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Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer violated her own department's policy prohibiting harassment in the workplace, according to a new report by the Labor Department's Office of Inspector General (OIG), released Thursday. The report follows a months-long investigation triggered by an anonymous complaint alleging she created a hostile work environment, engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a member of her security detail, failed to comply with travel regulations, and directed subordinates to perform personal tasks during work hours.
The OIG, led by former Republican Congressman Anthony D'Esposito, interviewed 53 former and current Labor Department employees. While the report found merit in all original complaints, it did not allege criminal violations. Chavez-DeRemer herself was not interviewed; she resigned a day before scheduled testimony.
Key findings include: 1. **Harassment and Toxic Work Environment**: Employees described a "toxic, humiliating, and intimidating" environment. Chavez-DeRemer’s chief of staff Jihun Han and deputy Rebecca Wright engaged in demeaning and abusive behavior, including comments about staffers' appearance and threats to fire them. Wright allegedly hired staff based on physical appearance rather than qualifications and made derogatory remarks, such as advising an employee not to cut their hair to avoid being perceived as "lesbian" and relocating an employee’s desk to avoid a "fat person" being visible.
2. **Inappropriate Relationship**: Investigators obtained electronic records and surveillance footage suggesting Chavez-DeRemer developed an unprofessional relationship with a security detail member. She directed her driver to enter a strip club with the member, took money from her purse to pay performers, and pressured the agent to comply with her requests, despite the agent’s resistance.
3. **Personal Favors During Work Hours**: Employees performed personal tasks for Chavez-DeRemer, such as organizing her laundry and dry cleaning, using department-provided resources. This violated ethical standards.
4. **Misuse of Official Travel**: Deputy chief of staff Rebecca Wright allegedly added official engagements to personal trips to justify using government funds. For example, a trip to Las Vegas was reassigned from a speaking engagement to Chavez-DeRemer after she received complimentary rodeo tickets, and she failed to report the gifts despite completing ethics training.
The Labor Department’s stated mission is to improve working conditions, but the report found Chavez-DeRemer failed to enforce policies, including harassment prevention and ethical conduct, without alleging federal law violations.
After her resignation, Sonderling was promoted to acting labor secretary.
Source: NPR
