The thought that some of the most vulnerable in our society – the elderly – might be at risk of harm in residential aged care facilities is abhorrent. But even with the best of intentions and the proper guidelines in place, there is still potential for abuse and assault to occur. Abuse allegations in […]
When faced with an allegation of serious misconduct made against a worker, an organisation may seek to suspend the respondent. But in what situations is it appropriate to take this kind of action? tHE LEGALITY OF SUSPENSION When taking the significant step of temporarily suspending an employee, an organisation must be able to demonstrate […]
A disproportionately high number of allegations of bullying in emergency services and other high stress environments have led to a referral to the NSW parliament for an inquiry in May 2017, looking at the policy response to bullying, harassment, and discrimination in certain emergency services. A review is also being conducted by the Victorian […]
We understand that when business owners have a strong hunch regarding an employee’s dubious behaviour, their instinct can be to act in a fast and decisive manner. Often angered and sometimes caught off guard by what appears to be serious misconduct, employers can be tempted to deal with a worker’s blatant misconduct at once – […]
Jill McMahon – Monday, November 23, 2015 Even the simplest of workplace investigations can be a tricky balancing act. You need to consider how to investigate the matter, collect evidence and adhere to various laws, all the while having regard to employee welfare and the needs of your organisation. Strategy is a key element of […]
Tiptoeing Through the Minefield of Raising Allegations There’s an awful lot at stake when conducting workplace investigations, and so they need to be handled with care and skill. It really is like tiptoeing through a minefield. One wrong move can cause an explosion of legal consequences that may harm your organisation. One key area of […]
Versions of Events Differ? Raising Challenges in Interviews If you are conducting a workplace investigation, no doubt you’re dealing with something unpleasant. All the more so because at some point you will have to conduct an interview with the person against whom allegations have been made. Allegations have been made, an interview is required To […]
Investigating Fraud? When Do You Have to Tell the Respondent? The possibility that an employee might be committing fraud can raise many emotions. As with other misconduct, disappointment can be pronounced. When fraud is suspected against either the business itself or customers, plain anger towards the potential culprit can also arise. It is this high […]
Drafting Allegations the Right Way Whenever allegations of adverse conduct arise in the workplace, the relevant investigator or manager must think carefully about the way in which these are to be put to the person involved. Preparation is the key here – wherever possible, take sufficient time to organise and crosscheck your information about the […]