2023 EEOC and Employers: Investigating Harassment and Discrimination

The EEOC urges employers to train staff on harassment and to investigate and resolve complaints quickly. Courts have treated a failure to investigate as akin to discrimination, so an investigation is a required step. This 90-minute webinar on EEOC harassment and discrimination investigations shows how to do it well.

You'll learn how to plan an investigation, keep it confidential, protect the alleged victim in the meantime, choose internal or external investigators, conduct interviews, make a determination and write the summary.

The session also explains the EEOC's role, Title VII and protected classes, disparate treatment and impact, quid pro quo and hostile work environment harassment, retaliation, the charge process, determinations, conciliation and affirmative action programs.

• Handle formal complaints and plan an investigation
• Maintain confidentiality and provide interim protection for the alleged victim
• Decide when to use internal or external investigators
• Develop interview questions and conduct interviews
• Make a determination and close the investigation
• Write a summary of the investigation results
• Explain the EEOC charge process and what employers should never do during it

The EEOC and the law

• Responsibilities and functions of the EEOC
• Federal laws requiring equal treatment of employees
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964: original and currently recognized protected classes, including the 2020 change
• Disparate treatment vs. disparate impact
• Forms of harassment and related court cases
• Quid pro quo harassment and hostile work environment
• Retaliation and discrimination charges

Charges and EEOC process

• How a charge is filed with the EEOC and state or local agencies
• Common reasons employees give for not filing
• EEOC determinations and the conciliation process
• The EEOC's authority when adjudicating harassment and discrimination claims
• The seriousness of EEOC complaints and litigation costs

Prevention

• Best practices to avoid an EEOC investigation
• Best practices to avoid sexual harassment claims
• Establishing affirmative action programs

Employers have legal and moral duties to comply with equal employment opportunity rules, and even unintentional practices that disparately affect protected classes are illegal. Every complaint could become a lawsuit, so investigations must be prompt, thorough and ready to stand up in court.

Quick, well-run investigations produce better evidence, protect credibility and fix problems before they spread. This session suits senior leaders, HR, recruiting and operations professionals, managers, supervisors and team leaders.

• Senior Leadership
• Employees
• Managers & Supervisors
• Project Team Leaders
• Human Resources Professionals
• Recruiting Professionals
• Operations Professionals

Diane L. Dee, President and Founder of Advantage HR Consulting, LLC is a senior Human Resources professional with over 25 years of experience in the HR arena. Diane’s background includes experience in HR consulting, training, and administration in corporate, government, consulting, and pro bono environments.

Diane founded Advantage HR Consulting in early 2016. Under Diane’s leadership, Advantage HR Consulting provides comprehensive, cost-effective Human Resources solutions for small to mid-sized public and private firms in the greater Chicagoland area.  Diane also develops and conducts webinars on a wide variety of HR compliance and administrative topics for various training firms across the country.   Additionally, Diane is the author of multiple white papers addressing various HR compliance topics.

Diane holds a Master's Certificate in Human Resources from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and has attained SPHR and SHRM-SCP certifications. Diane is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners and the Society for Human Resource Management. Additionally, Diane performs pro bono work through the Taproot Foundation assisting non-profit clients by integrating their Human Resources goals with their corporate strategies.