Vermont Earned Sick Time Law
✓ Verified against official sources · September 1, 2026 21 V.S.A. §§ 481–486
The short answer: Vermont requires earned sick time from all employers: one hour per 52 hours worked, up to 40 hours a year, with a permitted one-year waiting period for new hires.
Accrual rate
1 hour per 52 hours worked
Annual amount
Up to 40 hours per 12-month period
Employers covered
All Vermont employers
Penalty for non-compliance: Enforced by the Vermont Attorney General and Department of Labor under 21 V.S.A. ch. 5, subch. 4B, with civil penalties for violations.
Under 21 V.S.A. § 482, every Vermont employer must provide earned sick time accruing at not less than one hour per 52 hours worked, and may limit accrual and use to 40 hours in a 12-month period. The statute allows an employer to impose a waiting period of up to one year for newly hired employees — sick time accrues during the wait but cannot be used until it ends.
Earned sick time covers the employee's or a family member's illness and care, appointments, and safety needs arising from domestic violence or sexual assault. Enforcement runs through the Vermont Department of Labor and the Attorney General under chapter 5 of Title 21.
For employersVermont's is the slowest accrual in the country — one hour per 52 worked — and the statute expressly allows a waiting period of up to one year for new hires, during which time accrues but can't be used.
For employeesYou earn one hour of sick time per 52 hours worked — up to 40 a year — though a new employer may make you wait up to a year before using what you've accrued.
The full playbook, start to finish
This page covers one rule. The complete lawyer-reviewed guide covers the whole landscape, with sources and every state's rules.
?
Vermont FAQ
How fast does sick time accrue in Vermont?
One hour per 52 hours worked — the slowest statutory rate in the country — up to a permitted cap of 40 hours per 12-month period (21 V.S.A. 482).
Can a Vermont employer make new hires wait to use sick time?
Yes — up to one year. Time accrues during the waiting period but can't be used until it ends.
§
Official sources
Educational content, not legal advice. Rules change — every fact above was checked against the linked official sources on the date shown.
⇄
How other states compare
| State | Accrual rate | Annual amount | Employers covered |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hrs (under 15 employees) / 56 hrs (15+) | All employers — the cap varies at the 15-employee line |
| Arizona | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 40 hours (15+ employees) / 24 hours (under 15) | All employers — the cap varies by size |
| California | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (alternative schedules allowed) | Use at least 40 hours / 5 days; accrual cap 80 hours / 10 days | Nearly all employers, regardless of size |
| Colorado | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year (+80-hour PHE supplement when declared) | All employers — full-time, part-time and temporary employees |
| Connecticut | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year; 40 hours carryover | 11+ employees now; every employer from Jan 1, 2027 |
| District of Columbia | 1 hour per 37 / 43 / 87 hours worked, by employer size | 7 days (100+) / 5 days (25–99) / 3 days (≤24) | All D.C. employers — tiered by headcount |
| Illinois | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period — usable for any purpose | Nearly all employers (school and park districts excluded) |
| Maine | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year — usable for any reason | More than 10 employees in Maine for 120+ days a year (non-seasonal) |
| Maryland | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Earn up to 40 hrs/yr; use and bank up to 64 hrs | All — paid at 15+ employees, unpaid at 14 or fewer |
| Massachusetts | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per calendar year | All — paid at 11+ employees, unpaid below |
| Michigan | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (frontloading allowed) | Use up to 72 hrs/yr — 40 hrs at small businesses (≤10 workers) | All employers with one or more employees |
| Minnesota | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | Up to 48 hours per year; bank up to 80 hours with carryover | All employers with one or more employees |
| Missouri | None — the mandate was repealed effective Aug 28, 2025 | No state requirement — employer policy controls | No Missouri employer is required to provide sick leave |
| Nebraska | 1 hour per 30 hours worked, after 80 hours of employment | 40 hrs (11–19 employees) / 56 hrs (20+) | 11+ employees — employers with 10 or fewer are exempt |
| Nevada | 0.01923 hours per hour worked (≈1 per 52; frontloading allowed) | ≈40 hours per benefit year for full-time work — any purpose | Private employers — under-50-employee hardship and other carve-outs |
| New Jersey | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 40 hours advanced up front) | Up to 40 hours per benefit year; 40 hours carryover | All New Jersey employers, regardless of size |
| New Mexico | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 64 hours frontloaded Jan 1) | Use up to 64 hours per year; 64-hour carryover | All private employers, regardless of size |
| New York | 1 hour per 30 hours worked | 56 hrs paid (100+) / 40 paid (5–99) / 40 unpaid (0–4, ≤$1M income) | Every NY employer — the tier sets paid vs. unpaid and the cap |
| Oregon | 1 hour per 30 hours worked (or 1-1/3 per 40) | Up to 40 hours per year | All — paid at 10+ employees, unpaid under 10 |
| Rhode Island | 1 hour per 35 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per year | Paid at 18+ employees; smaller employers provide unpaid leave |
| Vermont | 1 hour per 52 hours worked | Up to 40 hours per 12-month period | All Vermont employers |
| Washington | 1 hour per 40 hours worked | No annual cap — leave is usable as accrued; 40-hour carryover | All employers covered by the Minimum Wage Act |
+