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Human Rights Commission seeks two positions and short‑term funding to clear complaint backlog
Summary
Big Hartman, executive director and general counsel of the Vermont Human Rights Commission, asked the Appropriations Committee for mid‑year funding to add an intake specialist and an investigator to address an investigation backlog and a surge in new complaints.
Big Hartman, executive director and general counsel of the Vermont Human Rights Commission, told the Appropriations Committee the commission is facing an increasing volume of complex complaints and a persistent backlog that has left complainants waiting months for intake and investigations.
"We are turning people away almost every day," Big Hartman said, describing an "intangible influx of requests for new complaints" and staff burnout that led to two departures. The commission requested two positions to be added mid‑year: a full‑time intake specialist (estimated total annual salary and benefits $97,000) and an investigator/staff attorney (estimated total annual salary and benefits $130,000). For the remainder of fiscal year 2025 the commission requested partial‑year funding to begin those positions immediately rather than waiting for the next fiscal cycle.
Why it matters: the commission enforces state anti‑discrimination laws in fair housing, places of public accommodation and state employment. Hartman told the committee the office currently has seven staff including three investigators; he said more capacity is needed so the commission can meet federal contract expectations and its own rules for timely investigation.
What was presented: Hartman outlined three core jurisdictional areas (housing, public accommodation, state employment) and said the commission receives roughly 100 new inquiries a month — many involving people with disabilities or other complex needs. He said the commission closed 40% more cases after recent process changes, but investigators are still carrying long caseloads and some accepted complaints have waited six months or longer to be assigned. Hartman said HUD funds about 10% of the commission’s work through a contract and that HUD expects initial processing of new fair housing inquiries within 30 days and faster investigation timetables than the commission has been able to meet this year.
Technology and operating costs: Hartman said the governor recommended $35,137 to replace aging laptops. He also described an unexpected increase in Agency of Digital Services (ADS) hosting charges tied to a new case‑management system the commission began using; those ADS fees arrived late in the budget process and materially increased the office’s IT costs.
Questions and follow up: Senators pressed Hartman for detail about caseload numbers and costs; Hartman supplied the monthly intake figure (about 100 new inquiries) and the staffing totals and said he would return with more specific budget figures for a sustained staffing request in fiscal year 2026. He also said the requested mid‑year positions would relieve intake pressure and allow accepted complaints to be assigned to investigators sooner.
No formal committee vote was recorded on the Human Rights Commission request during the meeting. Hartman and committee members discussed the timing and the commission said it will return with fuller fiscal‑year‑26 budget requests and additional detail on caseload projections.
Ending: Hartman asked for temporary mid‑year funding to begin hiring immediately to reduce the backlog; committee members signaled interest in addressing the capacity problem and noted the commission may return with further budget requests for fiscal 2026.
