The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 9 : Commerce and Trade

Chapter 141 : Human Rights Commission

• § 4555. Information; disclosure and confidentiality

  (a)(1) Except as provided in this subsection, the Human Rights Commission’s complaint files and investigative files shall be confidential.

  (2) The Commission shall make the investigative file available to the charging party, the respondent, their attorneys, and any State or federal law enforcement agency seeking to enforce anti-discrimination statutes, upon reasonable request, except that the Commission may refuse to disclose:

  (A) the identities of nonparty witnesses to the investigation if good cause is shown to protect the witness’s confidentiality; or

  (B) records or information the release of which may be prohibited under State or federal law absent court order.

  (3) A party or entity denied information or records under subdivision (2)(A) or (B) of this subsection may seek the information or records by subpoena. The Commission and any affected person may contest the subpoena in court.

  (4) Any records or information described in subdivision (2)(A) or (B) of this subsection made available to a party or entity pursuant to a confidentiality agreement or court order requiring confidentiality shall be kept confidential in accordance with the agreement or order, unless disclosure is otherwise authorized by law or court order.

  (b) Nothing said or done as part of conciliation efforts under this chapter may be made a matter of public record or used as evidence in a subsequent civil action without written consent of the parties. Final settlement agreements shall be public documents and the parties shall be so informed.

  (c) If the Commission determines that there are reasonable grounds to believe that discrimination has occurred, that determination and the names of the parties may be made public after the parties have been notified of the Commission’s determination. If the Commission finds that there are no reasonable grounds to find discrimination, the identity of the parties and any information that would identify the parties shall remain confidential. The Commission shall inform the parties about the provisions of this subsection. In all cases, even if the records are confidential, the facts may be used for educational purposes if sufficiently altered so that no person involved in a case can be identified. (Added 1989, No. 89, § 6; amended 1995, No. 172 (Adj. Sess.), § 3; 2015, No. 29, § 20.)