While organizations often rely on internal auditors to identify the characteristics of a hostile workplace and bring them to management’s attention, one internal audit chief stands accused of creating one.
Last month, the city of Hartford, Conn.’s human resources director, Thulani LeGrier, recommended the firing of Hartford’s chief internal auditor, Craig Trujillo, for belittling employees, inappropriate workplace behavior, and poor auditing practices. According to a June 19 interoffice memo addressed to Hartford’s Internal Audit Commission and published by NBC Connecticut, LeGrier called his conduct demonstrative of “an abuse of power and was lacking in basic professional respect and commonplace decency.”
“Mr. Trujillo’s combination of offensive behaviors set a tone that…was a stark and consistent reminder to the IAC staff that Mr. Trujillo believed that he could act with impunity,” LeGrier wrote in the memo.
Allegations were first brought against Trujillo, chief internal auditor of Hartford, on February 25 by Joseph Caruso, deputy chief auditor of Hartford and Trujillo’s subordinate. Caruso alleged that Trujillo intimidated staff, retaliated against individuals who he believed had slighted him, acted inappropriately in the office, and stole time.
Inappropriate Behavior
As evidence, Caruso alleged that Trujillo would make disparaging remarks to the staff, saying “I’m up here” and gesturing to his eye level where everyone else is below, gesturing to knee level. Caruso also alleged that Trujillo would “go after” people who challenged him or did not give him a timely response, including referring to an internal audit commissioner with profanity and stating that he would get rid of him after being challenged.
Caruso also alleged that Trujillo used the bathroom in the office without shutting the door when urinating, causing discomfort among other staff members. He also alleged that Trujillo would leave work early and project Fox News and Youtube onto the office whiteboard and watch videos during work hours. Caruso later also alleged that he was subject to unfair treatment and retaliation from Trujillo for his complaint.
The City of Hartford retained an independent third-party investigator on February 27 to investigate the allegations. The investigation found inconclusive evidence of illegal violations of City of Hartford Anti-Harassment or Anti-Retaliation policies, but said that it was more likely than not true that Trujillo made disparaging remarks and went to the bathroom with the door open.
Dysfunctional Practices
Employees said that Trujillo had no standard operating procedures in the office and that expectations were difficult to determine. Others said that Trujillo had changed their final audit reports after management had already responded to the findings, requiring another review. A staff member called the process “an impediment to the auditor’s ability to establish rapport with the agencies,” according to an article by the Hartford Courant.
The investigator also could not conclusively prove that Trujillo was stealing time at work, mostly because of a lack of access to data and the operation of city hall employees where they did not swipe in and out of work. Although some data seem to corroborate Caruso’s claims, the investigator could not rule out that Trujillo conducted work-related meetings or events.
LeGrier acknowledged that although the investigation could not find conclusive evidence of illegal misconduct, the findings substantiate Caruso’s allegations that Trujillo acted in a manner “unbecoming of a City of Hartford employee, especially within the context of his role as the independently appointed Chief Auditor and Internal Audit Department Head.”
The memo said that Trujillo actions created a “toxic, intimidating, and hostile workplace environment” and “suggests a sense of entitlement that is fundamentally unacceptable” and that the human resources department disagreed with the independent investigator’s conclusion that Trujillo’s action does not constitute workplace harassment.
Decision on Hold
LeGrier also said that he did not think that Trujillo could work in a physical workplace with the four members of his staff after City Hall reopens, saying that the human resources department “cannot reasonably ensure that the four other IAD staff members would not continue to be subjected to further workplace harassment.”
As the Independent Audit Commission appoints the Chief Auditor independently of the city, human resources has only an advisory role and lacks the power to fire Trujillo. “Under other circumstances, the City of Hartford Human Resources Department would exercise its Zero Tolerance policy for workplace harassment,” the memo read.
Trujillo denies the allegations and declined a phone interview during the investigation. Trujillo said that he believed an in-person meeting would soon be available, but the coronavirus pandemic continued and the investigator did not contact him again.
The Internal Audit Commission held a closed-door special meeting last Wednesday to discuss Trujillo’s performance, after which no action was taken. Another investigation is ongoing regarding the later complaint Caruso made about Trujillo’s alleged retaliation against his initial complaint. 
Stephanie Liu is assistant editor at Internal Audit 360°