by Gudrun Hutchins

Those of you who worked on the equal pay bill in Vermont several years ago, will be happy to hear that the Vermont Legislature expanded equal pay for women to all “protected classes” such as people of different race, national origin, sexual orientation, various handicaps, etc. during the “veto session” this June. The law is primarily an anti-harassment law, but equal pay to various classes of individuals is a component that is clearly stated. Our governor signed the bill on June 28 and it took effect yesterday. It will eventually be inserted into Vermont Statutes in the Labor Section in paragraph 495.

I have attached the final mark-up of the bill which I followed during much of the legislative session via the Vermont Legislative web pages. Act 80 was initiated by the Senate as S-103; the House apparently did not initiate a similar bill during this session. (I also might have missed it.) You may remember that the Senate wanted to include “the protected classes” also in the earlier Senate equal pay bill, but at that time the House was focused on equal pay for women. The last part on discrimination in housing that was included in S-103 as introduced, was struck during mark-up since it would require a change in a different section of  Vermont Statues.

As of yesterday, a non-white, handicapped, and lesbian woman is entitled to equal pay for the same work as a white male and also cannot be harassed for being different. The same applies to men, who might also be handicapped, of a different race, etc.

I followed this legislation on its path from introduction to passage and am proud to live in a state that passed this legislation. It is especially notable that the final version of this new Vermont law was passed during the same time period during which the Supreme Court killed affirmative action in college admissions, and killed president Biden’s plan for college loan repayment. Aren’t you glad that you live in Vermont?