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Equable OriginalVermont teachers’, public safety officers’, and public workers’ pension benefits are entitled to certain protections under state law and affirmed by court rulings. At the same time, the state does have some legal precedent that allows them to change particular aspects of retirement benefits.
In other words, Vermont pension laws allow parts of public pension benefits to be changed by future state laws, but only certain parts of those benefits.
Equable Institute partnered with Columbia Law School’s Center for Public Research and Leadership to create infographics that map states’ pension governance. Understanding the legal environment for pension policies can be confusing for both lawmakers and public workers, but illuminating legally permissible policy pathways to improve funding sustainability and ensure adequate retirement income security for states’ workforces is essential.
Understanding Vermont Pension Laws
In the case of Vermont, state law allows the legislature to increase employees’ contribution rates. In 2008, they did just that, increasing the contribution rates from 3.25 to 5% for active employees to offset the cost of a cost-of-living adjustment.
Changes have also been made to benefit calculations, specifically what can be included in an employee’s final average salary by excluding sick leave and other types of compensation.
The legal environment is favorable for these shifts – meaning that state law and legal precedent allows for changes to these aspects of pension policy.
What’s unclear is whether Vermont can shift workers’ vesting periods or decrease cost-of-living adjustments, because neither of those issues have been brought to court and there is no existing law explicitly prohibiting these changes.
It is important to note that current retirees’ benefits have greater legal protection than those of active employees. Apart from reduced or eliminated COLAs, current retirees’ benefits cannot be taken away or reduced under Vermont pension law.
Disclaimer: The information here doesn’t constitute legal advice or representation. Equable is not necessarily recommending any of the policies discussed in the infographic. Some may not work for certain states, others may not be desirable policy. Ultimately, any pension policy change should honor promises made to public workers and put them on a path to retirement security, while ensuring sustainable funding measures.
