This commentary is by state Rep. John R. Killacky, a Democrat who represents South Burlington in the Vermont House.
Media pundits are talking about 2021 being the year of the “Great Resignation” and QuitToks are trending on social media.
I am not convinced people are leaving jobs to find more meaningful ones. People are burned out and lives remain upended by the continual disruptions of the pandemic, but wage disparities seem as relevant a determining factor.
Here in Vermont, as we focus on workforce development, let’s not leave the worker behind.
Currently there are several bills regarding wages and worker protections pending in the upcoming legislative session. Many complex issues need further examination in committee as we learn from experts and those impacted. Legislation is indeed iterative.
Vermont’s current wage laws are not in sync with federal regulations, including some minimum wage exemptions that were written into the original 1938 federal legislation — for farm workers, domestic workers, tipped workers, nonprofit employees, newspaper delivery people, and other categories.
Some of these exemptions have not been revisited in over 20 years by Vermont lawmakers and are no longer relevant. Overtime exemptions for retail and service establishments, as well as administrators, also need to be examined considering today’s economic realities.
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