Not every complaint needs a formal investigation, and not every complaint is safe to handle informally. Nine questions estimate the right scope, timeline, and whether you need an outside investigator.
This tool provides general scoping guidance and is not legal advice. It does not determine legal obligations for any specific complaint.
The subject matter (harassment and discrimination carry more agency-filing risk than a scheduling dispute), who is accused (supervisor and executive complaints heighten independence and conflict concerns), the number of parties, and whether leadership is implicated all scale the appropriate level of process.
When the accused controls the potential investigator's pay, schedule, reporting line, or standing, the organization should evaluate whether an internal reviewer can be genuinely impartial and sufficiently authorized. A qualified outside investigator is often the stronger choice when independence, capacity, or expertise cannot be established internally.
Most single-complaint, well-scoped investigations resolve in one to four weeks depending on the number of witnesses and the availability of records. Investigations involving leadership, multiple complainants, or public-sector records considerations typically run longer.
For lower-complexity matters with no leadership implication and no immediate safety concern, a trained internal reviewer who is not the subject of the complaint can often handle it. Higher-complexity or leadership-implicated matters call for an outside investigator.
Cost scales with the same factors as scope: number of witnesses, documents, and locations. Most single-complaint investigations are quoted as a fixed fee or capped hourly estimate after a short scoping call.
Preserve relevant records, assess whether interim measures are needed for safety or to prevent further disruption, and decide on the appropriate scope using a tool like this one before assigning an investigator.
Investigations are handled discreetly, but complete confidentiality generally cannot be promised, and public employers face additional public records considerations.
Book a no-cost 30-minute consult. Bring your result, and leave with a straight read on the risk and a practical next step.