Disciplinary and Harassment Investigations

Sample Lybarger Admonition.......................................................................................................................45 4. Interview Strategies................................................................................................................................49 5. Conclusion .............................................................................................................................................52 E. Administrative Searches................................................................................................................................52 1. Balancing Employee Privacy Interests...................................................................................................52 2. Guidelines for Conducting Workplace Searches:...................................................................................56 3. Searching an Employee’s Person or Personal Possessions ....................................................................57 4. Employee Monitoring ............................................................................................................................57 F. Polygraphs.....................................................................................................................................................62 G. Access to and Use of Criminal Records ........................................................................................................62 1. Arrest Records........................................................................................................................................62 2. Employment Decisions Based upon Criminal Records..........................................................................62 H. Concluding the Investigation.........................................................................................................................63 S ECTION 7 Evaluating the Facts.....................................................................................................................................................64 A. Review Your Investigation Binder ................................................................................................................64 B. Make Factual Findings ..................................................................................................................................64 1. Basic Factual Findings ...........................................................................................................................64 2. Burden of Proof......................................................................................................................................64 3. Credibility Determinations ........................................................................................................................65 C. Make Conclusions of Policy only– If Directed to Do So ..............................................................................67 S ECTION 8 Writing the Report .......................................................................................................................................................68 A. Contents of the Report...................................................................................................................................68 B. Attachments to the Report .............................................................................................................................68 C. Confidentiality of Investigation Report: How Much Can or Should Be Disclosed to the Complainant or the Accused? .......................................................................................................................................................69 1. How Much Do You Tell the Complainant? ...........................................................................................69 2. How Much to Tell the Accused..............................................................................................................70 3. Discoverability of the Report .................................................................................................................72 S ECTION 9 Taking Corrective Action ............................................................................................................................................74 A. Prompt and Effective Remedial Action.........................................................................................................74 B. Type of Corrective Action.............................................................................................................................74

E NDNOTES .................................................................................................................................................................79

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