Whispers, Wrongs & What Comes Next: A Guide to Conducting Workplace Investigations

Whispers, Wrongs & What Comes Next: A Guide to Conducting Workplace Investigations (Three-Part Series)

Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2025 - PART TWO

Time: 12:00 noon - 12:30 p.m. (program); 12:30 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. (Q&A)

Location > Remote: Login info will be provided prior to the program

Cost: Complimentary (Advance Registration Required)

Presenter: Ryan M. Haws

Registration Information

Click Here to Register.

Description

Do you know what to do when an employee says, “It’s a ‘Hostile Work Environment,” or “That’s unfair, it’s discrimination,” or “I’m being sexually harassed”? Under California law, employers bear a legal duty to promptly and thoroughly investigate all employee complaints alleging potentially unlawful conduct.

Given the significant legal implications of failing to meet this obligation, it is critical for employers to understand how to assess the nature of a complaint and ensure that any investigation conducted is both lawful and effective.

Join employment law attorney Ryan M. Haws for a three-part series of informative webinars designed specifically for human resources professionals and business owners. Through this series, Ryan will provide practical step-by-step legal guidance on employers’ investigative obligations and outline best practices for managing workplace complaints.

On April 15, 2025, in the first session of this three-part series, we will discuss:

Identifying and interpreting employee complaints that may trigger a legal duty to investigate;
Determining when an investigation is legally required;
Selecting an appropriate and impartial investigator;
Defining the scope of the investigation and determining who should be interviewed;
Crafting appropriate and compliant interview questions;
And more!

On May 13, 2025, in the second session, the topic will be Behind the Scenes: Conducting Workplace Investigations that Hold Up, which will include the following:

Creating compliant investigation plans from start to finish;
Conducting effective interviews with complainants, witnesses, and respondents;
Asking key questions to identify the "who, what, when, where, why, and how" of each incident; and
Identifying and reviewing key documents and evidence with confidence.

On June 12, 2025, in the third and final session, the topic will be From Clues to Conclusions: Wrapping Up and Writing Investigation Reports, which will include the following:

Assess participant credibility and resolving conflicting accounts;
Writing clear, defensible investigation reports that withstand scrutiny; and
Best practices for post-investigation follow-up, communication, and preventative action to avoid future claims.