FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2023
Contact: Rachel Dumeny, Communications and Outreach Coordinator
Office of the Commissioner
Vermont Department of Labor
(802) 272-4509
Rachel.Dumeny@vermont.gov
Vermont Department of Labor Announces
Changes to Vermont’s Workers’ Compensation Law
Montpelier Vt. - Effective July 1, 2023, several changes to the Vermont’s Workers’ Compensation Act will take effect. These changes, adopted during the 2023 legislative session as part of H. 217, will benefit individual Vermonters who are forced to leave work for a period of time due to a work-related injury.
Vermonters who are out of work and have family members who rely on their income will see their weekly dependent benefits increase from $10 per dependent per week to $20 per dependent per week. In addition, low-income Vermonters receiving temporary partial disability will see their benefits increase.
Additionally, Injured workers who need expensive medical equipment, such as wheelchairs or hearing aids, will be able to seek preauthorization from their employer’s insurance carriers for the purchase of such equipment. The new law also prohibits insurance carriers from imposing unreasonable work search requirements on injured workers who have been released to work by their health care providers but cannot return to their prior employment.
“These changes were the result of a collaborative effort by the Department of Labor, advocates from both sides, and the Legislature, said Michael Harrington, the Labor Commissioner. “Our staff will work with injured workers, employers, and insurance carriers over the coming months to implement these new changes.”
For more information about these changes, visit the “Notice” section at https://labor.vermont.gov.
To view the full text of legislation: https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/Docs/BILLS/H-0217/H-0217…;
The Vermont Department of Labor (VDOL) exists to improve the lives of working Vermonters. The Department serves the people and businesses of the state so that all Vermonters can live well, be safe, and experience meaningful employment. Learn more about the Department at Labor.Vermont.gov.
###