Understanding Vermont labor laws is crucial for both employers and employees to know their rights and responsibilities. The state requires employers to provide reasonable time for meal and restroom breaks and protects nursing employees’ rights to breastfeeding breaks. When breaks are offered, some federal rules apply as well.
This guide explains Vermont break laws in simple terms and also covers the penalties for non-compliance.
Key Takeaways From Vermont Break Laws
|
This Article Covers
- Rest and Meal Breaks in Vermont
- Breastfeeding Breaks in Vermont
- Breaks for Minor Employees in Vermont
- Penalties for Violating Break Laws in Vermont
Rest and Meal Breaks in Vermont
Employees in Vermont are entitled to reasonable break time to eat and use restroom facilities under state law.
Federal law states that any break lasting less than 30 minutes counts as hours worked and is paid. An at least 30-minute meal break, when provided, can be unpaid if the break period is uninterrupted and the employee is completely relieved of all job duties.
Learn about your rights as a salaried employee in Vermont.
Breastfeeding Breaks in Vermont
Employers are required to provide reasonable break time whenever needed by a nursing employee to express milk or breastfeed for up to three years after a child’s birth, as per Vermont’s nursing mothers law. These breaks can be paid or unpaid at the employer’s discretion or as stated in a collective bargaining agreement.
Employers in Vermont are also required to provide a suitable private space that is not a bathroom stall for expressing milk.
If providing breastfeeding break time or space would cause significant difficulties for the business, employers can request an exemption.
Breaks for Minor Employees in Vermont
There are no special break laws for minor employees in Vermont.
However, the state’s child labor laws restrict work hours and timings of 14- and 15-year-olds. They cannot work more than three hours on a school day, more than eight hours on a non-school day, more than 18 hours in a school week, more than 40 hours in a non-school week, and more than six days in a week.
These minor employees can also not work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. (except between June 1st and Labor Day, during which they can work until 9 p.m.).
Penalties for Violating Break Laws in Vermont
Employers in Vermont cannot retaliate against employees who exercise their rights to break time and space under the state’s breastfeeding law.
If an employer denies breastfeeding break time, employees can contact the Vermont Attorney General’s Civil Rights Unit (CRU) for law enforcement and recovering lost wages. Employees can also file a complaint directly with the Vermont Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division.
Important Cautionary Note
This content is provided for informational purposes only. While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of the information presented, we cannot guarantee that it is free of errors or omissions. Users are advised to independently verify any critical information and should not solely rely on the content provided.
