BOP NEWSLETTER • April 2023

Vermont: Family and Medical Leave Insurance Plan Announced

The new program will be called the Vermont Family and Medical Leave Insurance Plan (VT-FMLI) and is scheduled to roll out for state workers before being available in the private sector. Private employers may voluntarily participate starting in 2024. In 2025, individuals may purchase their own coverage if their employers choose to not offer it. Generally, plans will provide workers with a 60% wage replacement for up to 6 weeks in a 12-month period. Qualifying events include:

• Birth, adoption, or foster placement of a child
• Caring for a family member who has a serious health condition
• An employee’s own serious health condition
• Military caregiver leave

Utah: Employers May Obtain Workplace Violence Protective Orders

Governor Spencer J. Cox signed HB 324 into law on March 14, 2023. This new law amends Utah’s protective order statute to allow employers to petition for and obtain workplace violence protective orders against an individual who has engaged in or threatened potential workplace violence.

This law will be effective July 1, 2023.

Utah: Vaccination Status Restricted in Employment Decisions

Signed on March 15, 2023, by Governor Spencer J. Cox, the new law (HB 131) prohibits employers from requiring proof of immunity or vaccination status in making employment decisions. Prohibited acts include: 1) refusing employment to an individual; 2) barring an individual from employment; or 3) discriminating against an individual in compensation or in any term, condition, or privilege of employment.

There are limited exceptions, including for federal contractors and jobs with certain vaccination requirements under state or federal law.

The new law also extends to places of public accommodation.

This law will be effective May 3, 2023.