Workplace Investigation

What is a workplace investigation?

If you’re an employer in Ontario, your health & safety protocols and guidelines are mandated by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).

According to OHSA, employers have a duty to conduct workplace investigations into incidents and complaints of workplace harassment.

You have a responsibility to address any incidents you become aware of, even if there isn't a formal complaint.

What is workplace harassment?

The OHSA defines workplace harassment as “engaging in a course of vexatious comment or conduct against a worker in a workplace that is known or ought reasonably to be known to be unwelcome.”

As an employer, it's important to be aware that workplace harassment can take many forms. It isn't just sexual harassment — it can also be discrimination based on sex, age, religion, disability or ethnicity.

Process

Working Together

At Nungisa Law, our purpose is to humanize your interaction with the legal world, and we bring that ethos into our investigations.

All investigations are unique, but they all include the same five steps:

Meet

We hold an initial meeting with the employer to gain a clear understanding of the scope of the investigation.

Review

Our thorough document review process includes an examination of the complaint/incident itself, any available response, and any documents that could provide a better understanding of the situation.

Interview

We hold interviews that allow us to gather all the facts needed for the investigation. We speak with the Complainant, the Respondent and any relevant witnesses.

Summarize

Everyone we interview receives a summary of their evidence. The summary allows the interviewee to make any corrections needed to ensure their evidence is complete and accurately reflected in our report.

Deliver

We review the report and hold follow-up interviews if necessary, then deliver the final investigation report to the employer.

How We Help You

As an employer, workplace harassment reports and incidents are of great concern. Not only can they negatively impact your employees’ performance and morale, but they can also affect your company’s reputation.

As your trusted investigators, we manage the burden of regulatory compliance and help you avoid any potential legal risk.

Our expertise lets you focus on running your business while we get to the bottom of difficult issues.

Ready to address workplace concerns with fairness and confidence? Start your investigation with Nungisa Law today: info@nungisalaw.ca

About us - Our Expertise

Michel Nungisa, a bilingual lawyer with extensive experience in labour relations, leads the investigation team at Nungisa Law.

Nungisa Law is certified in Workplace Investigations by the The Human Resources Professionals Association, which means our clients can be confident that their investigation will be conducted with care and competence.

Our process is sound and impartial, but we also recognize how difficult and emotionally charged workplace harassment incidents can be. Our professional, personal approach makes us the right choice when it’s not “business as usual.”

Not all workplace issues are HR issues, and Nungisa Law has the expertise to provide the right assistance and support.

Learn More

Michel Nungisa at Nungisa Law in Ottawa 2

My purpose is good counsel.

Book an Appointment