Energy Office Hit With Lawsuit After Deferring Job Offer That Prompted Man to Sell Possessions and Move States

A man who says he sold and donated his household belongings after receiving a job offer from the Virgin Islands Energy Office is now suing after he says Kyle Fleming, VIEO director, deferred the offer a day before his scheduled start date. According to court records, Carlson Swafford says that he began applying for jobs last year, and by early April 2025 he had been selected to attend an initial video interview with VIEO. A second interview followed, and on June 17 he was offered the role of Distributed Energy Technologies Program Director. According to the civil complaint, the job was “an enticing opportunity to dramatically enhance” Mr. Swafford's career, and came with an attractive salary and benefits. He accepted the next day. Because the job was to be performed in person, Mr. Swafford said that he and his family began preparing to relocate from Vermont to St. Croix. Having shifted focus to the move and his new job prospect, Mr. Swafford reportedly stopped applying for jobs and a...