A case of two teachers telling two different stories in Denver can teach businesses a lot about investigating two or more employees' contradictory stories, says Phillip Bruce from Employerlinc.com.
Mr. Bruce says, ultimately, that employers should follow these four important steps in order to avoid costly litigation in a wrongful termination lawsuit:
1. Interview all key witnesses
But remember these interviews should specifically focus on the employee making the allegations and the employee who is accused of wrongdoing.
2. Don't rush to a decision
"This means taking sufficient time to review all evidence, such as videos, and asking all necessary questions."
3. Don’t make assumptions and pin down discrepancies
"If a witnesses' story doesn't make sense, ask about the shortcomings. Or, if a witness seems uncertain about something, don't treat it as a fact unless you can corroborate it."
4. Be ready to back up your decision
"If you make a credibility determination as to who is telling the truth, make sure you can back it up with a good-faith reason. Often, employers will have he-said-she-said scenarios. The best way to show that the ultimate determination in that situation is not discriminatory is to have gone through an appropriate investigation."
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