Below you will find links to investigative reports for cases where the Vermont Human Rights Commission has found reasonable grounds to believe that discrimination occurred in housing, employment, or a place of public accommodation. When the Vermont Human Rights Commission finds that there are reasonable grounds to believe that unlawful discrimination occurred, the HRC statute requires that the Investigative Report, the Final Determination, and any Post-Determination Conciliation Agreement (PDCA) become public documents. If the Vermont Human Rights Commission finds that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that unlawful discrimination occurred, the Commission closes the case and the identities of the parties remain confidential.
Note that in some cases, the preliminary recommendation can be for a finding of no reasonable grounds. After deliberations, the Commission can reverse the preliminary recommendations and make final determinations of reasonable grounds. In some cases, the Commission will make a "split" decision - partial reasonable grounds and partial no reasonable grounds final determinations - where more than one claim or protected category was included in the initial allegations.
Once the Commission makes a final determination of reasonable grounds, the parties have six months to negotiate a settlement. If a case is not settled within that time period, the Commission must make a decision whether to litigate a case. The Commission may also decline to litigate a case, which is closes a case without settlement.
The documents below contain the initial investigative report and the Commission’s final determination. Cases that were closed without settlement, cases that were settled through litigation, and cases that are currently in active litigation are indicated as such.
The investigative reports are available for reasonable grounds cases from FY14 to the present in PDF format below or in hard copy in our office. The investigative reports are available for reasonable grounds cases from FY99 to FY09 in hard copy in our office. PDCAs from FY99 to the present are available in hard copy in our office.
2020
- Sall v. Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs & the Chittenden County State’s Attorneys’ Office (redacted) (2020) (Race and Color)
- Larivee v. Andersson (2020) (Disability Discrimination)
- Bradford v. Travelodge - (service animal) (2020) (Disability Discrimination)
2019
- Quiñones v. Department of Corrections and Department of Human Resources (Redacted) (Parental and Family Leave) (Sept 2019)
- Weygant v. Deery (redacted) (Sept 2019) (Public Assistance Discrimination)
- McGurl v. Agency of Transportation (redacted) (post finding settlement) (2019) (Reasonable Accommodation)
- "Mr. Oak" o/b/o "K.O." v. Town of Waterbury - (Lack of accommodation of child with disability at summer camp) (2018) (litigation filed 2019) (Disability Discrimination)
- Latonia Congress v. Department of Corrections & Centurion of Vermont - (Effective Communication in prison setting) (2019) (Disability Discrimination)
2018
- Dersch v. Porrier (redacted) (2018) (Minor Children Discrimination)
- Tummings v. Stevens (redacted) (injunction filed in 2018 pending final court hearings) (2019) (Minor Children Discrimination)
- Francois v. Department of Mental Health (2018) (Race and Color)
- Dersch v. Porrier (redacted) (2018) (Retaliation)
- "C.S." v. Department of Corrections (redacted) - (prolonged segregation in prison) (settled 2018) (2016) (Disability Discrimination)
- Minor v. AIR Development, LLC, d/b/a Apple Island Resort - (Settled) (Parking Access) (2018) (Disability Discrimination)
- Julie Hay v. University of Vermont Medical Center (redacted) -(settled 2018) (Effective Communication in health care settings) (2017) (Disability Discrimination)
- "W.M." v. Department of Mental Health and Department of Corrections -(redacted) (lack of access to mental health treatment) (settled 2018) (2017) (Disability Discrimination)
2017
- A.C. v. Macy (2017)
- Diallo v. DTG Operations, Inc. d/b/a Thrifty Car Rental (settled 2017) (National Origin, Race and Color Discrimination)
- Robert Merriam v. Vermont Department of Public Safety - (access to medical marijuana by person diagnosed with PTSD) (2017) (Disability Discrimination)
- Jeff Nolan v. Wesco, Inc. d/b/a Champlain Farms "Capital Deli" - (settled) (service animal) (2017) (Disability Discrimination)
- Sharon Fortin v. Hayes Hospitality Holdings, LP d/b/a Grey Fox Inn - (service animal) (2017) (Disability Discrimination)
2016
- Thissell v. Department of Corrections (Dismissed) (2016) (Parental and Family Leave)
- Rababah v. Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles (settled 2016) (National Origin, Race and Color Discrimination)
- Alcudia v. Grand Isle County Sheriff's Department (settled 2016) - Spanish - Investigative Report Only (National Origin, Race and Color Discrimination)
- Alcudia v. Grand Isle County Sheriff's Department (settled 2016) - English (National Origin, Race and Color Discrimination)
- "D.C." v. Agency of Human Services, Department of Mental Health and Department of Corrections -(segregation and prison lack of access to care)(2016) (Disability Discrimination)
2015
- Silloway v. Department of Corrections and Agency of Human Services (Court Decision) (2015) (Equal Pay Act)
- Bertrand v. Department of Corrections and Department of Human Resources (Court Decision) (2015) (Equal Pay Act)
- Estate of Lisa Deblois v. Department of Corrections and Department of Human Resources (Court Decision) (2015) (Equal Pay Act)
- Smith v WRJ District Court, Windsor County Sheriff's Depart. & State of Vermont Judiciary)(Settled) (Service animal) (2015) (Disability Discrimination)
2014
- Lambert v. Smart Suites - (Settled) (2014)
- Limoge v. Smart Suites - (Settled) (2014)
- Morgan v. Orange County Sheriff's Department (settled 2014) (National Origin, Race and Color Discrimination)
- Nolen v. Capitol Plaza Hotel & City of Montpelier (Settled) (2014) (Accessibility)