The courts require that managers take immediate action to address allegations of misconduct including sexual harassment and to stop the harassment if it is occurring. In most cases, an immediate investigation of the allegations is necessary to determine the facts and provide the basis for any further action. An investigation of the allegations of misconduct involves difficult and emotionally-charged subject matter and can be complex, prolonged and challenging.

Based on the premise that the investigator must understand what is being investigated, this 2-day course takes the student inside a harassment case, drawing a portrait of the harasser, the victim, the office environment, and the investigation. The course emphasizes misconduct in the workplace, and clearly distinguishes between acceptable conduct and conduct which may constitute sexual harassment under Title Vll.

The course then provides students with a clear, step-by-step guide for conducting misconduct investigations. This includes tips for dealing with the emotional content of misconduct cases, how to prepare for the investigation, how and when to talk to witnesses, how to take affidavits, the necessary contents of the investigation, and how to write an investigative report. It also includes sections on employee rights and representation rights. In addition, the classroom experience is enforced with a workshop in which participants actually interview an alleged sexual harassment victim and the alleged sexual harasser.

This class is designed for human resource practitioners, agency investigators, EEO counselors and specialists, and any manager or supervisor who may be assigned by the agency to conduct an investigation of any nature, including sexual harassment.

Instructor: Marilyn Mattingly (formerly Teplitz)