Agenda

This comprehensive three-day seminar and workshop on Internal Investigations has been designed to provide you with training on how to best conduct an Internal Investigation.

This course starts by providing you with an understanding of the laws and requirements – as well as the employer’s obligations – governing an investigation, then teaches you the specifics for doing and concluding an investigation. The course then concludes with three practice investigations where you can apply what you have learned!

You receive:

• Information-packed training covering everything you need to perform an Internal Investigation, plus
  
• Interactive sessions throughout the course to test your new knowledge, plus
  
• Three mock investigations where you can apply all of what you’ve learned, plus
  
• Access to our Internal Investigations Training & Certification Program!

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SEMINAR AGENDA

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DAY ONE

Evaluating Employee Relations Issues To Determine When Internal Investigations Are Necessary

• Why employees complain - and what they complain about
  
• The impact of social media on employee complaints and investigations
  
• How to identify what is - and isn't - a valid complaint that requires an investigation
  
• How to define boundaries in HR to set expectations on issues HR does and does not own
  
• How to push back on employee complaints that do not require a workplace investigation
  
• Leadership and organizational issues that must be addressed to minimize the risk of litigation
  
• The role HR plays in handling employee issues - and how to obtain investigative authority

Developing An Investigative Strategy

• Why "picking up the phone" to call witnesses is a lousy strategy for beginning an investigation
  
• How pre-planning minimizes the risk of negligence - and improves productivity
  
• How to determine who is an appropriate investigator
  
• Whether or not you must recuse yourself from an investigation
  
• The skills you must possess in order to be an effective investigator
  
• The three things you must consider when selecting investigative team members
  
• The potential pitfalls - and politics - to assess problems before a case begins
  
• How to resolve conflicts and turf issues to set the stage for an investigation
  
• How to plan your strategy to get the "trifecta" of evidence in every case

Federal Labor & Employment Law

• Review of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and anti-discrimination and harassment laws
  
• Harassment: Quid Pro Quo and Hostile Work Environment
  
• Other laws that can come into play when conducting internal investigations
  
• Employer obligations regarding when and how to conduct workplace investigations
  
• When it is necessary to take remedial action

Interactive Exercise:

• Evaluating A Complaint: Intimidation, Bullying, or 'Just Joking Around'?

Common Law Compliance Obligations When Conducting Workplace Investigations

• Common law that creates additional compliance obligations for employers
  
• Retaliation: Review of Supreme Court case that has redefined retaliation—and how to avoid claims
  
• Negligence: How to avoid claims of negligent hiring, supervision, retention, and investigation
  
• Assault & Battery: Knowing your responsibilities in handling toxic and dangerous employee situations
  
• Defamation: Understanding slander and libel and how to avoid claims
  
• Privacy: Understanding the three kinds of privacy issues and why a Search & Seizure policy is necessary
  
• How to handle electronic communications and employee use - and abuse - of social media
  
• Today's "must-have" company policies to minimize risk of litigation

Interactive Exercise:

• "Frosty" Behavior—or Retaliation?

Skill Building Practice Investigation:

• Investigating An Allegation Of FMLA Abuse

DAY TWO

Conducting Witness Interviews To Cut Through The Nonsense And Get To The Truth

• Preparation needed for effective witness interviewing
  
• How to choose and set up an appropriate space for conducting effective interviews
  
• How to set up the seating arrangement for maximum investigative benefit
  
• Best practices in conducting virtual investigative interviews
  
• Weingarten rights and requirements for interviewing in union shop environments
  
• The "Bulls Eye" interviewing technique to keep your questioning on track
  
• How to determine if a witness is telling the truth - or telling you a "story"
  
• Techniques to gain witness cooperation and overcome reluctance
  
• Your responsibility if an interview gets out of hand - and how to handle it
  
• Strategies on how to deal with aggressive witnesses who fail to cooperate

Interactive Exercises:

• Using The 'Bulls Eye' Technique To Get To The Truth
  
• Dealing With Reluctant Witnesses

Good Case Management & Conducting The Findings Meeting With Leadership

• How to conduct a findings meeting to identify potential organizational risks
  
• How to communicate assertively to stand behind your investigative work
  
• How to present findings, succinctly, to enable leaders to visualize organizational impacts
  
