CBS News has not independently verified the claims that surfaced after Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer announced her resignation earlier this week. Multiple outlets reported an internal probe into alleged workplace misconduct while she led the department.
Reported accusations include misuse of taxpayer funds for personal travel and an alleged affair with a subordinate. Several accounts also say Chavez-DeRemer fostered a workplace in which predatory behavior by her husband and her father toward department employees was tolerated. Other reports claim she drank during the workday. These are among the specific allegations cited in the internal investigation.
The Department of Labor inspector general (IG) ran the principal inquiry. The IG’s ability to pursue or sanction subjects is limited once those employees leave the agency; when staff depart the department, the IG may no longer investigate or hold them accountable. That limitation raises questions about how far the IG can follow up now that Chavez-DeRemer has stepped down.
Other paths remain. Reports say at least three women have filed workplace discrimination complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) tied to claims that the environment enabled her husband’s allegedly predatory conduct. Unlike the IG probe, EEOC complaints can continue after an official departs. An unnamed Iowa senator was also reported to be reviewing some allegations, but it is unclear if that review will proceed.
Lawmakers responded with mixed statements; many Democrats expressed relief at her resignation. Chavez-DeRemer is the third cabinet secretary to leave this year amid scrutiny. It is not yet clear whether she will face additional accountability through the IG, EEOC complaints, congressional inquiries, or other processes.