The Vermont attorney general’s office said it reached a settlement with a staffing firm that provided a temporary caregiver to multiple Vermont long-term care facilities despite knowing the caregiver had financially exploited at least two older Vermont residents while employed by the firm.

The settlement calls for Staffing Solutions of Vermont LLC to pay a $100,000 penalty, overhaul its employee hiring and termination practices and be subject to state oversight, according to the Attorney General’s office.

Staffing Solutions of Vermont is based in West Lebanon, New Hampshire.

Adult Protective Services in October 2015 found one of the firm’s employees neglected and exploited an older person while on the job, according to the attorney general’s office. And in May 2018, Adult Protective Services found the worker had financially exploited another older person.

The caregiver later pleaded guilty to felony financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult in relation to the 2018 incident. However, the staffing firm continued to employ the worker at long-term care facilities in Vermont, according to the Attorney General’s office.

Under Vermont law, if an individual is found to have abused, exploited or neglected a vulnerable adult — or if an individual has a criminal conviction for the abuse, exploitation or neglect of a vulnerable adult — they are prohibited from employment in long-term care facilities, according to the attorney general’s office.

“The safety and security of those receiving long-term care services depends, in large part, on the quality and character of their caregivers,” Vermont Attorney General Susanne Young said. “Because of that, it’s critical that long-term care facilities and caregiver staffing agencies undertake rigorous screening processes to make sure that their employees are qualified to work with older Vermonters.”

On Monday, the Attorney General’s Elder Protection Initiative and the Vermont Department of Disabilities, Aging and Independent Living jointly issued a required employee screening protocol for long-term care facilities and direct-care staffing agencies to assist them in hiring qualified caregivers.