In Re Grievance of Rosenberger

**What Happened** Rosenberger was a Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife employee who was fired. He filed a grievance claiming he was wrongfully terminated and that his employer broke his contract. When his case went before the Vermont Labor Relations Board, important evidence from interviews was excluded from consideration. **What the Court Decided** The Vermont Supreme Court reversed the Labor Relations Board's decision and sent the case back for reconsideration. The court ruled that the Board made an error by excluding evidence from investigative interviews where Rosenberger had union representation present. The court found the Board wrongly applied rules that prevented this evidence from being heard. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling strengthens workers' rights in grievance proceedings. It establishes that statements made during investigative interviews with union representatives present should generally be allowed as evidence. This means workers can speak more freely during investigations knowing their words won't automatically be thrown out of later proceedings. The decision also reinforces that labor boards must be careful about excluding evidence and gives workers better chances to present their full case when challenging terminations or contract violations.