VT S0117

Employers who willfully withhold wages must now pay a mandatory penalty of up to twice the unpaid amount (changed from discretionary), with half going to the employee and half to the Commissioner for administrative costs

Eliminates the Commissioner's authority to recommend sub-minimum wage rates for learners, apprentices, and persons with disabilities

Allows the Commissioner of Labor to deliver unemployment compensation notices, determinations, and communications electronically instead of only by mail, with claimant and employer authorization

Delays implementation of the unemployment insurance IT modernization system and related weekly benefit increases from July 1, 2025 to July 1, 2026, with the Short-Time Compensation Program resuming upon system completion

Expands workers' compensation protections by requiring employers to pay for translation services for non-English speaking injured employees, establishing medical case management services with preauthorization procedures, requiring direct deposit payment options, and implementing escalating late payment penalties (5%, 10%, 15%) with quarterly reporting requirements through October 2026