The Senate Economic Development, Housing, and General Affairs Committee has been working this week on S.10, which would extend and modify COVID-19 related changes to unemployment insurance impacting employers and beneficiaries that were enacted last year. Generally, Act 91 expanded UI eligibility for individuals who leave their job for certain reasons related to COVID-19, and […]
Feedback Needed | Opportunity to Address Issues with Vermont’s Machinery and Equipment Sales Tax Exemption
In reviewing the tax related proposals in the Administration’s budget proposal before the House Ways and Means Committee earlier this week, the Tax Department included a proposal to reform the criteria for applying Vermont’s sales tax exemption for manufacturing machinery and equipment. Currently Vermont’s statute (32 VSA §9741(14)) exempts from sales tax “machinery and equipment […]
Overview of New Presidential Executive Orders Impacting Employers
The new Administration has issued numerous executive orders addressing COVID-19, racial and gender equality, climate issues, the economy, immigration, and other issues. The following are a few key orders of particular interest to manufacturers and other employers: Protecting Worker Health and Safety (click here). This order instructs OSHA to update employer guidance on how to […]
Trade Updates from A.N. Deringer | Webinars
The following are provided by AIV member A.N. Deringer: Forced Labor: Emerging Developments in Your Supply Chain February 2, 2:00 to 3:00 pm This webinar will address recent developments in legislation and administrative actions (e.g., withhold release orders, importer questionnaires, detentions, etc.) regarding forced labor within supply chains, as well as due diligence steps that […]
New Legislation of Interest to Vermont Employers
The following are bills recently introduced that might be of interest to Vermont employers. Text and other information about a bill’s status are available by clicking on the linked bill number. Note that official statements of purpose might not fully reflect the purpose or effect of the bill. If “SHORT FORM” is noted, the text […]
On the Wire | News and Analysis from the Web
US durable goods orders show modest 0.2% December gain. AP 1/26 “Orders to U.S. factories for big-ticket manufactured goods rose a modest 0.2% in December, held back by a big drop in the volatile aircraft sector. A key category that tracks business investment decisions slowed. . . .” Labor market trends show emphasis on digital […]
Governor Scott Delivers Budget Address
Governor Scott today delivered his fifth budget address to the General Assembly, presenting a budget that, with the help of federal stimulus, includes $210 million in new investments to strengthen the economy, create more and better paying jobs, and address priorities like downtown revitalization, infrastructure, broadband, and climate change without raising taxes or existing fees […]
Vermont Labor Market
The Vermont Department of Labor released data on the Vermont economy for the time period covering December 2020. According to household data, the seasonally-adjusted statewide unemployment rate for December was 3.1%. This reflects an increase of one tenth of one percentage point from the prior month’s revised estimate of 3.0%. The Vermont seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate […]
PPP First and Second Draw Webinars on Wednesdays | Forgiveness Webinars Also Continue on Tuesdays
The SBA Vermont District Office is hosting free webinars from 9:00 to 10:30 am on Wednesdays addressing the Paycheck Protection Program First Draw and Second Draw options. Addressed will be what is a PPP loan, terms, eligibility, the application process, what is the difference between them, what has changed with the Economic Aid Act, etc. […]
Extension of COVID Tax Credit for Employers Who Keep Workers on Payroll
The Internal Revenue Service urges employers to take advantage of the newly-extended employee retention credit, designed to make it easier for businesses that, despite challenges posed by COVID-19, choose to keep their employees on the payroll. The Taxpayer Certainty and Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2020, enacted December 27, made a number of changes to […]