You have made the decision to conduct an investigation, and
chosen the appropriate investigator (see “Selecting a
Workplace Investigator”, HRmatters, Spring 2021 Issue).
The investigation is complete. Now what? How do your
use the report, how much of it do you disclose and to whom, and how
and how long do you retain it?
Using the Report
At the outset you will want to ensure that the investigation and
report were reasonably done. This does not mean that you
should interfere with the investigator's process or
findings. Rather, you want to evaluate if the basic process
was sound. An investigation report should set out the
investigation process, the evidence gathered, the findings, and the
reason for the findings including the evidentiary standard
applied. Depending on the scope of the investigation,
relevant workplace policies should be identified and
considered. If there are clear problems with the report, such
as a failure to interview important witnesses,
