Employment Investigations
An employer's foremost responsibility is to create a safe and welcoming environment where employees can thrive. Northwest HR Solutions ensures your organization takes proactive and preventative steps to ensure your workplace is responsive and in compliance with federal and state laws when allegations of harassment or discrimination arise. This can include conducting investigations, review and recommendations on policy, reporting procedures and creating strategies where employees feel welcome and valued.
Types of Investigations We Conduct
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Discrimination and Harassment:
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Civil Rights Act of 1964
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​Title VII prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation and gender identity), or national origin. This includes investigating claims of hostile work environment and sexual harassment.
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Title VI prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance. This applies to a wide range of programs, including education, healthcare, and transportation. The law ensures that federal funds are not used to support or result in discrimination.
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In Oregon, employees have additional protections under ORS 659A that include Marital status, Age (if the individual is 18 or older), Disability (for employers with six or more employees), Expunged juvenile record, Uniformed service or veteran's status (for employers with six or more employees) and Genetic information.
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In Washington State, the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), expands on federal Title VII by adding more protected classes and lowering the employee threshold for enforcement. Key additions include protections based on race (including hairstyles), sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, and citizenship status. WLAD also has a smaller employer size threshold for jurisdiction, and allows for employee lawsuits against harassment, hostile work environments, and discrimination.
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Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972: For clients in educational institutions which receive federal funding, managing and conducting investigations related to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (sex-based discrimination) is an area of key expertise of Northwest HR Solutions.
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- Policy and Code of Conduct Violations: Investigating breaches of internal organizational rules, such as theft, fraud, retaliation, bullying, or misuse of organizational property.
Methodology & Reporting
Our investigative services include a clear investigative plan, gathering and preserving evidence (e.g., emails, video), conducting impartial interviews, making credibility assessments, and producing a comprehensive, defensibly sound report of findings.
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Our services also include Remedial Action Recommendations: We will provide objective recommendations to management on appropriate corrective and disciplinary actions necessary to resolve the issue, prevent recurrence, reduce risk and ensure legal compliance.
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