Bill > H0919

This bill proposes to classify any incarcerated individual who performs labor for, at the direction of, or under the supervision of the Vermont Department of Corrections as a temporary State employee for the duration of that labor, granting them all labor- and employment-related rights, protections, and benefits. This includes protections under wage and hour laws, which ensure fair pay and working conditions; workers' compensation, which provides benefits for job-related injuries; unemployment insurance, which offers financial support if employment is lost; and the right to collective bargaining, allowing them to organize and negotiate terms of employment. This change aims to provide incarcerated workers with the same legal protections and benefits as other temporary state employees.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.919