HR Badge #14: Investigations and Discipline: Advanced Investigations-HR Badge #14

HR Badge #14 - PowerPoint

Pdf Summary

This training module, “Investigations & Discipline: Advanced Investigations” (HR Badge #14), explains what occurs after employee discipline is issued and how to manage advanced investigation scenarios in a school district setting.<br /><br />After discipline, HR must ensure follow-through through evaluations and monitoring. For classified employees, discipline short of discharge should be reflected in evaluations, and districts should plan how to address certificated evaluations. Discipline must be consistently enforced; lax enforcement can undermine or invalidate future corrective action. The module also addresses purging investigation files under collective bargaining agreement (CBA) language—retaining only a summary document—while still complying with Public Records Act (PRA) obligations.<br /><br />The course outlines post-discipline challenges and legal avenues: certificated statutory appeals (RCW 28A.405.300) requiring action within 10 days and functioning like a mini-trial with discovery and evidentiary rules; other statutory appeals (RCW 28A.645.010) requiring the district to prove “sufficient cause” for discharge; and CBA grievance procedures that can culminate in non-appealable arbitration, typically without discovery. It highlights “election of remedies,” where a CBA may require choosing between statutory appeal and grievance or may allow both. It warns that procedural errors can lead arbitrators to reduce/overturn discipline, can trigger unfair labor practice findings (PERC remedies restoring the status quo), or lead to discrimination complaints (EEOC/WSHRC).<br /><br />Three scenario-based case studies develop investigative judgment: suspected sick leave abuse involving social media evidence and potential dishonesty; off-campus DUI arrest considerations (timing, nexus to job, media/community impact, administrative leave, last-chance agreements) using the Hoagland factors; and boundary/sexual misconduct concerns involving past unfounded allegations, current boundary issues, administrative leave, outside investigators, and the role of resignation agreements. The module ends with knowledge checks and a final assessment requiring 80% to earn the badge.

Keywords

advanced investigations

employee discipline follow-through

school district HR

post-discipline evaluations and monitoring

collective bargaining agreement (CBA)

Public Records Act (PRA) compliance

RCW 28A.405.300 statutory appeal

RCW 28A.645.010 sufficient cause discharge

grievance arbitration and election of remedies

investigation scenarios (sick leave abuse, DUI nexus, boundary/sexual misconduct)