Burlington School District v. Adam Provost and Seven Days

**Burlington School District v. Adam Provost: Public Access to Resignation Agreement** This case involved a dispute over whether a school district could release details of an employee's resignation agreement to a newspaper. Adam Provost, a former Burlington School District employee, had signed a resignation agreement when he left his job. Later, the newspaper Seven Days requested a copy of this agreement under Vermont's public records law. Provost objected to releasing the unredacted (uncensored) version of his resignation agreement, arguing the court didn't have the right to decide the matter and that he hadn't given up his right to object. The Vermont Supreme Court ruled against Provost, deciding that the school district could release the complete resignation agreement to the newspaper. The court found it had proper jurisdiction to make this decision and that Provost had waived his right to object to the disclosure. **What this means for workers:** If you work for a public employer like a school district or government agency, resignation agreements you sign may become public records that newspapers and citizens can request to see. Unlike private companies, public employers operate under transparency laws that can make employment documents accessible to the public, even if you'd prefer to keep the details private.