Internal Investigations and Compliance
Supporting your organization across all types of workplace investigations
Capabilities at a glance
- Deep and broad experience on employer compliance, advising national, regional and local employers, from well-established blue chips to startups.
- For organizations looking to get ahead of potential problems, we regularly conduct internal compliance audits and recommend changes to reduce or eliminate potential exposure.
- Support before, during and after governmental investigations across the full range of federal, state and local agencies and regulations.
- Holistic legal support to keep your business compliant and risk-minimized, from preemptive internal investigations through litigation, when necessary.
Shared purpose with clients on employment investigations
When allegations of improper workplace activity are made, employers must act quickly, effectively and responsibly. A prompt and thorough workplace investigation is often the key to effectively remedying a situation that may lead to significant employer liability if not properly addressed. Depending on the circumstances, our team may perform fact-finding investigations, make objective written findings or assist clients with strategy if they decide to conduct an internal investigation. At the conclusion of an investigation, we work with clients to implement recommendations. We can also assess client exposure, if any, through ongoing advice and counseling with the goal of minimizing future claims. The stakes for clients in this area are high, going beyond the monetary value of any particular violations, and include the risk of reputational damage in the market and follow-on lawsuits by private plaintiffs.
Skilled employment attorneys with knowledge of a wide range of industries
Our experienced employment attorneys have performed workplace investigations in the most sensitive of circumstances for our clients. We work with our clients when they receive an employee complaint, such as for discrimination, retaliation or sexual harassment, or when they become aware of a situation, such as inappropriate conduct, theft or other serious policy violations that require an investigation to determine the best strategy for responding. Our work on employment investigations and compliance spans all industries, including health care, financial services, manufacturing, transportation, franchising, shipping and logistics. We advise national, regional and local employers, from well-established blue chips with complex business organizations to tech startups that face complex issues around the classification of workers.
News & Insights
Internal Investigations and Compliance Focus Areas
Agency Investigations and Audits
Quarles has vast experience representing employers in government and regulatory agency investigations — and the legal disputes that grow out of them. We understand how to engage productively with the Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) and other federal and state investigative bodies. As they look into potential violations of employment laws, our attorneys vigorously defend our clients and advise investigators on the relevant facts and law. In doing so, we are able to limit the scope of investigative efforts and otherwise obtain favorable results for our clients. In rare instances when the results the client needs cannot be obtained during the investigative process, Quarles is ready, willing and able to successfully litigate to protect our clients. Our ability to successfully pursue our positions in court only strengthens our position during the investigative process.
Independent Contractor Misclassification and Compliance
We regularly advise our clients on non-employee classifications and compliance, in particular on the nuances of the proper treatment of employees versus independent contractors, and have successfully defended employers against misclassification claims under FLSA, IMWL, IWPCA and RICO. The law in this area has been dynamic over the past decade, at both the federal and state level, and we continue to follow all developments with an eye toward both defending claims and proactively working with clients to reduce risk.
Internal Investigations and Whistleblower Response
Our whistleblower legal support consists of advising clients on proactive steps they should take to prevent state and federal claims and then defending clients against such claims in administrative agencies and in court. We work with clients to create policies that clearly communicate to employees what constitutes prohibited practices and that embody the client’s standards and corporate culture. We also work with clients concerning the most effective mechanisms to capture complaints and help conduct investigations that efficiently get to the bottom of allegations.
