Labor Department Official Warns That Staff Who Speak With Journalists Face "Serious Legal Consequences"

Source: ProPublica

Trump Administration
Labor Department Official Warns That Staff Who Speak With Journalists Face “Serious Legal Consequences”

Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s chief of staff issued the warning as department employees have spoken to the news media about harms they see resulting from the dismantling of their agency, which enforces laws guaranteeing workers’ rights.

by Mark Olalde
April 23, 2025, 9:20 a.m. EDT

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A top official in the Department of Labor this week informed all staff members that they could face criminal charges if they speak to journalists, former employees or others about agency business. ... A memo sent Monday by Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer’s chief of staff, Jihun Han, and obtained by ProPublica, states that “individuals who disclose confidential information or engage in unauthorized communications with the media may face serious legal consequences.”

Among the ramifications, the memo states, are “potential criminal penalties, depending on the nature of the information and the applicable laws,” and “immediate disciplinary actions, up to and including termination.” ... The guidance document went on to say that “any unauthorized communication with the media,” regardless of what information is shared or how it is shared, “will be treated as a serious offense.”

The memo listed laws, regulations and a departmental guide to explain its legal position. Among them was a regulation concerning civil servants’ ethical obligations and a law, the Freedom of Information Act, guaranteeing the public the right to inspect certain public records. ... “This message will serve as your only warning,” the memo stated.

The warning comes as current and former Labor Department employees have spoken to the news media about harms they see resulting from the dismantling of portions of their agency, which enforces laws guaranteeing rights to a safe workplace, fair pay and protections against discrimination. ... “It’s very chilling,” a Labor Department employee who requested anonymity for fear of retribution told ProPublica. “It’s never a good look when you’re telling people to never talk about what you’re doing.”

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Read more: https://www.propublica.org/article/us-department-labor-leak-criminal-charges-threat