The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 21 : Labor

Chapter 017 : Unemployment Compensation

Subchapter 003 : Short-Time Compensation Program

• § 1451. Definitions

  As used in this subchapter:

  (1) “Affected unit” means a specific plan, department, shift, or other definable unit consisting of not less than five employees to which an approved short-time compensation plan applies.

  (2) “Defined benefit plan” means a plan described in 26 U.S.C. § 414(j).

  (3) “Defined contribution plan” means a plan described in 26 U.S.C. § 414(i).

  (4) “Short-time compensation” or “STC” means the unemployment benefits payable to employees in an affected unit under an approved short-time compensation plan as distinguished from the unemployment benefits otherwise payable under the conventional unemployment compensation provisions of this chapter.

  (5) “Short-time compensation plan” means a plan of an employer under which there is a reduction in the number of hours worked by employees of an affected unit rather than layoffs. The term “layoffs” for this purpose means the total separation of one or more workers in the affected unit.

  (6) “Short-time compensation employer” means an employer who has one or more employees covered by an approved “Short-time compensation plan.” “Short-time compensation employer” means an employer with an experience rating record or an employer who makes payments in lieu of contributions to the Unemployment Compensation Trust Fund and that meets all of the following criteria:

  (A) Has five or more employees covered by an approved short-time compensation plan.

  (B) Is not delinquent in the payment of contributions or reimbursement, or in the reporting of wages.

  (C) Is not a negative balance employer. For the purposes of this section, a negative balance employer is an employer who has for three or more consecutive calendar years immediately prior to applying for the STC plan paid more in unemployment benefits to its employees than it has contributed to its unemployment insurance account. In the event that an employer has been a negative balance employer for three consecutive years, the employer shall be ineligible for participation unless the Commissioner grants a waiver based upon extenuating economic conditions or other good cause.

  (7) “Usual weekly hours of work” means the normal hours of work for full-time or part-time employees in the affected unit when that unit is operating on its regular basis not to exceed 40 hours and not including hours of overtime work.

  (8) “Unemployment compensation” means the unemployment benefits payable under this chapter other than short-time compensation and includes any amounts payable pursuant to an agreement under any federal law providing for compensation, assistance, or allowances with respect to unemployment.

  (9) “Fringe benefits” means benefits, including health insurance, retirement benefits, paid vacations and holidays, sick leave, and similar benefits that are incidents of employment.

  (10) “Intermittent employment” means employment that is not continuous but may consist of intervals of weekly work and intervals of no weekly work.

  (11) “Seasonal employment” means employment with an employer who experiences at least a 20-percent difference between its highest level of employment during a particular season and its lowest level of employment during the off-season in each of the previous three years as reported to the Department, or employment with an employer on a temporary basis during a particular season. (Added 1985, No. 140 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 2011, No. 162 (Adj. Sess.), § E.401.3; 2013, No. 72, § 35a.)