Vermont Minimum Wage and Overtime Exemptions

Vermont law has, in addition to those outlined in federal law, a number of exemptions to both its standard minimum wage and overtime pay requirements. As the House Committee on General, Housing, and Military affairs is reconsidering the current exemptions on the books, this report explores the context behind them with a focus on possible discriminatory intent. The ultimate goal is to help inform the committee in determining whether to modify or repeal any of the exemptions. The research team utilized two methodologies to fulfill this goal: (1) a historical analysis of the statutes using committee records from the law's original passage and (2) examining relevant newspaper coverage from the same time period. Due to the Rockefeller Center Policy Research Shop's nonpartisan status, the research team cannot take a stance on whether discriminatory intent was at play in the passage of the original statutes. However, notable context was uncovered that will likely be of interest to the Committee as it performs its evaluation.