COMMENTARY: A Labor Day message

September 1, 2025 | By Kendal Smith

Labor Day is a time to honor workers’ contributions across Vermont.

In Vermont, our economy and our communities are powered by hardworking people —from the farmers who keep our tables stocked, to the builders shaping our towns, as well as the educators, health care workers, public servants, and small business employees who serve our neighbors daily.

We also recognize the vital contributions of unpaid labor, especially the caregivers, parents, and family members who are balancing their jobs with childcare, eldercare, volunteerism, and an ever-growing list of demands outside the workplace. That is also real work, and foundational to Vermont’s social and economic well-being.

Whether you are at the beginning of your work journey as a high school student with a part-time job or are preparing to exit the labor force after decades, you remind us that every stage of a career brings value, growth, and lessons for the future of our workforce. With an estimated 17,000 job openings across Vermont, there is tremendous opportunity to strengthen our economy by connecting employers with the talent they need, and workers with the education and training to help them succeed.

The Vermont Department of Labor’s Economic & Labor Market Information Division, vtlmi.info, offers a wide range of labor and economic insights, including employment, wages, and occupational data.

The Vermont Department of Labor is committed to ensuring that Vermonters receive fair and equitable treatment, that their workplaces are safe and free from retaliation, and that employment discrimination has no place in Vermont. Additionally, we thank all Vermont employers for their pledge to these principles. 

Learn more about the history of Labor Day here. To view Vermont job openings, visit VermontJoblink.com. 

Kendall Smith is Vermont’s interim Commissioner of Labor.