Compliance Stuff

When misconduct arises, knowing when and how to investigate is critical. Workplace investigations aren’t just about compliance. They are about protecting people, reputation, and culture. From harassment to fraud, knowing when and how to investigate can make all the difference. Ahead of the release of our 2025 APAC Employment Law Guide,  Fatim Jumabhoy , Partner and Head of Employment & Workplace Investigations, Asia, shares practical tips to help you: Know when to investigate Plan and conduct fair interviews Protect legal privilege Write strong, defensible reports These insights are drawn from our experience supporting clients across sectors and from our internal guidance, including culturally informed practices and legal privilege protocols where appropriate. 1 Know when to investigate Not every complaint needs a formal investigation, but some absolutely do. Investigate when: Allegations involve serious misconduc t (e.g. harassment, serious breaches of policy & systemic i...

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will no longer investigate complaints based on a legal concept that recognizes unintentional discrimination. Business owners face one less threat of falling afoul of federal regulations, though that might not be good news to all entrepreneurs. This week, the  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission  (EEOC) officially abandoned investigations of any  discrimination complaints  based on disparate impact liability, long viewed as an effective legal tool in those cases. What that means for employers is they no longer have to worry about being pursued by federal agencies for allegedly having policies or business practices that may unintentionally disadvantage certain groups of employees in hiring or promotion decisions. That’s the  consequence of the EEOC  now acting on an April executive order requiring all area, local, and district offices to  cease pursuing worker complaints  founded on disparate liabili...