A harassment, discrimination, or misconduct complaint is stressful precisely because the instinct to make it go away is the instinct that gets employers sued. The law doesn’t expect you to be perfect — it expects you to take it seriously, act promptly, and not punish the person who raised it. Here’s the sequence.
Do this first
- Take it seriously and act promptly. Delay looks like indifference and lets the situation escalate. A prompt, good-faith response is your strongest defense.
- Document what was reported. Write down who, what, when, and where, in the complainant’s words, as soon as possible.
- Keep it as confidential as you reasonably can. Share only with those who need to know to investigate and respond.
- Separate the parties if needed — without punishing the person who complained (don’t move or demote *them* to solve it).
- Investigate — interview the parties and witnesses, gather relevant records, and reach a reasoned conclusion.
Never do this
- Retaliate. Cutting hours, changing shifts, cold-shouldering, or firing the complainant is often a worse legal problem than the original complaint — even if the original complaint turns out to be unfounded.
- Ignore it or “handle it informally” because you like the accused.
- Promise an outcome before you’ve investigated.
- Let someone with a conflict investigate — including yourself, if you’re involved.
When to bring in an outside investigator
Some complaints are too serious or too conflicted to handle in-house: allegations against an owner or senior leader, anything involving potential legal exposure, or a small team where no one is truly neutral. A trained, independent investigator produces a credible, defensible record — and the fact that you brought one in is itself evidence you took it seriously.
Some complaints shouldn’t be handled alone
Luman Group runs neutral, defensible workplace investigations — the interviews, the documentation, and a findings report that holds up. If a complaint is serious or hits close to leadership, that’s the moment to bring someone in.
See how investigations work →Common questions
Do I have to investigate every complaint?
You should take every complaint seriously and respond. The depth of investigation scales with the seriousness — but ignoring one is the risk you can’t take.
Can I fire the person who complained?
Be extremely careful. Adverse action against someone who raised a good-faith complaint is the classic retaliation claim — often more dangerous than the original issue. If there’s a legitimate, unrelated reason, document it thoroughly and get advice first.
Should I use an outside investigator?
For serious allegations, anything involving leadership, or a team too small to be neutral — yes. Independence is what makes the findings credible.
What if the complaint is about me?
Then you can’t be the investigator. Bring in a neutral third party immediately; handling it yourself destroys the credibility of any outcome.