A federal watchdog in the US has revealed a report detailing allegations of misconduct involving former US Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who resigned in April.
On Thursday evening, the Division of Labor’s Workplace of Inspector Normal launched 44 pages detailing incidents the place Chavez-DeRemer reportedly blurred the road between her public workplace and private life.
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The report drew from 500 paperwork and interviews with 53 present and former Labor Division workers, in addition to one worker from one other federal company.
It stated 38 of the interviewees described the secretary’s workplace as a “poisonous, intimidating and humiliating” office.
It additionally accuses Chavez-DeRemer of utilizing authorities workers for personal errands, ingesting alcohol in her workplace throughout working hours and creating an “inappropriate relationship” with a member of her safety element.
The rumours of misconduct in the end pressured Chavez-DeRemer to depart her put up on April 20.
She grew to become the third cupboard secretary to depart the second administration of President Donald Trump, after the departures of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem and Legal professional Normal Pam Bondi earlier this yr.
A ‘poisonous’ atmosphere
Chavez-DeRemer, a former Republican Congress member from Oregon, was sworn in on March 11, 2025. Her place lasted simply over a yr.
The ultimate months of her tenure noticed the resignations of a number of high-level employees members. One, Melissa Robey, claimed in media studies that she was fired underneath stress from the White Home after sitting down with the inspector common’s workplace.
Thursday’s report alleged that Chavez-DeRemer oversaw a hostile office, with senior employees having “routinely engaged in threatening, demeaning, and abusive verbal and written communication” in the direction of their colleagues.
It cited incidents of Labor Division workers being berated in entrance of colleagues and threatened with termination.
A few of the episodes concerned Chavez-DeRemer’s chief of employees, Rebecca Wright. She allegedly relocated one worker’s desk to keep away from having a “fats individual” seen within the entrance workplace, and he or she reportedly suggested one other worker to not minimize her hair too quick to keep away from trying like a “lesbian”.
The report alleges that Chavez-DeRemer was conscious of such incidents however did not take motion to stop them from taking place.
Allegations of inappropriate requests
Investigators additionally discovered that Chavez-DeRemer herself directed authorities workers to carry out private duties throughout official time.
A private aide and govt assistant have been reportedly despatched to her residence to organise her closet, cling laundry and prepare her clothes and purses.
Investigators stated one other worker, who was Hispanic, was directed to supervise employees at Chavez-DeRemer’s residence, together with a transferring crew.
Workers have been additionally tasked with shopping for private gadgets, together with items, image frames, vacation decorations and alcohol, in accordance with the report.
Chavez-DeRemer, Wright and her deputy chief of employees additionally often drank alcohol within the secretary’s examine throughout responsibility hours, in accordance with witness studies. Some workers stated they felt pressured or ridiculed after they declined to take part.
Division of Labor coverage requires advance written authorisation for alcohol on federal property. Investigators discovered no report that the required approval had been obtained.
Relationship with safety element
The watchdog additionally zeroed in on elements of Chavez-DeRemer’s private behaviour that violated authorities ethics requirements.
Laws prohibit authorities workers from utilizing their workplace “to coerce or induce one other individual, together with a subordinate, to offer” them with “any monetary or different profit”.
It additionally bars officers from requesting subordinates to make use of authorities time for actions that fall outdoors their job’s official duties.
However the report decided that Chavez-DeRemer developed an “inappropriately shut and unprofessional” relationship with a senior agent on her protecting element.
Witnesses reported seeing Chavez-DeRemer massaging the agent’s shoulder, {golfing} and playing with him, and leaving an occasion strolling arm-in-arm.
The report, nonetheless, didn’t discover “adequate” proof to conclude the connection was sexual.
Nonetheless, investigators documented conduct the place the connection between Chavez-DeRemer and the agent created conflicts of curiosity or inappropriate work conditions.
The report describes an April 2025 incident during which Chavez-DeRemer was taking a private journey to Oregon and requested her safety element to make an off-the-record cease at a membership that includes partially nude dancers.
The senior agent she was concerned with was additionally on the journey. A limousine driver objected to her requests to drop cash onto a performer, however the senior agent reportedly instructed him to conform.
The agent often diminished the variety of officers protecting Chavez-DeRemer or assumed sole duty for her safety.
Investigators obtained digital lodge door lock information suggesting the 2 hung out in a single day in one another’s rooms and reviewed video footage that documented his visits to her residence.
Unreported items and extra spending
The report additionally discovered journey coverage violations involving extreme spending.
In November 2025, for example, Chavez-DeRemer and two different officers reportedly stayed at motels in Palm Seaside, Florida, to attend an America First Coverage Institute gala.
The fee for his or her lodging approached or exceeded 3 times the federal government reimbursement price, regardless of there being no documentation exhibiting the required approval for the elevated prices.
Investigators additional discovered that Chavez-DeRemer did not report a number of items to the federal government, together with rodeo tickets, an alligator-hide pockets and cowboy hats given to her and her husband.
Federal authorities officers are required to report items they obtain as a part of their official duties, to keep away from conflicts of curiosity.
In its conclusion, the watchdog report recommends structural adjustments to the Labor Division, together with eradicating the protecting models from the secretary’s oversight.
Such brokers, it advised, may as a substitute work underneath the inspector common’s workplace.
The report additionally referred to as for impartial journey audits, stronger whistleblower protections and annual coaching for senior leaders.
Since resigning her cupboard put up, Chavez-DeRemer has introduced she has taken up a senior adviser place at Suppose Huge, a public affairs agency.
In response to the corporate’s web site, the previous secretary heads a observe devoted to labour and nationwide infrastructure.
