SANTA FE — A union representing employees at New Mexico’s Children, Youth and Families Department alleges the agency retaliated against workers suspected of speaking anonymously to reporters about workplace conditions and management problems within the department.
The allegations, outlined in recent statements from union leaders and former employees, add to ongoing scrutiny of CYFD, which has faced criticism in recent months over staffing shortages, workplace culture and its handling of child welfare cases.
According to Connie Derr, executive director of the local chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, managers in some county offices began trying to identify employees who may have spoken to the media after stories were published earlier this year describing toxic work environments, heavy caseloads and high turnover inside the agency.
Derr said workers in CYFD’s Los Lunas office were questioned about possible contact with reporters and that some employees feared disciplinary action or job loss.
“They wanted to know who was talking to the media,” Derr said, according to published remarks.
CYFD denied the allegations.
Agency spokesperson Jake Thompson said no formal investigations were launched into employees suspected of speaking with reporters and said the department does not tolerate retaliation against staff.
“No investigations have been launched — or are currently underway — into workers who may have spoken” to the media, Thompson said in a statement cited in published reports.
The dispute comes as CYFD continues to face pressure from state officials, lawmakers and advocacy groups over conditions within the agency. In April, the New Mexico Department of Justice released a report sharply criticizing CYFD’s handling of foster care and child protection cases, describing systemic failures and lack of accountability.
The department has also faced previous allegations of retaliation against employees who raised concerns internally. In 2021, several former workers alleged they faced disciplinary action or termination after questioning a major software modernization contract and other internal practices. CYFD denied those allegations at the time.
In a separate whistleblower case, former CYFD officials Cliff and Debra Gilmore sued the agency after alleging they were fired for raising concerns about records retention and agency operations. New Mexico later agreed to a $650,000 settlement in the case while denying wrongdoing.
Current and former employees interviewed in recent reporting described an atmosphere in which workers feared retaliation for criticizing management decisions or speaking publicly about problems within the agency. Some said the pressure contributed to resignations and transfers between offices.
CYFD officials say the department has recently made progress in addressing staffing and morale issues. Thompson said vacancy rates among frontline protective services workers have declined significantly since last year and pointed to new initiatives aimed at reducing workloads and supporting employees, including hiring additional case aides and pairing new workers with experienced staff mentors.
According to CYFD, the vacancy rate among frontline protective services workers dropped from roughly 31% last fall to about 17% this spring. Agency leaders have also increased visits to field offices around the state in an effort to improve communication with employees, Thompson said.
