Internal Investigation Crash Course: When and How to Conduct an Investigation
Speaker: Bob Oberstein
Speaker Designation: Arbitrator, Mediator/facilitator, Fact-finder/Investigator, Trainer and Educator
Speaker: Bob Oberstein
Speaker Designation: Arbitrator, Mediator/facilitator, Fact-finder/Investigator, Trainer and Educator
Are you prepared to conduct a proper investigation? Will it comply with all Federal, State, and local laws and all your policies? Will that investigation be objective and respect all party’s rights? Will it be presented professionally?
If done right an investigation can help get to the bottom of things. If done wrong, it all too often makes things worse. So, it pays to know how to do it right every step of the way. The challenge of complying with all applicable standards/regulations is to educate and update all who are responsible for conducting investigations within the organization. Otherwise, they may not have the tools or skill sets to be aware of all those obligations and responsibilities which in turn can lead to unintentional violations of law and challenges to the integrity and credibility of the investigation and its results/conclusions.
This webinar can help you and your organization understand what’s required to conduct an effective and professional investigation while minimizing risk (financial, legal, damage to internal and external reputation, etc.).
Let’s face it, it is a minefield out there so it’s important to know what you can, cannot, should, and must do before you get started!
Investigating within a corporate environment is a delicate yet critical undertaking that requires careful planning, adherence to legal frameworks, and a commitment to uncovering the truth. Whether addressing allegations of misconduct, fraud, harassment, or other workplace issues, knowing when and how to initiate an investigation is paramount for organizations aiming to maintain integrity, compliance, and a healthy work environment. Implementing robust investigation practices not only helps address immediate concerns but also contributes to a culture of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct within the corporate environment.
Bob Oberstein has over 52 years of Labor/Employee Relations experience on all sides of the labor-management table including as a neutral (arbitrator, mediator) in both the public and private sectors. He has served as a Commissioner, Maricopa County's Judicial Merit System Review Commission; Member, City of Phoenix Fire and Police Pension Boards; and Member/Chairman, City of Phoenix Civil Service Board. He is also the recipient of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service (FMCS) Director's Certificate of Recognition for Achievement in Promoting Positive Labor-Management Relations. Bob has served as Director, of the Labor Management Relations Program at Ottawa University, Phoenix (OU), Arizona where he taught conflict resolution, grievance processing, arbitration, and negotiation among other courses. He also served OU as Ombudsman for all student, faculty, and support disputes as well as the Disabled Student Liaison and received recognition in "Who's Who Among America's Teachers.
Bob currently mediates in the Family, Civil and Small Claims courts in the State of Washington and serves on the permanent panels/rosters for the FMCS Arbitration Roster (Regions 1, 2, 4, and 7); Oregon Employment Relations Board (OERB); Washington Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC); State of California Mediation and Conciliation Service (SCMCS) Public Employment Relations Panel; American Arbitration Association (AAA) Workplace Investigation Panel; Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Hearing Officer Panel; Eglin Air Force Base & American Federation of Government Employees Local No. 214 Arbitration Panel. In the past, Bob served as mediator and arbitrator on the employment, labor, commercial, and construction panels for the American Arbitration Association and for Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). He was also the initial trainer and advisor for the U.S. EEOC’s Phoenix Regional Office’s mediation program where additionally, he served as a mediator. Bob has also served as facilitator/mediator for the Interest-based bargaining process for several labor negotiations as well as being a Special Master (Arb-Med) in labor-management grievance resolution.
Bob holds a BA in English/Education from St. John's University, a Master of Science in Social Science and Graduate Certificate of Labor Studies from Long Island University, and a Master of Jurisprudence in Labor and Employment Law from Tulane University Law School.