Workplace investigations for the public sector involve a host of considerations that differ from an investigation for private employers. When a public employee is accused of misconduct, there could be issues regarding misuse of taxpayer resources, conflict of interest or other ethical allegations that require procedural and substantive issues not present in other types of investigations.

Adam Investigations Counsel founder and managing partner Aisha Shelton Adam will discuss the basics of interviewing and credibility during public sector workplace investigations as part of the Association of Workplace Investigation’s Public Sector Investigations Virtual Seminar Series. The virtual seminar, on Wednesday, July 22 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. PST, will provide best practices and specific approaches to interviewing public agency personnel. This includes admonitions prior to conducting interviews, questioning methods, and how to conclude the interview. Importantly, the seminar will present ways to assess the credibility of those being interviewed.

The discussion will also include tips on conducting remote workplace investigations — a timely and practical approach given that, for the foreseeable future, many workplace investigations will not be done in person because of COVID-19 shutdown orders.