Image Guide to Workplace Investigations Workplace investigations are growing in number, size and complexity. Employers are under greater scrutiny as of the importance of ESG rises. Regulated industries such as finance, healthcare and legal face additional hurdles, but public scrutiny of businesses and how they treat their people across the board has never been higher. Conducting a fair and thorough workplace investigation is therefore critical to the optimal operation, governance and legal exposure of every business.IEL’s Guide to Workplace Investigations examines key issues that organisations need to consider as they initiate, conduct and conclude investigations in 33 major jurisdictions around the world. Learn more about the response taken in specific countries or build your own report to compare approaches taken around the world. Choose countries Choose the countries you want information on, or choose all for the full picture. Select specific jurisdictions to filter on Armenia Australia Austria Belgium Brazil China Egypt Finland France Germany Greece Hong Kong India Indonesia Ireland Italy Japan Malaysia Netherlands Nigeria Norway Philippines Portugal Singapore South Korea Spain Sri Lanka Sweden Switzerland Thailand United Kingdom United States Vietnam Choose questions Choose the questions you would like answering, or choose all for the full picture. Starting an investigation 01. What legislation, guidance and/or policies govern a workplace investigation? 02. How is a workplace investigation usually commenced? 03. Can an employee be suspended during a workplace investigation? Are there any conditions on suspension (eg, pay, duration)? 04. Who should conduct a workplace investigation, are there minimum qualifications or criteria that need to be met? 05. Can the employee under investigation bring legal action to stop the investigation? Evidence gathering 06. Can co-workers be compelled to act as witnesses? What legal protections do employees have when acting as witnesses in an investigation? 07. What data protection or other regulations apply when gathering physical evidence? 08. Can the employer search employees’ possessions or files as part of an investigation? 09. What additional considerations apply when the investigation involves whistleblowing? Confidentiality and privilege 10. What confidentiality obligations apply during an investigation? 11. What information must the employee under investigation be given about the allegations against them? 12. Can the identity of the complainant, witnesses or sources of information for the investigation be kept confidential? 13. Can non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) be used to keep the fact and substance of an investigation confidential? 14. When does privilege attach to investigation materials? Rights to representation 15. Does the employee under investigation have a right to be accompanied or have legal representation during the investigation? 16. If there is a works council or trade union, does it have any right to be informed or involved in the investigation? 17. What other support can employees involved in the investigation be given? Issues during the investigation 18. What if unrelated matters are revealed as a result of the investigation? 19. What if the employee under investigation raises a grievance during the investigation? 20. What if the employee under investigation goes off sick during the investigation? 21. How do you handle a parallel criminal and/or regulatory investigation? Outcome of investigation 22. What must the employee under investigation be told about the outcome of an investigation? 23. Should the investigation report be shared in full, or just the findings? 24. What next steps are available to the employer? 25. Who can (or must) the investigation findings be disclosed to? Does that include regulators/police? Can the interview records be kept private, or are they at risk of disclosure? 