Bill > S0307

This bill, titled the "Fire Service Weekly Overtime Standard Act," aims to establish a standard for overtime pay for firefighters in Vermont by requiring that any hours worked by a full-time firefighter in excess of an average of 42 hours per week be compensated at a rate of one and one-half times their regular rate of pay. The "regular rate of pay" is defined as the firefighter's hourly wage for scheduled work, excluding overtime. "Hours worked" includes all time a firefighter is permitted or required to perform duties, including paid leave and standby time. The average workweek will be calculated over an eight-week period, and any weekly total exceeding 42 hours will trigger overtime pay for those excess hours in the current pay period. This provision is intended to promote firefighter health and safety, improve recruitment and retention, and reduce fatigue-related risks during emergency operations, and it also allows for more protective overtime standards to be established through collective bargaining or local ordinances. The Commissioner of Labor is authorized to adopt rules for uniform overtime calculations, and municipalities and fire departments are required to implement any necessary adjustments before January 1, 2027, with the act taking effect on July 1, 2026.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/S.307