Event Details

Best Practices and Ethical Considerations of Conducting Internal Employment Investigations

Presented by Katherine Reeves and Tae Phillips of Olgetree Deakins

Finding out who did what, when they did it, how it happened, and if someone is at fault can often be tricky for employers. In this presentation, we identify the keys to effective workplace investigations, how to get your employees to open up to you, and how to avoid traps for the unwary. We will help you set investigation goals, develop a plan, teach you how to avoid costly mistakes, and discuss ethical considerations in consulting your legal team.

Katherine is an associate in the Birmingham office where she focuses her practice on defending employers before federal and state courts against claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, wage and hour violations, disability discrimination, Family and Medical Leave Act violations, ERISA violations, hostile work environment, retaliation, and related state law claims. Katherine also has extensive litigation experience with covenants not to compete, on both the defense and enforcement side.

In addition to litigation, Katherine routinely works with clients in drafting policies, procedures, severance agreements, and responses to investigations by administrative agencies. Katherine represents clients in a wide range of industries including: retail, manufacturing, restaurant, pharmaceutical, higher education, financial services/banking, and healthcare. happened, and if someone is at fault can often be tricky for employers. In this presentation, we identify the keys to effective workplace investigations, how to get your employees to open up to you, and how to avoid traps for the unwary. We will help you set investigation goals, develop a plan, teach you how to avoid costly mistakes, and discuss ethical considerations in consulting your legal team.

Tae is an associate in the firm’s Birmingham office and primarily focuses his practice on assisting employers and companies with the many challenges they may face on a daily basis. A significant portion of Tae’s practice consists of employment litigation, and he regularly defends clients before federal and state courts and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission involving claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, co-employee liability, and wrongful discharge, as well as claims asserted under the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act. He also has significant experience defending clients in matters involving other employment issues including Title III ADA accessibility, employment contracts, noncompete agreements, and trade secrets. In addition to reported case decisions, Tae’s recent successes include implementing defensive strategies which have resulted in voluntary dismissal of filed lawsuits by multiple plaintiffs without settlement negotiation or compensation prior to summary judgment.

In addition to representing clients in adversarial proceedings, Tae also regularly advises clients on a variety of day-to-day employment and workplace-related matters, including daily employment decisions and developing employment policies and handbooks. Outside of labor and employment law, Tae also has significant experience representing clients in other practice areas including toxic torts, construction, products liability, personal injury, commercial litigation, and general liability.