Vermont Statutes Title 21 Sec. 346
Terms Used In Vermont Statutes Title 21 Sec. 346
- Commissioner: means the Commissioner of Labor or designee. See
- Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
- Employee: means a person who has entered into the employment of an employer, where the employer is unable to show that:
- Employer: means any person having employees in his or her service. See
- following: when used by way of reference to a section of the law shall mean the next preceding or following section. See
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Restitution: The court-ordered payment of money by the defendant to the victim for damages caused by the criminal action.
- State: when applied to the different parts of the United States may apply to the District of Columbia and any territory and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. See
- Wages: means all remuneration payable for services rendered by an employee, including salary, commissions, and incentive pay. See
[Repealed effective July 1, 2026.]
§ 346. Enforcement by Attorney General; employee misclassification
(a) Following the referral of a complaint by the Commissioner of Labor pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of this title, the Attorney General may investigate a complaint that an employer has committed a willful, substantial, or systemic violation of section 342, 343, 348, 482, or 483 of this chapter by misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor and may enforce those provisions by restraining prohibited acts, seeking civil penalties, obtaining assurances of discontinuance, and conducting civil investigations in accordance with the procedures established in 9 V.S.A. §§ 2458–2461 as though the misclassification of an employee is an unfair act in commerce. Any employer complained against shall have the same rights and remedies as specified in 9 V.S.A. §§ 2458–2461. The Superior Court may impose the same civil penalties and investigation costs and order other relief to the State of Vermont or an aggrieved employee for the misclassification of an employee and any related violations of the provisions of this chapter as they are authorized to impose or order under the provisions of 9 V.S.A. §§ 2458 and 2461 in an unfair act in commerce. In addition, the Superior Court may order restitution of wages or other benefits on behalf of an employee and may order reinstatement and other appropriate relief on behalf of an employee.
(b)(1) The Attorney General shall share information and coordinate investigatory and enforcement resources with the Departments of Financial Regulation, of Labor, and of Taxes pursuant to the provisions of section 3 of this title.
(2) Upon receiving notice that the Attorney General has determined that an employer has committed a violation of section 342, 343, 348, 482, or 483 of this chapter by misclassifying an employee as an independent contractor, the Commissioners of Financial Regulation and of Taxes shall review whether the employer is in compliance with the insurance or tax laws that are under their jurisdiction. (Added 2019, No. 85 (Adj. Sess.), § 4, eff. Feb. 20, 2020; amended 2021, No. 20, § 216; repealed on July 1, 2026 by 2019, No. 85 (Adj. Sess.), § 11(b).)