Workplace Investigations- Why?

Workplace violence, sexual harassment, Worker’s Compensation claims, theft (Intellectual Property, Internal, External), discrimination and data breaches can dramatically impact corporate culture and reputation; not to mention revenues.

A professional, trained, investigator that is experienced can provide your company and counsel with objective information you need to make crucial business decisions. Workplace investigations may include conducting interviews of any witnesses and involved parties.  Background checks on adverse parties and witnesses can prove to be useful to develop crimes of moral turpitude that can impact the credibility of their testimony.

Upon notice of Workers’ Compensation claims an employer should move quickly to secure statements from the injured worker, witnesses, and preserve any evidence (video/photographs).  If there is suspicions that an employee who was allegedly injured in the course and scope of employment and is collecting Workers’ Compensation benefits is believed to be working elsewhere or is conducting activities that are above and beyond their restrictions then conducting an activity check and or surveillance should be pursued.

When the decision is made to terminate an employee keep in mind that the situation could turn hostile.  According to OSHA statistics taken in 2012 over 2 million employees have reported being victims of workplace violence.  Steps should be taken to secure the employers facility via security personnel and the employee could be covertly followed to insure that he/ does not return to the employer’s location and cause a stressful and potentially threatening situation.

According to a study published by the Society for Human Resource Management workplace violence can cause the following issues in organizations;

• A decrease in morale (29{2f3748b5ca5ab0ef62f1154c571df9c56b0d52fa28ba96fa4f869e5919b9e929})
• A perceived decrease in safety (28{2f3748b5ca5ab0ef62f1154c571df9c56b0d52fa28ba96fa4f869e5919b9e929})
• Less trust in coworkers (28{2f3748b5ca5ab0ef62f1154c571df9c56b0d52fa28ba96fa4f869e5919b9e929})
• Increased levels of stress and depression among workers (24{2f3748b5ca5ab0ef62f1154c571df9c56b0d52fa28ba96fa4f869e5919b9e929})

Companies can mitigate workplace issues by conducting, diligent, pre-employment background checks on their employees, applicants, vendors & partners.