In a move that raised eyebrows across official Washington, Dr. Shawn DeRemer, husband of U.S. Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, has been barred from entering the Department of Labor’s headquarters in D.C. after at least two female staffers accused him of inappropriate touching. The allegations surfaced in the middle of a wider inspector general review of the secretary’s office and have already triggered both internal security measures and a police report. Investigators say security footage and witness accounts are now feeding into overlapping administrative and criminal inquiries.
What investigators say
At least two current Labor Department employees told investigators that DeRemer touched them in ways they described as inappropriate, and one of those encounters was reportedly captured on security video on Dec. 18, 2025, according to The New York Times. After those accounts were reviewed, officials circulated a building-restriction notice instructing staff that “if Mr. DeRemer attempts to enter, he is to be asked to leave.”
The Metropolitan Police Department later filed a report on Jan. 24 that described forced sexual contact, The New York Times reported. Between the internal notice and the police paperwork, DeRemer’s access to the building went from informal spouse-of-a-cabinet-secretary status to an explicit keep-out order.
Background on the inspector general probe
The allegations involving DeRemer surfaced in January as part of a complaint to the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, which is separately examining claims about Secretary Chavez-DeRemer’s conduct. Those include an alleged relationship with a subordinate and possible misuse of official travel. The Washington Post reported that two senior aides were placed on administrative leave in connection with the inspector general review, and that the IG’s office declined to comment on any ongoing inquiries.
So while DeRemer is not a federal employee, his name is now tangled up in the same investigative net that is already hanging over the secretary’s own office.
Who is Dr. DeRemer
Dr. DeRemer is an anesthesiologist based in the Portland area and serves as president and executive medical director of Anesthesia Associates Northwest, according to Anesthesia Associates Northwest. He does not appear to hold any formal role at the Labor Department, although, like many cabinet spouses, he has had access to the agency’s headquarters.
Legal implications
The combination of a police report alleging forced sexual contact and an inspector general review creates two separate but very real tracks. The Metropolitan Police Department’s investigation could result in criminal charges if prosecutors conclude there is probable cause, while the inspector general can recommend administrative or disciplinary actions for federal employees caught up in the broader probe.
So far, officials have not publicly described any specific prosecutorial involvement and have declined to discuss personnel matters, according to The New York Times. In other words, the legal machinery is humming in the background, but no one is saying much on the record.
What comes next
In cases like this, investigators generally review available security footage, interview the employees involved and any witnesses, and decide whether to refer the matter to prosecutors. The inspector general’s review can stretch on for weeks or even months, depending on how broad the inquiry becomes and how cooperative key players are.
The Labor Department has said it will not comment on internal personnel matters, and lawyers for Secretary Chavez-DeRemer have also declined to discuss the inspector general’s review, as reported by The Washington Post. For now, the public signal is simple: the secretary’s husband is not allowed in the building, and the people who could change that are not talking.
