Unemployment After Being Fired in Vermont
Whether you can collect unemployment in Vermont after being fired, what counts as misconduct, and how to appeal a denial.
Short answer: If you are discharged for misconduct connected with your work, you are disqualified for 6 to 15 weeks after you file, as the Commissioner decides. Your total benefits are also limited to 23 full weeks. 21 V.S.A. § 1344(a)(1)(A), (a)(2)(B); VDOL, Calculating Your UI Benefit
| If you were fired | If you are discharged for misconduct connected with your work, you are disqualified for 6 to 15 weeks after you file, as the Commissioner decides. Your total benefits are also limited to 23 full weeks. If you are fired for gross misconduct, you are disqualified until you work for a bona fide employer and earn more than 6 times your weekly benefit amount. Gross misconduct means flagrant, wanton and intentional disregard of the employer's business interest, such as theft, fraud, intoxication, intentionally damaging property or injuring someone, a felony, or repeated insubordination or public profanity after a written warning. |
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| Appealing a denial | Your appeal must be received within 30 calendar days of the determination date. Send it by mail to the Vermont Department of Labor in Montpelier, by email to Labor.appeals@vermont.gov, by fax to (802) 828-4289, or deliver it in person. An administrative law judge holds a phone hearing first. Later appeals go to the Employment Security Board and then the Vermont Supreme Court. |
Where to get help in Vermont
More Vermont unemployment benefits
- Logging In to Your Vermont Unemployment Claim
- Unemployment for Self-Employed and Gig Workers in Vermont
- Unemployment After Quitting in Vermont
- How Much Unemployment Pays in Vermont
- How to File for Unemployment in Vermont
- All Vermont unemployment benefits rules
FAQ
Can you get unemployment if you were fired in Vermont?
If you are discharged for misconduct connected with your work, you are disqualified for 6 to 15 weeks after you file, as the Commissioner decides. Your total benefits are also limited to 23 full weeks. If you are fired for gross misconduct, you are disqualified until you work for a bona fide employer and earn more than 6 times your weekly benefit amount. Gross misconduct means flagrant, wanton and intentional disregard of the employer's business interest, such as theft, fraud, intoxication, intentionally damaging property or injuring someone, a felony, or repeated insubordination or public profanity after a written warning.
How do I appeal an unemployment denial in Vermont?
Your appeal must be received within 30 calendar days of the determination date. Send it by mail to the Vermont Department of Labor in Montpelier, by email to Labor.appeals@vermont.gov, by fax to (802) 828-4289, or deliver it in person. An administrative law judge holds a phone hearing first. Later appeals go to the Employment Security Board and then the Vermont Supreme Court.
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.