Office of Lt. Governor David Zuckerman
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 24th, 2023
Contact
Lisa Gerlach
Chief of Staff, Office of the Lt. Governor
(802) 636-7047
Lisa.gerlach@vermont.gov
NEWS: Lt. Governor Zuckerman releases statement on Paid Family and Medical Leave
MONTPELIER, Vt.: On Friday, Lt. Governor David Zuckerman released the following statement regarding the Vermont House passage of H.66, a bill that creates a universal Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) insurance program in Vermont:
“When a family member falls ill, or when a child is born or adopted, it is essential that a parent or caregiver have the option to take time off from work to provide the necessary care. However, many workers in Vermont are unable to take this time off because they cannot afford to go without a paycheck. Illness, injury, and the birth of a child are stressful enough on their own without the looming worry of financial consequences of taking time off work to recover.
“Giving Vermonters “access” to paid family and medical leave is not enough. By asking employers to opt-in to a PFML insurance program, many of the most vulnerable Vermonters will be left behind without coverage. This is unacceptable. The current House bill, H.66, would ensure that all Vermont workers will be able to take paid family and medical leave in these instances. I applaud the legislators and advocates who have worked on this bill to support working Vermonters. I hope that Vermonters will soon have coverage to be with their loved ones in their time of need. This is not a light lift, but it is a critically important step towards supporting hard working Vermonters.”
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