26. How long should the outcome of the investigation remain on the employee’s record? 27. What legal exposure could the employer face for errors during the investigation? Download your results as a PDF Save to PDF Contributing editors First Name Phil Linnard, Law firm Slaughter and May First Name Clare Fletcher, Law firm Slaughter and May Contributors Shushan Stepanyan, Concern Dialog, ArmeniaSvetlana Mkrtchyan, Concern Dialog, ArmeniaAnna Hovhannisyan, Concern Dialog, ArmeniaJoydeep Hor, People + Culture Strategies, AustraliaKirryn West James, People + Culture Strategies, AustraliaChris Oliver, People + Culture Strategies, AustraliaMichaela Gerlach, GERLACH Rechtsanwälte, AustriaSonia Ben Brahim, GERLACH Rechtsanwälte, AustriaNicolas Simon, Van Olmen & Wynant, BelgiumPatricia Barboza, CGM, BrazilMaury Lobo, CGM, BrazilLeo Yu, Jingtian & Gongcheng, ChinaYvonne Gao, Jingtian & Gongcheng, ChinaTracy Liu, Jingtian & Gongcheng, ChinaLarry Lian, Jingtian & Gongcheng, ChinaAlia Monieb, ADSERO - Ragy Soliman & Partners, EgyptRawan Roshdy, ADSERO - Ragy Soliman & Partners, EgyptHoda Khira, ADSERO - Ragy Soliman & Partners, EgyptKhaled Omar, ADSERO - Ragy Soliman & Partners, EgyptAnu Waaralinna, Roschier, FinlandMari Mohsen, Roschier, FinlandPascale Lagesse, Bredin Prat, FranceValentino Armillei, Bredin Prat, FranceHendrik Bockenheimer, Hengeler Mueller, GermanySusanne Walzer, Hengeler Mueller, GermanyMusa Müjdeci, Hengeler Mueller, GermanyAngeliki Tsatsi, Karatzas & Partners, GreeceAnna Pechlivanidi, Karatzas & Partners, GreeceDimitra Karampela, Karatzas & Partners, GreeceSotiris Goulas, Karatzas & Partners, GreeceWynne Mok, Slaughter and May, Hong KongJason Cheng, Slaughter and May, Hong KongAudrey Li, Slaughter and May, Hong KongAnshul Prakash, Khaitan & Co, IndiaDeeksha Malik, Khaitan & Co., IndiaShubhangi Zite, Khaitan & Co, IndiaAhmad Maulana, Assegaf Hamzah & Partners, IndonesiaMuhamad Kamal Fikri, Assegaf Hamzah & Partners, IndonesiaChristoffel Bintang M Sinambela, Assegaf Hamzah & Partners, IndonesiaBláthnaid Evans, Ogier, IrelandMary Gavin, Ogier, IrelandGiovanni Muzina, BonelliErede, ItalyArianna Colombo, BonelliErede, ItalyEriko Ogata, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, JapanHironobu Tsukamoto, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, JapanSelvamalar Alagaratnam, Skrine, MalaysiaFoo Siew Li, Skrine, MalaysiaSara Lau, Skrine, MalaysiaBarbara Kloppert, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, NetherlandsMirjam Kerkhof, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, NetherlandsRoel de Jong , De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, NetherlandsAdekunle Obebe, Bloomfield LP, NigeriaTor Olav Carlsen, BAHR, NorwayTarjei Thorkildsen, BAHR, NorwayMaren Elvestad, BAHR, NorwayRashel Ann C. Pomoy, Villaraza & Angangco, PhilippinesAndré Pestana Nascimento, Uría Menéndez - Proença de Carvalho, PortugalJonathan Yuen, Rajah & Tann Singapore, SingaporeDoreen Chia , Rajah & Tann Singapore, SingaporeTan Ting Ting, Rajah & Tann, SingaporeSoojung Lee, Yulchon, South KoreaTae Eun Lee, Yulchon, South KoreaChristopher Mandel, Yulchon, South KoreaSergio Ponce, Uría Menéndez, SpainDaniel Cerrutti, Uría Menéndez, SpainJivan P Goonetilleke, D. L. & F. De Saram, Sri LankaNadine Puvimanasinghe, D. L. & F. De Saram, Sri LankaHenric Diefke, Mannheimer Swartling, SwedenTobias Normann, Mannheimer Swartling, SwedenAlexandra Baron, Mannheimer Swartling, SwedenCarol Tissot, Eversheds Sutherland, SwitzerlandNam-Ake Lekfuangfu, Baker McKenzie, ThailandTheeranit Pongpanarat, Baker McKenzie, ThailandPraween Chantanakomes, Baker McKenzie, ThailandPanitan Pruksakasemsuk, Baker McKenzie, ThailandWorphan Khunakornkorbkij, Baker McKenzie, ThailandPhil Linnard, Slaughter and May, United KingdomClare Fletcher, Slaughter and May, United KingdomRachel G. Skaistis, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, United StatesEric W. Hilfers, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, United