State of Vermont Individuals

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The Benefits of VT FMLI

Between May 1st and May 31st, Vermonters can once again begin receiving quotes and enrolling for Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) through the Vermont FMLI Individual Purchasing Program.
 
Open Enrollment is now closed.
 
See below for eligibility details.
 
Get a Quote
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Vermont
 
The state of Vermont selected The Hartford to provide Family and Medical Leave Insurance (VT FMLI) to Vermont workers and residents, including the self-employed, who do not have access to this coverage through their employer.
 
VT FMLI provides eligible Vermonters with up to 60% of their average weekly wages, up to the maximum weekly benefit, for up to a combined total of six weeks per benefit year if they can’t work due to:
 
  • Their own serious health condition (including the birth of a child).
  • Caring for a family member with a serious health condition.
  • Bonding with a child during the first year following birth or within the first year of initial placement for adoption or fostering.1
  • Caring for a covered military servicemember with a serious illness or injury when you are a spouse, child, parent, parent-in-law, acted in the place of a parent, or next of kin to the military servicemember.
  • A qualifying exigency associated with active duty in the military or a call to active duty of the employee’s family member.
Family and medical leave insurance

Explore VT FMLI

Let The Hartford help guide you through the moments that matter. Learn about FMLI and how it can help protect your income.

Interested in A Quote?

To participate in the Vermont FMLI Individual Purchasing Program, you must be:
 
  • An employee working and residing in Vermont for an employer who does not offer FMLI coverage as part of its benefit package OR
  • A self-employed Vermont resident.
 State of Vermont Government Employees are not eligible for the Vermont FMLI Individual Purchasing Program. Refer to the State of Vermont Government Employees FMLI webpage for your employer-provided benefits.
Get a Quote

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility

If you live and work in Vermont, and you do not have access to Family and Medical Leave coverage through your employer, or if you are self-employed in VT, you may be eligible to purchase coverage through the VT FMLI Individual Purchasing Program administered by The Hartford.
For FMLI purposes, family members include:
 
  • Spouse (husband, wife, domestic partner or civil union partner).2
  • Child (biological, adopted, foster or stepchild), a legal ward, or a child to whom you stand or stood in place of a parent when the person was a minor child (under age 18), or age 18 or older if the child is incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.
  • Parent or spouse’s parent (biological, adoptive, step or foster mother or father or any other individual who acted in place of a parent to you or your spouse when you or your spouse were children).
When taking a leave to care for a service member, the covered individual must be a spouse, child, next of kin, parent, parent-in-law or acted in place of a parent to the servicemember.

Covered Events

FMLI provides benefits when you take a leave to care for your own serious health condition, including the birth of your child.
VT FMLI provides benefits for the following family leave events:
 
  • Caring for a family member with a serious health condition.
  • Bonding with a child during the first year following birth or within the first year of initial placement for adoption or fostering.2
  • Caring for a covered military servicemember with a serious illness or injury when you are a spouse, child, parent, parent-in-law, or acted in place of a parent or next of kin to the military servicemember.3
  • A qualifying exigency associated with active duty in the military or a call to active duty of your family member.
You may file an FMLI claim to address issues or circumstances related to one or more of the following qualifying military exigencies:4
 
  • Short-notice deployment
  • Military events and related activities
  • Change in childcare needs and school activities
  • Financial and legal arrangements
  • Counseling
  • Rest and recuperation
  • Post-deployment activities
  • Parental care

Getting a Quote

You can get a quote online and register for a Vermont FMLI Individual Purchasing Program account. Once signed in, you’ll need to provide the following information, such as:
 
  • Vermont employment and resident status
  • Total amount of wages, tips and other income from your W-2 form (box 1 from the last full tax year). If you’re self-employed and do not have a W2 form, divide your annual income as reported in line 3 of your most recent 1040 SE form by 52 weeks.
 
Submit all the requested information and your premium quote will display on the screen.
 
You can proceed to enrollment or come back another time to enroll.

