DOE IG: Manager Created ‘Negative Work Environment,’ Abused Authority

A senior manager at a federal site office improperly utilized their position to force employees to perform work on personal matters and created a “negative work environment” before being terminated, the Department of Energy’s Inspector General said in a report released Friday. The report did not identify the manager, but it said that the manager made employees work on the family trust of the manager’s relative, used contractor employees to clean the manager’s office and run personal errands, and stored an “extensive” amount of personal records on federal property. “We also substantiated the allegations that the manager accessed employees’ emails and created a negative work environment,” the IG said. “In addition, we found that the manager attempted to intimidate employees after obtaining a copy of an investigative report regarding prior allegations against the manager and stating to staff that the manager knew who the negative comments had come from.” The IG added: “In this environment, it is doubtful that the Site Office was able to function effectively in carrying out its vital mission.”