Workplace investigations in public agencies differ markedly from those in the private-sector. Investigators must be knowledgeable about Civil Service rules, must be able to work in a largely unionized environment, and must be sensitive to the public policy concerns and political ramifications that an investigation may trigger. Investigators also have to be aware of each organization’s personnel guidelines, since public agencies may enforce more stringent rules of workplace conduct, particularly concerning discriminatory behavior, ethics compliance, or workplace safety. Once the investigation is complete, investigators may be called upon to present their findings in writing and/or in person to legal counsel, to closed sessions of elected officials, or to bodies convening public hearings.

PII has conducted many third-party neutral investigations into employee and managerial misconduct for public agencies. For example, PII has been asked to determine whether employees committed sexual harassment, fraudulently reported their overtime hours, leaked sensitive information to third parties, acted below the standard of care in areas of health and safety, and failed to follow environmental regulations related to their daily work.

A high-ranking and politically well-connected manager at a public agency was accused of sexual harassing another manager. PII was retained to investigate the allegations, interviewing 29 employees who had worked with the accused. PII’s investigator spoke with secretaries, supervisors, and professional staff, finding evidence that the manager had been engaging in sexually harassing conduct over much of his tenure with the agency. Based on PII’s report, the agency terminated the manager and reached an early financial settlement with the woman who had filed the complaint, forestalling more costly litigation.