Governor Moves To Merge Commerce, Labor Departments

Thursday, January 19, 2017 | 0

Vermont may merge its labor and commerce departments as per a push by its new governor, the nonprofit news site VTDigger.org reported.

On his first day in office, Republican Gov. Phil Scott signed an executive order to merge the Department of Labor with the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, creating the Agency of Economic Opportunity.

No jobs would be lost in the restructuring, which Scott said intends to save money and increase efficiency. He said there is currently a "disconnect" between the skills unemployed workers are building and the skills hiring companies need, and merging the two state agencies "is designed to bridge that gap."

Vermont's workers' compensation agency would be housed under the new department. The Vermont Occupational Safety and Health Administration, however, would move to the Department of Public Safety. 

The state legislature must take action on the executive order within 90 days. Either the House or Senate could strike it down by voting against it. 

The restructuring would require Lindsay Kurrle, commissioner of the Department of Labor, to report to Michael Schirling, the current secretary of commerce and community development, who would become the secretary of the Agency of Economic Opportunity, the Burlington Free Press reported.

The Chamber of Commerce supports the merger, while two senators have voiced concerns. Sen. Tim Ashe, Vermont Progressive Party-Chittendon, and Michael Sirotkin, D-Chittendon, told VTDigger.org that housing business and labor interests under the same roof recalls the time the Agency of Commerce and Community Development both promoted and regulated projects funded through the EB-5 visa program, which was a target for fraud.

Ashe, who is Senate presiden, said the chamber would begin discussing the proposed restructuring right away, because waiting three months is "not in anyone's interest." 

Read VTDigger.com's story here.