Workplace Investigations

Contributing Editors


Workplace investigations are growing in number, size and complexity. Employers are under greater scrutiny as of the importance of ESG rises. Regulated industries such as finance, healthcare and legal face additional hurdles, but public scrutiny of businesses and how they treat their people across the board has never been higher. Conducting a fair and thorough workplace investigation is therefore critical to the optimal operation, governance and legal exposure of every business.

IEL’s Guide to Workplace Investigations examines key issues that organisations need to consider as they initiate, conduct and conclude investigations in 29 major jurisdictions around the world.  

Learn more about the response taken in specific countries or build your own report to compare approaches taken around the world.

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24. What next steps are available to the employer?

24. What next steps are available to the employer?

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Switzerland

  • at Bär & Karrer
  • at Bär & Karrer

If the investigation uncovers misconduct, the question arises as to what steps should be taken. Of course, the severity of the misconduct and the damage caused play a significant role. Furthermore, it must be noted that the cooperation of the employee concerned may be of decisive importance for the outcome of the investigation. The possibilities are numerous, ranging, for example, from preventive measures to criminal complaints.[1]

If individual disciplinary actions are necessary, these may range from warnings to ordinary or immediate termination of employment.

 

[1] David Rosenthal et al., Praxishandbuch für interne Untersuchungen und eDiscovery, Release 1.01, Zürich/Bern 2021, p. 180 et seq.

Last updated on 15/09/2022

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Turkey

  • at Paksoy
  • at Paksoy
  • at Paksoy
  • at Paksoy

The employer may take various legal remedies against the employee whose infringement is discovered as a result of the internal investigation. Depending on the outcome of the investigation, the employer:

  • may provide the employee with a written warning requesting him or her not to repeat the same conduct;
  • terminate the employment relationship based on either just cause, without paying any compensation immediately, or valid reason by observing statutory notice periods or making payment in lieu of notice and paying severance compensation if applicable; or
  • not take any action if the investigation concludes that no fault is attributable to the employee.
Last updated on 15/09/2022