Bill H.338 proposes amendments to Vermont's unemployment compensation laws, specifically addressing disqualifications related to labor disputes. The bill allows striking workers to receive unemployment benefits under certain conditions. It modifies the existing law by removing the previous stipulation that disqualified individuals from receiving benefits if their unemployment was due to a work stoppage caused by a labor dispute. Instead, it introduces new provisions that specify no disqualification will apply if the individual is not involved in the dispute, if the work stoppage is solely due to a lockout by the employer, or after the first 14 days of unemployment due to a labor dispute, provided that the employer has not hired replacement workers during that period.

Additionally, the bill clarifies that the waiting period for benefits does not apply if the employer engages replacement workers, ensuring that striking workers can access unemployment compensation more readily. The act is set to take effect upon passage, reflecting a significant shift in how unemployment benefits are administered in the context of labor disputes in Vermont.

Statutes affected:
As Introduced: 21-1344