Enrollment

The annual enrollment period runs from May 1-31.
Yes, under certain circumstances. You may be eligible to enroll if one of the following occurs:
 
  • Your employer stops offering Family and Medical Leave Insurance (FMLI) or Family Leave Insurance (FLI) as part of its employee benefits program.
  • You change jobs and your new employer does not offer FMLI or FLI as part of its employee benefits program.
  • You move to and become employed in Vermont, and your new employer does not offer FMLI or FLI coverage as part of its employee benefits program.
You must enroll within 30 days of the special circumstance event.
Enrollment will become effective on July 1 following the next annual enrollment period (the enrollment effective date).
After the enrollment effective date, you’ll be eligible for benefits when you satisfy the eligibility waiting period (a six-month period beginning July 1). No premium will be due during the eligibility waiting period. You’ll be eligible for benefits on the following January 1, and you will receive your first bill by that date.
Log in to your Vermont FMLI Individual Purchasing Program account (you set up this account at the time you requested a quote). Enter any additional information necessary to complete your enrollment, set up your payment method and finalize your purchase by e-signing and submitting the quote. You’ll receive an email confirming your insurance purchase.
You can enroll for coverage through the VT Individual Purchasing Program within 30 days if there’s a special circumstance.5

Benefits

  • Family Leave: Benefit payments will begin on the 8th day of your family leave, except for bonding leaves that immediately follow a medical leave for childbirth.6
  • Medical Leave: Benefit payments will begin on the 8th day of your medical leave.
Up to a combined total of six weeks of paid family and medical leave is available in a 52-week period, counted from the first occurrence of a qualifying leave. The six weeks are a combined total for all leave types.
You’ll be paid 60% of your average weekly wages, up to the maximum weekly benefit.
The maximum weekly benefit under FMLI is $2,031.92 per week.

Interested In Enrolling?

To participate in the Vermont FMLI Individual Purchasing Program, you must be:
 
  • An employee working and residing in Vermont for an employer who does not offer FMLI coverage as part of its benefit package, OR
  • A self-employed Vermont resident.
 
State of Vermont Government Employees are not eligible for the Vermont FMLI Individual Purchasing Program. Refer to the State of Vermont Government Employees FMLI webpage for your employer-provided benefits.
Enroll Now

Contact Us

The Hartford’s dedicated FMLI team is here to help with FMLI questions.
 
Call The Hartford’s FMLI team at 866-541-5322
 
Access the FMLI claims portal
 
Start or Manage a Claim
 
UID 2753596 06/26
 
1 Including but not limited to attending counseling sessions, court appearances, consulting with an attorney or the doctor(s) representing the birth parent, submitting to a physical examination or travelling to another country to complete the adoption.
 
2 Under Vermont law,15 VSA Section 1204(a), civil union partners have all the same benefits, protections and responsibilities as are granted to spouses in a civil marriage.
 
3 As detailed in the Family and Medical Leave Act, 29 USCS, §§ 2611 et seq.
 
4 As detailed in section 825.126 of the Family and Medical Leave Act regulations (29 C.F.R. § 825.126).
 
5 Special circumstances include a change in employer, your current employer’s discontinuation of FMLI coverage or the first date on which your work state and resident state become Vermont.
 
6 Family Leave benefits will become payable immediately if your family leave is to bond with a newborn child and immediately follows your medical leave for childbirth.
 
All benefits are subject to the terms and conditions of the policy. Policies underwritten by the underwriting companies listed above detail exclusions, limitations, reduction of benefits and terms under which the policies may be continued in force or discontinued. Hartford and Life and Accident Insurance Company and Hartford Fire Insurance Company also provides administrative and claim services for employer leave of absence programs and self-funded disability benefit plans.
This informational material is subject to change as The Hartford continues to receive guidance from states and municipalities. It shall not be considered legal advice. The Hartford assumes no responsibility for legal compliance with respect to an employer’s business practices, and the views and recommendations contained herein shall not constitute The Hartford’s undertaking on a company’s behalf, or for the benefit of others, to determine or warrant that an employer’s business operations are in compliance with any law, rule, or regulation. Employers seeking resolution of specific legal or business issues, questions, or concerns regarding this topic should consult their own attorney or business advisors; and employees should continue to consult their employers’ Human Resources or other employment benefits department for guidance on the application of any law, rule, or regulation.
The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., (NYSE: HIG) operates through its subsidiaries, including underwriting companies Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Company and Hartford Fire Insurance Company, under the brand name, The Hartford,® and is headquartered at One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT 06155. For additional details, please read The Hartford’s legal notice at https://www.thehartford.com.