Fleece on Earth v. Department of Employment & Training

# Fleece on Earth v. Department of Employment & Training ## What Happened Fleece on Earth, a Vermont company, hired people to knit and sew products from home. The company classified these workers as independent contractors rather than employees. When some workers applied for unemployment benefits, the state denied their claims, saying they weren't employees. Fleece on Earth supported this decision, arguing the home workers were self-employed. ## What the Court Decided Vermont's Supreme Court sided with the state. The court affirmed that the home knitters and sewers were actually employees, not independent contractors. This meant they qualified for unemployment insurance benefits. ## Why This Matters for Workers This ruling protects people who work from home. It shows that simply working remotely doesn't automatically make someone an independent contractor. Companies cannot avoid providing unemployment benefits by claiming home-based workers are self-employed. The decision reinforces that the nature of the working relationship—not the location—determines worker status. This protects vulnerable workers in manufacturing and craft industries from losing important safety nets.