We are very pleased to deliver yet another overall Unemployment Insurance (UI) rate reduction to members for a third straight year! At its October meeting, the VERB Trust Board approved an average 7.2% overall reduction in rates for members for 2026. Note that while the overall rate is decreasing, some members may not see a reduction in their costs due to their specific claims experience and payroll exposures.
The board also voted to again return a total of $100,000 to members in the form of contribution credits – which will be subtracted from the billing statements of the members that qualify for credit.
In addition, this year the board adopted a set taxable wage base for 2026 of $15,000 per employee. This wage base is exclusive to the VERB UI Trust – separate from the state’s taxable wage base – and thereby provides UI Trust members with far more rate stability than is experienced by employers that use the Vermont Department of Labor's unemployment insurance program.
VLCT IT staff and Kelley Avery, Employee Benefits Program Administrator, plan to complete UI renewals and mail them with the initial billing statements by the Thanksgiving holiday. Anyone with questions or requiring any additional information can feel free to call or email Kelley Avery, kavery@vlct.org, at any time.