Conducting Internal Workplace Investigations Legally and Effectively
Overview:
The goal of this webinar is to help HR professionals avoid mistakes in implementing employment decisions that can lead to personal and corporate liability due to incomplete or poorly administered investigations of employee claims and misconduct. Poor investigations can lead to lawsuits by employees for false claims or discrimination and can also affect employee morale because the actions taken as a result of such investigation appear to be unfair.
This webinar is intended to help HR professionals to understand the importance of appropriately investigating claims of discrimination and employee misconduct by providing an understanding of the potential bases of liability. In addition, the webinar will assist the HR professional in understanding the goals of an investigation, as well as the audience of an investigation - employees, plaintiffs' lawyers, judges, juries, and administrative agencies.
The webinar will also provide a framework for conducting investigations, including steps for interviewing and evaluating witnesses and documentation, as well as for resolving discrepancies between witness accounts. Finally, the webinar will discuss how to respond to investigations by outside administrative agencies, such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, as well as mechanisms such as pre-dispute mediation and arbitration agreements, to minimize potential legal costs.
Why you should attend: The existence of effectively enforced rules, fair and thorough investigation of complaints and misconduct, and an understanding of the legal process relating to employee claims are essential to limiting and defending against charges by increasingly litigious employees. Improperly conducted investigations can impair a company’s ability to defend itself from claims and may actually create liability.
Areas Covered in the Session:
- Understanding the Importance of Investigating
- Understanding possible bases of liability
- Understanding the goals of the investigation
- Understanding the audience for the investigation
- Understanding How to Conduct an Effective Investigation
- Preparing for the investigation
- Evaluating witnesses
- Resolving discrepancies
- Understanding How to Conclude the Investigation
- Communicating the results
- Acting on the results
- Understanding How to Respond to Inquiries from Administrative Agencies
- Understanding Alternatives to Limit Potential Liability
Who will benefit:
- Chief Human Resource Officers
- Senior Management Team
- HR Managers, Directors, and Administrators
- Supervisors
- Employment Managers
- Training Director