In the second installment of this four-part series from Vedder Price’s Amy Bess and Sadina Montani, the authors discuss the balance employers must strike when investigating sexual misconduct: the company must act swiftly, but not hastily. Both parties have rights to consider, and a misstep in handling the allegation can expose the company to potential litigation from the alleged harasser.

In recent months, it seems not a week goes by without news of another high-profile alleged harasser fired or forced to resign almost immediately after allegations of workplace harassment become public. What usually is not apparent, of course, is whether such allegations were carefully investigated and corroborated behind closed doors prior to the public revelations. Regardless, the swift, public fall of high-profile figures – while certainly dramatic and newsworthy – should not serve as a playbook for how to treat all employees accused of sexual harassment in the workplace.

Click here to read the entire article from Corporate Compliance Insights.

 Click here to read Part 1, Part 3 and Part 4. 

Click here to read other Vedder Price articles regarding workplace sexual harassment issues.