• Identifying current policies - and past practices - before making decisions
  
• Recognizing leadership decisions that can lead to negligent retention claims
  
• Determining when it becomes necessary to leverage internal / external legal team support

Interactive Exercise:

• Dealing with Organizational Politics When Presenting Findings

Organizing Evidence In Preparation For Writing The Investigative Report

• Using contemporary software to streamline the documentation collection/collation process
  
• How to align allegations with applicable policies and laws
  
• How to review and evaluate evidence to establish a fact pattern and timeline of events
  
• Process for evaluating evidence to determine if you can conclude the investigation

The Do's And Don'ts Of Writing An Effective Investigative Report

• The various formats for investigative reports: memos vs. formal report structures
  
• How to write an effective report that demonstrates good faith and minimizes risk
  
• What does go into an investigative report—and what does not
  
• Evaluating credibility of witnesses in "he said/she said" investigations
  
• Documenting corroboration and inconsistencies in "he said/she said" investigations
  
• Effective communication to complainants and witnesses in order to close out a case
  
• How to set up appropriate security protocols to safeguard investigative documents
  
• How to avoid legal liability for prematurely disclosing or destroying evidence

DAY THREE

Skills Building Workshop: Practice Investigation

Participants will work collaboratively on three mock investigations, working on the practice cases and gaining valuable knowledge and skills, working “a day in the life” of an investigator in each case, handling all aspects from documenting the initial complaint to conducting witness interviews, gathering evidence, and learning how to write a final investigative report.

Each fictitious case deals with different, sensitive issues to increase your knowledge of how to identify behaviors, gather evidence, and determine if company policies and/or laws have been violated.

Note: It is recommended that participants bring a laptop computer, iPad, or a notebook for use on Day Three of the program. These tools will be helpful during the workshop portion of the program to facilitate note taking during the practice investigative interviews and in working through a classroom activity of preparing an executive summary.

Program Wrap-Up

Action Steps Beyond The Program

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

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SNEAK PEEK: INTERACTIVE EXERCISES

Click here to get a sneak peek at some of the Interactive Exercises included with this course.

INCLUDED TRAINING MATERIALS

As a seminar participant, you receive access to our Internal Investigations Training & Certification Program.

This online course provides detailed specifics - including numerous examples, administrative tips, procedural recommendations, and interactive questions - for performing an investigation.

Program Benefits

• Award-winning, easy-to-use interface that includes numerous Administrative Tips, Procedural Recommendations, and Interactive Quizzes (complete with answer rationale) to help ensure learning
  
• FREE updates when the law changes*
  
• Online access allows you to study at your pace and access materials anytime, anywhere with an internet connection
  
• Special Bookmark feature that allows you to learn at your own pace and quickly return to training if you are interrupted
  
• Eight hours of PHR/SPHR re-certification credits and SHRM PDCs per course!
  
• Included with each Training & Certification Program - though not required – is the test to earn your “Certified Administrator” designation. Your test is taken online and scored immediately. Upon successful completion, your certificate is mailed directly to you! We also show you any incorrectly answered test questions so you can improve any area of weakness!

How To Access Your Online Materials

To access this course, simply to go http://HRcertification.com/login.asp and enter the user name and password you used to enroll for this seminar. (Don’t worry; you can click the “Forgot Your Password” link if you don’t have your information readily available).

DATES & TIMES

For Virtual Sessions
Virtual sessions run from 10am to 5pm Eastern

For In-Person Sessions
In-person sessions run from 8am to 4pm each day. Continental breakfast and coffee is served at 7:30am, and snacks and refreshments served each afternoon. Due to the variety of dietary requirements, attendees are on their own for lunch.

SPECIAL PRICING

An "Early Bird" discount is offered for registrations made 30 days prior to the seminar date, so register today!

BRING THIS TRAINING TO YOUR LOCATION!

Organizations that need to train six or more people can have us come to you - at a savings of 50% or more. Go to HRTrainingCenter.com/PrivateSeminar.asp for more details.

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QUESTIONS?

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If you have other questions, or need to get your co-workers enrolled, call us at 678-366-3959!

*Free updates are provided for one year from enrollment date. A renewal of $99 applies for each year thereafter, which covers another full year of access to the course materials, renewal of your certificate, and updates whenever the law changes.