BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – There will soon be a new option for Vermonters to get family and medical leave insurance through their employer.
The Vermont Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) program is a partnership between the state and The Hartford – a benefits and leave management provider. The program becomes available to employers in February, with benefits beginning in July.
Partial income replacement for workers who take leave for familial or medical reasons will be provided, and contributions can be fully paid by the employer, split between the employer and employees, or fully paid for by the employees. Other options include combined family and medical leave or stand-alone family leave insurance, benefit duration options of six to 26 weeks per 12-month period, and 60 to 70% wage replacement, with additional options available with underwriting review.
In the final phase of the program, FMLI benefits will be made available for individual workers in the state of Vermont who do not have access to them through their employer, self-employed individuals, and employers with fewer than two employees, to purchase in 2025 with benefits beginning on July 1, 2025.
Employers in Vermont can work with their employee benefits brokers to learn more about the Vermont FMLI program or visit here.