While you’re here, you may wish to attend one of our upcoming workshops:
Conducting Sexual Misconduct Investigations: University & College Edition
If a student at your institution makes a report of sexual misconduct, how should you investigate and establish the facts? These complaints can be uniquely challenging for internal investigators — but are more common than ever before. This hands-on, advanced-level training is a must for any frontline staff who may respond to and/or investigate such complaints.
For most people, participating in a workplace investigation is an unusual departure from their workplace routine. Whether they are a complainant or a respondent, it can be a stressful interaction to sit in a room, with a stranger, and be asked about the details of something that happened, say, ten months ago. One way to address this stress is by allowing a support person to attend the meeting. Indeed, some institutions specifically contemplate the involvement of a support person in their policies. But like anything connected to a workplace investigation you need to think about the support person’s attendance at the interview before it happens. Here are some tips about involving support people in a workplace investigation interview.