestic violence, or stalking
• All employers already offering equal or more generous paid sick time would be unaffected.