VSEA State’s Attorney’s Office Tentative Agreement Bargaining Meeting

Dear VSEA State’s Attorneys’ Office bargaining unit members;
 
After tough negotiations, your bargaining team reached a tentative agreement with the State’s Attorneys’ Office this week. Please stay tuned to your email for ratification ballots and finalized contract language, which will be coming in the next few weeks.

Your bargaining team will be hosting informational Zoom meetings on Tuesday, February 3 at 12:00PM – 1:00PM and Friday, February 6 at 12:00PM -1:00PM. Links to the informational meetings are found at the bottom of this email.

Below are the highlights of the tentative agreement:

Article 18 Personal Leave:
All full-time employees will receive an additional day (8 hours) of personal leave annually. (Total 40 hours of personal leave, currently 32.) Part time employees working 50% of full-time hours or less will received pro-rated personal leave.
 
Article 25 Salary and Steps: 
All staff will receive a 7% cost of living increase over the 2 years of the agreement. The SAO has adopted the COLA schedule approved for the Executive Branch employees: a base increase of two (2%) as of the first payroll period of July 2026; an additional base increase of two (2%) percent as of January 1, 2027; and an additional base increase of three (3%) as of the first payroll period of July 2027.
 
Additionally, this agreement achieves pay parity between DSAs and Attorneys in the Office of the Defender General (ODG). The agreement adopts the current ODG Attorney Pay Plan as the DSA Pay Plan–a 3.7% increase–and then applies the same COLAs described above to the ODG Pay Plan.
 
New Article Caseload Study Committee:
The creation of a labor-management committee to review case filing data state-wide and to assess the feasibility of caseload caps for DSA and VA and potential impacts of such caps on Department operations, and to make recommendations for how such caps could be implemented. The work of the committee may be the basis of proposals in the next round of bargaining.  The committee shall meet at least quarterly over the next two (2) years until its work is completed and a consensus viewpoint, if possible, is developed.
 
Article 26 Annual License Reimbursement:
Amended to require that the Department cover the financial cost of professional relicensing and associated fees for DSAs.
 
Article 30 Parental and Family Leave:
New article reflects expanded statutory rights under Vermont’s Parental and Family Leave Act, as well as employees’ rights under Federal Family and Medical Leave Act. New article maintains contractual benefits above statutory minimums.
 
Article 16 Annual Leave:
Addition of SAS Legal Assistants, SAS Paralegals, and SAS Investigators and SAS Administrative Coordinators to the scheme of training stipends.
 
Article 7 Probationary Employees:
The probationary period for DSAs (as to separation rights only) may be extended for not more than two (2) ninety (90) day extensions.
 
Article 10 Performance Evaluation and Corrective Action:
Section 7 Language change to reflect that during the rating year, Supervisors “shall make a good faith effort to” call attention to an employee’s work performance which may affect their rating.

Topic: State’s Attorneys’ Office TA Meeting
Time: Feb 3, 2026 – 12:00PM 
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84590322374?pwd=1GVaswpcmTURVba3dPkFi8AlEJHV2S.1
 
Meeting ID: 845 9032 2374
Passcode: 486227
 
 
Topic: State’s Attorneys’ TA Meeting
Time: Feb 6, 2026 – 12:00PM
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81099591999?pwd=pwQ8cB5kylWrCQVNVapsD4SU5HrXFw.1
 
Meeting ID: 810 9959 1999
Passcode: 780886