Description:
The manner in which a company handles its investigation of workplace complaints such as harassment, discrimination, policy violations or other potentially illegal acts on the part of its employees is, by far, the most significant factor in determining whether it will be held liable before a state or federal agency or by a court.     If you are a supervisor, manager or a human resources representative in your company, you have the critical responsibility for handling these complaints with sensitivity, tact and professionalism.

In light of recent court cases, a company's defense rests on its ability to prove that it exercised reasonable care to prevent and eliminate discrimination, harassment or misconduct in its work environment and that the complaining employee unreasonably failed to take advantage of the company's policy and complaint procedures.

The best way to show that the company did, in fact, exercise reasonable care to prevent and correct unlawful conduct on the part of its employees is to show that its investigation procedures were thorough, fair and professional.