Investigations and Abuse/Misconduct Prevention

Misconduct, whether in the church or the workplace, can leave victims with deep emotional scars: “Why did God let this happen? Why didn’t my leaders protect me?” With no one to speak for them, survivors may feel trampled.

Whether it’s prevention, advocacy, investigation, policy review, or litigation and litigation alternatives, Telios Law provides legal solutions to help leaders safeguard those who cannot protect themselves.

We Lead Investigations

At Telios Law, we offer investigations into the following areas:

• Sexual harassment or gender issues;
• Discrimination of various types;
• Workplace threats or violence;
• Inappropriate conduct of different types;
• Toxic abuse of power or spiritual abuse;
• Child abuse (either when child protective services or law enforcement cannot be involved for jurisdictional reasons or to handle the associated employment and discipline issues);
• Historic and international investigations; and
• Leadership failure or culpability.

We help you evaluate when an investigation is needed and how to structure an investigation in a neutral and impartial way. This ensures complaints are fully heard and those accused receive due process.

Other factors to consider are administrative leave and safety plans, how the organization can support those harmed and other stakeholders, a trauma-informed approach to the investigation, and appropriate next steps in discipline and survivor care.

Best Practices

Best practices in investigations are important for these reasons:

• Victims must have their complaint heard and taken seriously;
• Accused must be treated with fair process;
• Common investigative mistakes must be avoided;
• The organization must act fairly towards all without creating unnecessary legal liability; and
• Organizational culture must remain healthy, with trust that misconduct will be addressed vigorously without partiality or retaliation, and any needed cultural changes will be made.

Regular and Prompt Updates

Stakeholders in large investigations occasionally need regular progress updates. Telios Law can facilitate those through our Telios Investigations website. This site also features resources and information about investigations in general.

Visit Telios Investigations to learn more

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