Course Description
Providing a safe workplace for your employees is a necessity. However, sexual harassment in the workplace can occur, and a proper investigation is needed. In this Handling a Sexual Harassment Investigation course, you’ll learn how to manage one of the most sensitive and serious responsibilities in the workplace: investigating a harassment complaint. This course outlines what to do when a concern is raised, how to begin the investigation process, and what steps to take to ensure a fair, respectful, and compliant response.
You’ll learn how to receive complaints professionally, protect confidentiality as much as possible, and start documentation immediately. The course walks through each phase of an investigation, including interviewing the complainant, the accused, and any witnesses. You’ll explore how to evaluate credibility, review evidence, and avoid common mistakes like biased questioning or ignoring red flags.
The course also explains how to write a clear investigation summary, make informed decisions, and follow up with appropriate disciplinary or corrective action. By the end, you’ll understand your responsibilities as an investigator and how to protect individuals and your organization from legal and reputational harm.
Learning Objectives:
- Identify appropriate steps to take when a complaint is received
- Conduct impartial interviews with all relevant parties
- Document findings and maintain confidentiality
- Apply objective standards to evaluate evidence
- Take corrective action and close the investigation properly
Skills You Will Learn
- Incident Response
- Internal Documentation
- Internal Investigations
- Risk Mitigation
- Case Management
What You'll Learn
- Identify the appropriate steps to take when a sexual harassment complaint is received
- Conduct impartial interviews with the complainant, the accused, and any witnesses
- Document findings and maintain confidentiality throughout the investigation
- Apply objective standards to evaluate evidence and assess credibility
- Write a clear investigation summary and make informed decisions
- Take corrective action and close the investigation properly
Key Takeaways
- Providing a safe workplace is a necessity, and when sexual harassment occurs a proper investigation is needed.
- An investigation includes receiving complaints professionally, protecting confidentiality as much as possible, and starting documentation immediately.
- Each phase of an investigation involves interviewing the complainant, the accused, and any witnesses.
- Investigators should evaluate credibility, review evidence, and avoid common mistakes like biased questioning or ignoring red flags.
- Proper handling protects individuals and the organization from legal and reputational harm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is this course for?
It is for those responsible for investigating a harassment complaint in the workplace, helping them understand their responsibilities as an investigator.
What does this course cover?
It covers what to do when a concern is raised, how to begin the investigation process, interviewing the complainant, the accused, and witnesses, evaluating credibility and evidence, writing an investigation summary, making decisions, and following up with disciplinary or corrective action.
What skills will I gain?
You will gain skills in incident response, internal documentation, internal investigations, risk mitigation, and case management.
How is the course structured?
The course is organized into lessons including What Is Sexual Harassment?, Company Policy and Preventing Harassment, Conducting an Ethical Investigation, Beginning an Investigation, Gathering the Facts, Resolving the Situation, and a Review.
What will I be able to do by the end?
By the end, you will understand your responsibilities as an investigator and how to protect individuals and your organization from legal and reputational harm.
