Internal watchdog concluded Lori Chavez-DeRemer had inappropriate relationship with security aide, used public resources for personal travel before resignation

Published on: Sep 4, 2026, 15:00:22 IST

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An internal investigation released late Thursday found former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer allowed harassment of staffers, had an inappropriate relationship with a security aide and used government funds for personal travel.

Released months after Chavez-DeRemer resigned under a cloud of allegations, the 40-page report by the department’s internal watchdog described a “toxic, intimidating and humiliating” workplace at the federal agency tasked with protecting U.S. workers. The department also didn’t appear to have a policy addressing personal or romantic relationships between supervisors and subordinates, it found.

The investigation, conducted by the Labor Department’s inspector general, Anthony D’Esposito, found that the former secretary maintained an “inappropriately close and unprofessional relationship” with a member of her security team, though it was unable to substantiate allegations that the relationship was sexual or romantic.

In all, the report said, Chavez-DeRemer’s conduct was “inconsistent” with agency standards in six areas, including that she failed to prohibit harassment in the workplace, consumed alcohol in the office without proper authorization, had staff perform personal tasks for her using official time and resources, and failed to properly report gifts.

Chavez-DeRemer resigned on April 20, one day before she was set to be interviewed by the inspector general. After she stepped down, she declined to be interviewed but has previously denied allegations of misused funds or an improper relationship with a member of her security team. Her lawyer didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment, nor did the Labor Department.

Her two closest aides, chief of staff Jihun Han and deputy chief of staff Rebecca Wright, also violated policies by routinely engaging in “threatening, demeaning, and abusive verbal and written communication” with staff, the report concluded. Attempts to reach Han and Wright weren’t successful.

In interviews with the inspector general’s office, employees recounted multiple instances of harassment by the aides, including meetings described as “beatdowns,” where Han and Wright would berate staffers over perceived shortcomings. Han also threatened to fire employees “and appeared to take satisfaction in doing so.”

Chavez-DeRemer was “seemingly aware” of this behavior but didn’t stop it or discipline her aides, the report concluded.

Witnesses also said Chavez-DeRemer, Han and Wright would openly discuss other employees’ performance in front of other staff, including whether employees had cried during meetings.

The investigation didn’t find enough evidence to substantiate allegations that Chavez-DeRemer’s relationship with her security staffer was romantic or sexual, the report said, but it described multiple instances of unprofessional or unusually close behavior between the two. An employee recounted seeing the former secretary massaging the agent’s shoulders, for example, and witnesses said the two often texted each other on their personal phones outside of work hours.

The agent was placed on leave after the allegations of an inappropriate relationship emerged, and he resigned in March. Han and Wright were terminated in March, as was another member of the secretary’s staff, who oversaw her travel and public appearances.

Deputy Secretary Keith Sonderling took over the oversight of the agency after Chavez-DeRemer’s resignation, and President Trump in June nominated him to be labor secretary.

Write to Lauren Weber at Lauren.Weber@wsj.com

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