Virtual Town Halls: Join online or by phone, or watch past events
We hosted a series of virtual town halls on legal issues during the COVID-19 crisis. Watch the past town halls.
2020
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Thursday, April 16, 2020, at 10 a.m.: CARES Act stimulus checks - Watch the video on Facebook or YouTube. Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic attorney Zach Lees talks about: who can get a stimulus check; how and when to expect the payment; and potential impact on public benefits, health care coverage and subsidized housing.
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Thursday, April 23, at 10 a.m.: Unemployment benefit changes - Watch the video on Facebook or YouTube. Vermont Legal Aid attorney Kelli Kazmarski talks about: new unemployment programs due to COVID-19; new rules, new issues; how to apply for and get weekly benefits; and what to do if you have a problem.
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Thursday, April 30, at 10 a.m.: Health insurance and access to health care - Watch the video on Facebook or YouTube. Annalee Beaulieu of the Office of the Health Care Advocate at Vermont Legal Aid talks about: health insurance, Medicaid, Medicare and access to health care.
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Thursday, May 7, at 10 a.m.: Rental housing and eviction - Watch the video on Facebook or YouTube. Vermont Legal Aid attorney Jean Murray talks about: changes to landlord-tenant law as a result of COVID-19; what a Vermont eviction moratorium would mean; and the new federal law that affects tenants. Legislation and rules around housing are changing frequently. We are staying on top of these changes, and ask that you keep checking the information on this website
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Thursday, May 28, at 10 a.m.: Debt problems - Watch the video on Facebook or YouTube. Legal Services Vermont attorney Maggie Frye talks about debt and the COVID-19 crisis. Topics include changes to court practices after COVID-19 as well as responding to letters, phone calls and lawsuits by debt collectors.
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Thursday, June 4, at 10 a.m.: Long-term care - Watch the video on Facebook or YouTube. Sean Londergan of the Vermont Long-Term Care Ombudsman Project at Vermont Legal Aid talked about long-term care in facilities (nursing homes, residential care homes and assisted living residences) and community settings (at home) during COVID-19.
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Thursday, June 11, at 10 a.m.: Special education and students living with disability - Watch the video on Facebook or YouTube. Rachel Seelig and Marilyn Mahusky, staff attorneys with the Disability Law Project at Vermont Legal Aid, talked about the COVID-19 emergency, remote learning, and parent and student rights — including IEPs (Individualized Education Programs). They shared tips on what to keep an eye on now and how to solve problems.
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Thursday, July 9, at 10 a.m.: Taxes and health care - Watch the video on Facebook or YouTube. The tax filing deadline is July 15. Join us for a town hall on taxes, health insurance and Premium Tax Credits. Vermont Legal Aid tax attorney Zach Lees and Health Care Advocate Emily Bens talk about dealing with tax issues, deadlines and how to get Premium Tax Credits.
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Thursday, July 16, at 10 a.m.: New rental assistance for Vermonters. Watch the video on Facebook or YouTube. Vermont Legal Aid attorney Jean Murray talked about the new financial help renters can get to pay past-due rent. She discussed how it works and how you can apply.
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Thursday, July 23, at 10 a.m.: New mortgage assistance for Vermonters. Watch the video on Facebook. Vermont Legal Aid Attorney Grace Pazdan talked about the new financial help homeowners can get to pay overdue mortgage payments and other programs for homeowners who may be facing foreclosure. She talked about who can get the new financial help, how it works and how to apply.
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Thursday, August 13, at 10 a.m.: Changes to unemployment benefits and eligibility as more Vermonters get offers to return to work. Watch the video on Facebook. Vermont Legal Aid attorney Kelli Kazmarski talked about changes such as: the ending of the $600/week in federal unemployment benefits; what happens to unemployment benefits when you are not able to return to work for reasons like dependent care or health/safety concerns; and issues with overpayments of benefits. Learn more about unemployment benefits.
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Wednesday, August 26, at 10 a.m.: Fair housing protections. Watch the video on Facebook. Vermont Legal Aid attorney Erika Johnson and special guests United States Attorney Christina Nolan and Civil Rights Coordinator Jules Torti from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Vermont talked about topics in housing discrimination. Topics included sexual harassment in housing, emotional support animals, discrimination based on receipt of public assistance or disability, and more. Explore the fair housing section of our website.
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Thursday, September 24 at 10 a.m.: Eviction, rent assistance and mortgage assistance. Watch the video on Facebook. Vermont Legal Aid attorney Jean Murray talked about the Vermont eviction moratorium compared to the CDC’s moratorium, the funding available for tenants for help with back rent and moving to a new rental unit, and the funding available for homeowners for mortgage and property tax help. Explore the Rental Housing Stabilization Program. Explore the COVID Emergency Mortgage Assistance Program.
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Thursday, October 29, at 10 a.m.: Vermont Health Connect Open Enrollment. Watch the video on Facebook. Alicia Roderigue of the Office of the Health Care Advocate talked about 2021 Vermont Health Connect open enrollment. She discussed health insurance basics and explained who, when and why Vermonters may need to take action with Vermont Health Connect during open enrollment, which starts November 1. Learn more about Vermont Health Connect.
2021
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Thursday, January 7, 2021, at 10 a.m.: Second Round of COVID Economic Impact Payments/Stimulus Checks. Watch the video on Facebook. Attorney Zachary Lees of Vermont Legal Aid's Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic discussed who is eligible to get the stimulus payments and how they will be sent out. He also answered COVID-related tax questions. Learn more about the federal economic impact payments / stimulus checks.
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Thursday, May 27, 2021, at 12 p.m. Unemployment and work search. Watch the video on Facebook. Vermont Legal Aid Staff Attorney Kelli Kazmarski talked about the return of the work-search requirement for unemployment benefit claimants. Kelli discussed who must now perform a work search and how to report it to the Vermont Department of Labor. She also answer questions about these recent changes and other aspect of the unemployment benefits programs in Vermont. Learn more about unemployment in Vermont.
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Thursday, July 1, 2021, at 12 p.m. Health insurance and financial help through Vermont Health Connect. Watch the video on Facebook. Join the Office of the Health Care Advocate as they discuss the increased financial help that is available through Vermont Health Connect, which can help you with your health insurance costs. They talk about who qualifies for this increased financial help, the extra benefits that are available to Vermonters who were on unemployment in 2021, and how you can sign up for health insurance. The Office of the Health Care Advocate is a resource to help you better understand your options.
