List 10 Up: How to investigate employee complaints

September 5th, 2019

Kelly Cardin at Ogeltree Deakins

PODCAST

You need to take 20 minutes and listen to this podcast.

Because an employee is going to complain. And you are going to have investigate. And this is how you should do it.

Here are your List 10 Up reasons to listen up to what Kelly Cardin has to say:

1. Do I have to investigate?
2. What's it (the complaint) all about?
3. Preliminary plan of action
4. Interviews - who, what, when, where
5. Summarize back
6. Confidentiality and retaliation
7. Gather don't disseminate
8. Facts not legal analysis
9. Anything else I should know?
10. Retaliation and confidentiality (yes, again and again and again)

Seriously, listen now.

Discrimination CHARGE! – Step 3 Cause or no cause, because you gotta do something

November 28th, 2018

Kristin Gray at FordHarrison

So you have not CHARGED forward spewing and waving, but instead have taken a deep breath, straightened your spine, not panicked, asked the right questions (if not, please see Step 1 Don't panic, ask questions) then went Kim Possible and asked more questions (if not again, please see Step 2 Go Kim Possible for the investigation phase).

Well done. Now time to find if the EEOC for cause or no cause because that is what they do. Regardless, which is kind of unfair to the EEOC cause they are just doing their job, you aren't finished:

• A no cause finding! So that's it?
• A cause finding! Now what?

If you are a skip-to-the-last-page reader, it really is worth going back and picking up the first two steps.

Step 1 Don't panic, ask questions

Step 2 Go Kim Possible for the investigation phase

Discrimination CHARGE! – Step 2 Go Kim Possible for the investigation phase

November 28th, 2018

Kristin Gray at FordHarrison

So you have not CHARGED forward spewing and waving, but instead have taken a deep breath, straightened your spine, not panicked and asked the right questions (if not, please see Step 1 Don't panic, ask questions). Well done. Now time to go all Kim Possible for the investigation phase by answering more questions:

• So the parties did not resolve the charge at mediation. Now what?
• What are the best practices for responding to the charge?
• What if the EEOC requests additional information?

See Step 1 if you skipped it above and then to Step 3.

Step 1 Don't panic, ask questions

Step 3 Cause or no cause, because you gotta do something

Discrimination CHARGE! – Step 1 Don't panic, ask questions

November 28th, 2018

Kristin Gray at FordHarrison

When you receive a charge of discrimination, take a deep breath, straighten that spine and DO NOT respond by CHARGING! forward cursing and waving your arms while proclaiming your innocence.

Don't panic. You and 84,254 (2017 numbers) other employers have or will share the same sense of shock, misery and a slight stomach drop this year. Kristin Gray will calmly walk you through the three steps you need to take. This first step is to find the answers to some important questions:  

• Who is the EEOC?
• Is my business covered?
• Is the charge timely?
• How should I respond to a request to mediate?

And then on to Steps 2 and 3.

Step 2 Go Kim Possible for the investigation phase

Step 3 Cause or no cause, because you gotta do something