Various situations arising in the workplace – for example, alleged discrimination or harassment, workplace bullying or abuse, inappropriate use of the Internet or social media, theft of company property, fraud, policy breaches, statutory violations, or allegations of just cause – can trigger the need for an investigation. The increasing complexity of these situations, and the risk of not handling them properly, can have serious repercussions for even the most sophisticated businesses.
BakerHostetler has guided clients through every phase of investigations, with an approach customized for their specific circumstances and cultures. We frequently conduct internal investigations regarding allegations of serious employee misconduct, whether those complaints are made to the company through its human resources, employee relations or general counsel’s office or through anonymous hotlines or messages.
Although we counsel and train many of our clients to do these investigations in-house, it is sometimes necessary to call in a third party when the claims are, for example, of a particularly egregious nature, have received significant press, need absolute impartiality or implicate those in very senior positions. In so doing, we have conducted thorough investigations in a discreet, disarming and tactful manner, resulting in unbiased fact finding. This often includes coordinating the collection and review of various documents, conducting witness interviews, and drafting an investigation report.