Section 124 - Department of Corrections; Corrections Investigative Unit(a) Creation. There is created the Corrections Investigative Unit (CIU) within the Department. The CIU shall investigate the following topics to comply with federal law and to identify systemic issues within the Department:(1) allegations of violations of the Prison Rape Elimination Act;(2) major events that occur in the Department, including the death of an individual in the custody of the Department or the escape of an individual from a facility or the custody of Department staff;(3) Department compliance with policies, procedures, and directives;(4) the movement of contraband in facilities; and(5) threats against the personal safety of Department employees and individuals in the custody of the Department.(b) Staff. The Commissioner of Corrections shall appoint and employ sufficient staff and adopt the necessary procedures for the CIU to carry out the duties required under this section.(c) Coordination. The CIU shall coordinate with outside investigative agencies and law enforcement agencies concerning criminal allegations and shall coordinate with a designated point of contact at the Department of Human Resources on employee misconduct investigations and disciplinary actions. The CIU shall conduct personal safety planning as necessary for employees who receive threats.(d) Employee rights. (1) An employee who is subject to questioning or investigation by the CIU shall be entitled to all procedural and substantive rights afforded to the employee by State and federal law and any applicable collective bargaining agreement or employment contract, including any contractual rights that apply to proceedings or investigations that may result in an adverse employment action.(2) Information gathered by the CIU in the course of an investigation shall be subject to discovery pursuant to the applicable rules of the Vermont Labor Relations Board or a court of competent jurisdiction, as appropriate.(e) Collective bargaining. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the right of the State and the employee organization to collectively bargain with respect to matters related to investigations and employee discipline that are not otherwise controlled by statute.Added by 2021, No. 56,§ 5, eff. 7/1/2021.