SECURITY BREACH
Leonine Public Affairs On Monday the Department of Labor (VDOL) announced a mailing error that resulted in a major data breach. VDOL estimates that the personally identifiable information of somewhere between 25,000 and 58,000 Vermonters was compromised when 1099 forms were mailed to incorrect addresses. The 1099 forms included names, addresses and Social Security numbers.
The forms were sent out to unemployment insurance recipients at the beginning of the month. VDOL had printed 180,000 forms and was able to stop the majority from being mailed once the error was discovered.
The response to the breach came swiftly and from across state government. Governor Phil Scott announced on Wednesday that he had dispatched two rapid response teams to VDOL to support and expedite the response to the breach.
Consultant for White River Junction company utters racial slurs during Vermont Senate meeting
Steven Gayle, a consultant with the Resource Systems Group, was fired after he twice used a racial epithet during a break in a legislative committee meeting on Wednesday.
Modified: 2/4/2021 9:55:11 PM
In a bizarre moment during a virtual meeting of the Vermont Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday, a consultant scheduled to testify uttered a racial slur twice, apparently unaware his microphone was on.
Though the incident was not immediately addressed in committee, video of it later circulated among legislators and Senate President Pro Tempore Becca Balint, D-Windham, called it “abhorrent.”
By Mallika Kallingal and Rebekah Riess, CNN
Updated 3:58 AM ET, Fri February 5, 2021
Steven Gayle (CNN)A consultant has been fired after he was heard making a racist slur during a break in a Vermont Senate Transportation Committee meeting held via Zoom video conferencing, according to his employer.
The man, identified on the committee s agenda as Steven Gayle, a consultant for Resource Systems Group, Inc., had been scheduled to testify to the committee on Wednesday. His name was also displayed on the Zoom video.
After learning of the incident, Resource Systems Group CEO Stephen Lawe issued an apology on behalf of his company. I apologize to anyone affected by these deplorable remarks. The outburst by an employee of RSG is both regrettable and unforgivable. This kind of behavior is not at all tolerated and the employee was terminated immediately, he said.
Updated: 5:05 PM EST Feb 4, 2021 Jake Cookson Digital Media Manager A state consultant has been fired after using racial slurs during a virtual meeting with the Vermont Senate Transportation Committee on Wednesday. Steven Gayle, the consultant and a director with Resource Systems Group, said a slur twice during a 10-minute intermission in the meeting, apparently unaware that his microphone was on. The slurs were not initially noted by anyone in the committee, all of whom were absent from the screen as Gayle appeared alone along with an intermission notice. A spokesperson with the Agency of Transportation confirmed with NBC5 News that Gayle was fired early Thursday morning. “The Agency of Transportation and the State of Vermont will not tolerate racist conduct by consultants engaged by the State, a release from the group read. The Secretary of Transportation contacted the CEO of the company this morning, upon learning of this incident. The CEO has i