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Labor briefs Appropriations on FY27 spending, federal funding uncertainty and imminent UI modernization launch
Summary
Vermont’s Department of Labor told the Senate Appropriations Committee its FY27 budget tracks the governor’s recommendation (roughly a 3% general‑fund increase plus SLA/ISF adjustments), highlighted federal allocation uncertainty and described an imminent UI modernization rollout (vendor FAST, project 'Fuse') expected within 60–90 days.
Kendall Smith, commissioner of the Vermont Department of Labor, told the Senate Appropriations Committee on March 31 that the department’s FY27 budget mirrors the governor’s recommendation and includes a roughly 3% general‑fund increase (about 4.7% after ISF/SLA adjustments). Smith said the department is operating with continuing‑resolution assumptions for several federal funding streams and called final federal allocations an important outstanding variable for FY27 planning.
Commissioner Smith summarized Labor’s footprint (central office in Montpelier and 11 regional workforce offices), staffing (263 authorized positions, ~12.6% vacancy) and service volumes (the department reported interacting with about 25,000 UI claimants and ~10,500 case‑managed clients in calendar year 2025). Smith said roughly half of…
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