Boulder County Coroner Emma Hall said she’s taking time away from the office following a third-party investigation that affirmed workplace complaints from employees.
The investigation found reason to support employee allegations including favoritism, antagonism and micromanagement, according to the investigation report. There were 12 employees who participated in the investigation, and 10 of them raised similar concerns about Hall’s leadership and management, the report said.
The Boulder Reporting Lab was first to report and obtain the investigation report through a public records request.
There were 11 allegations reported by Hall’s employees and six were redacted from the investigation report. According to the Boulder Reporting Lab, redacted parts of the report included claims of sexual harassment. However, the report did not conclude that Hall was culpable of any act of sexual harassment.
Hall said she’s chosen to take some time away from the office to empower the coroner staff and allow her to focus on the broader responsibilities of her role. Hall said she will continue to manage her job tasks and meet with the chief deputy coroner remotely.
“As the Boulder County coroner, I am dedicated to fostering a culture of collaboration, respect and inclusivity within our office,” Hall said in an email. “I have taken the allegations seriously and remain committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for all.”
Over the years, Hall said, she’s dedicated extensive hours to the position and now is committed to achieving a healthier work-life balance while still maintaining her full-time duties. Preceding and following the Thanksgiving holiday, she said, she will be taking some time off for a planned family trip.
Hall was elected coroner in 2011 and has been re-elected to the position in every election since. As coroner, Hall is responsible for the day-to-day administration of the coroner’s office and the daily management of cases. She is ultimately responsible for the determination of cause and manner of death for the cases within the office’s jurisdiction.
Investigation
The investigation into Hall took place between June 9 and Aug. 14 when the report was finalized. Employment Matters LLC Flynn Investigations Group was hired to conduct the investigation.
According to the report, employees said their main concern was that Hall manages the Boulder County Coroner’s Office “in any way she sees fit,” and that as an elected official, she feels she is not accountable to anyone except Boulder County voters.
The report said her management and leadership “creates anxiety among BCCO employees because they are constantly in fear for their jobs” due to Hall’s “history of removing or ‘pushing out’ employees she does not like.”
“The BCCO staff interviewed in this process identify that Ms. Hall manages in a ‘my way or the highway’ approach and the majority of employees indicate that Ms. Hall has not displayed any interest in being a collaborative leader or managing the BCCO in a way that would improve their job satisfaction,” the report said.
According to the report, a majority of the staff said that they have considered leaving their jobs because of Hall’s management, “which would continue an already significant trend of turnover.”
Eight employees have left the coroner’s office since 2020, according to the Boulder Reporting Lab.
Allegations
The investigation found it’s “more likely than not” that Hall exhibits favoritism toward certain employees, specifically seeking them out for conversation, sharing personal information with them and and asking them to run personal errands with her.
Seven employees report they perceive Hall exhibits favoritism, the report said, and three confirm Hall has shared personal information with them. In the report, Hall disputes the allegation.
“I don’t feel that favoritism is an accurate description of my working relationships,” Hall said in the report, adding, “They are employees I work the closest with due to their positions and roles they have in the office.”
She added there have been personal conversations with certain employees due to working closely with them for many years.
The investigation found it’s “more likely than not” that Hall exhibits antagonism toward certain employees by ignoring and avoiding them.
One employee claimed in the report that Hall avoided speaking to her, refused to choose her for special projects and shunned her for a period of three months for reasons she didn’t understand.
“I find that Ms. Hall is antagonistic towards employees who have conflicts with her, including those who question her decisions or who criticize her,” the report said. “Ms. Hall has confirmed that she has had conflicts with these employees and that these conflicts have impacted her opinions of these employees and her interest in working with them.”
In terms of allegations of Hall micromanaging employees, the investigation found it “undisputed.”
Several employees report Hall insists that they work alongside her and that she requires them to watch her complete certain tasks to make sure they perform it to her expectations, the report said.
“I have been called a micromanager many times in my career and it is frustrating as it always has a negative connotation,” Hall said in the report, adding, “Many times, this label is used by employees who have no knowledge or appreciation for how the details of their work affect the organization on a deeper level. I am a detail oriented, type A and organized person, and I do take my job and my responsibilities very seriously.”
The investigation also found it’s “undisputed” that Hall uses other employee’s P-cards for office purchases. None of the employees accused Hall of using the P-cards for personal reasons or of misusing county funds.
A P-card is a type of debit or credit card paid for by an employer that employees can use for work-related purchases.
One employee said in the report that others have discussed discomfort with Hall using their P-cards. The employee said they don’t know what Hall charges to their cards but are responsible for all charges, putting them in a tough situation.
Hall said in the report she uses other people’s P-cards due to problems with hers. Because she’s elected, her purchases must be approved by the finance director which is time consuming, she said in the report, and can make it difficult to reconcile the budget.
The investigation did not say whether Hall’s use of P-cards is against protocol or expectations, saying it’s outside of the investigation’s purview.
Employees also said Hall adopts multiple personas related to different job duties she has at the office. The investigation found those claims to be “undisputed.” All of the employees interviewed confirm they’ve seen Hall use different personas, the report said.
Some of the employees said they thought Hall was trying to be funny. Others report being concerned over her mental health and several reported being unsure how to react.
Hall said in the report she created the personas in response to the administrative deputy’s departure. She said the exercise is a “personal journey” to analyze her work habits and make adjustments ahead of the new hire.
Hall created names for her personas, including “Coroner Hall,” in her role as coroner, “Crystal” when doing administrative deputy tasks, and “Emma” in her administrative role. Hall said in the report it was “a way to help me sort the tasks out in my own brain” and handle the extra work.
The report said while her behavior was unsettling to some, no employees said it harmed or interfered with their work.
“Gaps in her management and leadership”
The report concluded that Hall’s “lack of effective managerial skills” appeared to cause a challenging work environment.
“None of the BCCO employees describe that Ms. Hall does not work hard or that she is not effective in developing policies and systems that allow BCCO to run smoothly,” the report said. “However, it is clear that Ms. Hall has significant gaps in her management and leadership skills and that she has not taken significant steps to address those gaps.”
The Boulder County Commissioners said in a statement that the employees in the coroner’s office reached out to the commissioners to make them aware of an ongoing employment investigation following official complaints against Hall.
Although they oversee a separate elected office, the commissioners’ statement said, they were concerned by the complaints and sought assurances that the complaints were being investigated properly and impartially. Although they have no management authority over Hall, who ultimately only answers to the voters, they urged Hall to make changes that would address her staff’s concerns, the statement said.
“We are hopeful, for the sake of coroner’s office staff, that Coroner Hall implements those changes,” the statement said. “In keeping with county values, we believe every employee of every elected office has the right to feel valued, respected and supported in the workplace.”
Hall said she believes every challenge presents an opportunity for personal growth and positive change.
“The nature of the work within the office is undoubtedly challenging, and I am dedicated to providing support for both my staff and the community,” Hall said in an email, adding, “I am dedicated to my continual development as an individual and a leader, ensuring our community receives the best possible service from myself and my staff.”
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