Workplace investigations can be complex, but they are necessary to ensure employees feel safe and protected. HART HR SOLUTIONS has over 25 years of experience in conducting accurate, effective, and defensible investigations.
An investigation is required when there could be violations of company policy, criminal behavior, theft of property, or regulatory compliance issues. Failing to investigate can lead to legal issues that can hinder productivity.
Employers can be held liable for workplace issues such as substance abuse, violence, theft, absenteeism, and data alteration. HART HR SOLUTIONS has a team of experts with experience and skills in conducting interviews, making credibility assessments, and gathering evidence, which are necessary to conduct thorough investigations.
When the HR department receives a complaint, or something seems suspicious, one of the first steps is to determine whether an internal investigation is warranted or not. Usually, the answer is yes. An investigation is required after an employee file a claim with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or a lawsuit alleging employment discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, defamation or retaliation. A workplace investigation is also advisable when there could be violations of company policy, criminal behavior, theft of property or regulatory compliance issues.
Sometimes an investigation is not necessary, especially if the complainant and the respondent agree on what happened. For example, if the situation appears to be mainly a personality conflict or rudeness, rather than serious wrongdoing, then you might decide you don’t need to formally investigate. An informal approach could be best if it’s a matter of miscommunication or misunderstanding of company policy. Do you need to gather more facts from other employees or relevant documents?
When you are not sure, it’s better to conduct a formal investigation immediately. If the problem turns out to be more severe than anticipated, failing to investigate can cause legal problems, financial lability and continued workplace problems that interfere with productivity. Often, you can’t recognize how widespread or substantial a problem is until you identify witnesses and ask the right questions.
Don’t take a long time to decide whether a formal investigation is necessary or not. In many cases, juries have awarded huge sums to plaintiffs because the employer’s response to a complaint was delayed, inadequate or inappropriate. Contact HART HR SOLUTIONS for a discussion on next steps.
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