'Toxic, intimidating and humiliating': Ex-labor secretary oversaw hostile work environment, watchdog finds

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer oversaw a "toxic, intimidating and humiliating" work environment and engaged in numerous violations of department policy, according to a new report from the department's Office of Inspector General.

The report includes allegations that Chavez-DeRemer "engaged in an inappropriate relationship" with a member of her security detail and violated travel regulations by combining personal and official travel. It also accuses her of violating the department's alcohol policies, directing staff to perform personal tasks on official time, and failing to report gifts through appropriate channels.

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Among the allegations are accusations that senior staff berated employees in front of colleagues and made staffing decisions based on physical appearance rather than professional qualifications.

In one incident, during a personal trip to Oregon, Chavez-DeRemer allegedly stopped at a strip club featuring partially nude dancers and directed her limousine driver to give money to a performer, the report said.

The report says it was based on interviews with 53 current and former labor department staffers and one employee from another federal agency, as well as a review of more than 500 documents, images and videos.

Chavez-DeRemer, who resigned earlier this year, did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent to an email listed on her Facebook page.