StatesJenny X. Zhang, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, United StatesStephen Le, Le & Tran Law Corporation, Vietnam Contributors Nicolas Simon, Van Olmen & Wynant, Belgium Joydeep Hor, People + Culture Strategies, Australia Kirryn West James, People + Culture Strategies, Australia Chris Oliver, People + Culture Strategies, Australia Wynne Mok, Slaughter and May, Hong Kong Jason Cheng, Slaughter and May, Hong Kong Audrey Li, Slaughter and May, Hong Kong Eriko Ogata, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, Japan Hironobu Tsukamoto, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu, Japan Henric Diefke, Mannheimer Swartling, Sweden Tobias Normann, Mannheimer Swartling, Sweden Alexandra Baron, Mannheimer Swartling, Sweden Carol Tissot, Eversheds Sutherland, Switzerland Phil Linnard, Slaughter and May, United Kingdom Clare Fletcher, Slaughter and May, United Kingdom Hendrik Bockenheimer, Hengeler Mueller, Germany Susanne Walzer, Hengeler Mueller, Germany Musa Müjdeci, Hengeler Mueller, Germany Sergio Ponce, Uría Menéndez, Spain Daniel Cerrutti, Uría Menéndez, Spain Anshul Prakash, Khaitan & Co, India Deeksha Malik, Khaitan & Co., India Shubhangi Zite, Khaitan & Co, India Anu Waaralinna, Roschier, Finland Mari Mohsen, Roschier, Finland Rachel G. Skaistis, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, United States Eric W. Hilfers, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, United States Jenny X. Zhang, Cravath, Swaine & Moore, United States Jonathan Yuen, Rajah & Tann Singapore, Singapore Doreen Chia , Rajah & Tann Singapore, Singapore Tan Ting Ting, Rajah & Tann, Singapore Soojung Lee, Yulchon, South Korea Tae Eun Lee, Yulchon, South Korea Christopher Mandel, Yulchon, South Korea Adekunle Obebe, Bloomfield LP, Nigeria Pascale Lagesse, Bredin Prat, France Valentino Armillei, Bredin Prat, France André Pestana Nascimento, Uría Menéndez - Proença de Carvalho, Portugal Giovanni Muzina, BonelliErede, Italy Arianna Colombo, BonelliErede, Italy Barbara Kloppert, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, Netherlands Mirjam Kerkhof, De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, Netherlands Roel de Jong , De Brauw Blackstone Westbroek, Netherlands Rashel Ann C. Pomoy, Villaraza & Angangco, Philippines Angeliki Tsatsi, Karatzas & Partners, Greece Anna Pechlivanidi, Karatzas & Partners, Greece Dimitra Karampela, Karatzas & Partners, Greece Sotiris Goulas, Karatzas & Partners, Greece Patricia Barboza, CGM, Brazil Maury Lobo, CGM, Brazil Stephen Le, Le & Tran Law Corporation, Vietnam Michaela Gerlach, GERLACH Rechtsanwälte, Austria Sonia Ben Brahim, GERLACH Rechtsanwälte, Austria Bláthnaid Evans, Ogier, Ireland Mary Gavin, Ogier, Ireland Leo Yu, Jingtian & Gongcheng, China Yvonne Gao, Jingtian & Gongcheng, China Tracy Liu, Jingtian & Gongcheng, China Larry Lian, Jingtian & Gongcheng, China Alia Monieb, ADSERO - Ragy Soliman & Partners, Egypt Rawan Roshdy, ADSERO - Ragy Soliman & Partners, Egypt Hoda Khira, ADSERO - Ragy Soliman & Partners, Egypt Khaled Omar, ADSERO - Ragy Soliman & Partners, Egypt Nam-Ake Lekfuangfu, Baker McKenzie, Thailand Theeranit Pongpanarat, Baker McKenzie, Thailand Praween Chantanakomes, Baker McKenzie, Thailand Panitan Pruksakasemsuk, Baker McKenzie, Thailand Worphan Khunakornkorbkij, Baker McKenzie, Thailand Selvamalar Alagaratnam, Skrine, Malaysia Foo Siew Li, Skrine, Malaysia Sara Lau, Skrine, Malaysia Jivan P Goonetilleke, D. L. & F. De Saram, Sri Lanka Nadine Puvimanasinghe, D. L. & F. De Saram, Sri Lanka Shushan Stepanyan, Concern Dialog, Armenia Svetlana Mkrtchyan, Concern Dialog, Armenia Anna Hovhannisyan, Concern Dialog, Armenia Ahmad Maulana, Assegaf Hamzah & Partners, Indonesia Muhamad Kamal Fikri, Assegaf Hamzah & Partners, Indonesia Christoffel Bintang M Sinambela, Assegaf Hamzah & Partners, Indonesia Tor Olav Carlsen, BAHR, Norway Tarjei Thorkildsen, BAHR, Norway Maren Elvestad, BAHR, Norway