Handle a workplace concern the way a fair, defensible process should run, from the first report to a documented finding, without improvising the parts that carry legal weight. The kit is a guided system: triage what just landed, plan and run a neutral investigation, weigh the evidence on the everyday standard, reach a clear finding, and track the matter to close.
Four files that take a concern from the first report to a documented outcome
A guided process, not a stack of forms. Read the Field Guide first, work a new concern through the workbook in order from intake to the case log, and use the matching Word templates for the record at each step. Built to be used together.
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Start Here. A one-page map: read the Field Guide first, then work a new concern through the workbook in order, from the Intake and Triage screen to the ER Case Log. It also sets out the ground rules to follow before you act.
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The Field Guide, 14 pages. How to think through a concern in thirteen short sections: what employee relations is for, when to look into a concern, intake and triage, planning a fair investigation, interviewing well, weighing the evidence, findings and what is next, confidentiality, representation in interviews, retaliation, documentation, high-risk situations, and how the pieces fit together.
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The Workbook. Seven working tabs: a Start Here, the Intake and Triage screen, the Investigation Plan, the Interview Log that records whether a representative was requested, the Findings tab on the more-likely-than-not standard, the ER Case Log register, and a Definitions reference. It works in Excel or Google Sheets, and a worked example runs through every tab.
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The Templates. Six editable Word forms that produce the record at each step: a complaint intake form, an investigation plan, an interview guide and notes, a witness statement, an investigation findings report, and an outcome and corrective action record.
The method in the order a matter runs
Take the concern in, size it up, plan and run the investigation, weigh the evidence, and reach a finding you can stand behind. The kit structures each step; you make the calls, and counsel covers the close ones.
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Take it in and triage it. Capture the concern calmly on the Intake and Triage screen, including who, what, when, and who else may know. Run the four-point risk check, note any immediate safety step, and let it point you to how urgent the matter is and whether it needs a formal investigation or a documented conversation. Make no promise that nothing will happen and no promise of total secrecy.
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Plan a fair investigation. Pick someone neutral to investigate, and use someone independent if the concern touches a manager, a senior leader, or HR itself. Break the concern into the specific questions you must answer, list who can speak to each, and note what to gather. Write questions, not conclusions.
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Interview and gather the evidence. Work the interview guide with each person, stay neutral, and log every conversation on the Interview Log, including whether a representative was requested. Capture witness accounts on the witness statement, and keep the file to the people who need to know.
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Weigh the evidence and reach a finding. Decide each point on its own using the everyday standard, more likely than not. Weigh each account for what it is worth rather than counting heads, watch for the credibility traps, and record a clear finding of substantiated, not substantiated, or inconclusive, with the basis written down.
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Close the matter and log it. Record the outcome on the outcome and corrective action record, log the matter on the ER Case Log, and close the loop with the person who raised it without sharing private details about anyone else. Where a finding points to discipline or an exit, that is a separate decision the Discipline and Termination Decision Kit walks.
Built on how investigations go wrong and honest about its limits
A fair investigation is run, not improvised, so the kit gives you the triage, the plan, the interview tools, and the standard, and it is clear about which situations you stop and hand to counsel.
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Two promises not to make at intake. Do not promise that nothing will happen, and do not promise total secrecy. You can say you will keep it as private as you reasonably can and share only on a need-to-know basis.
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Respond promptly and decide on the evidence. Once you know, or reasonably should know, about possible harassment, discrimination, a safety threat, retaliation, or a serious policy breach, you have to respond, and you weigh each account on consistency, corroboration, and plausibility, not on demeanor or seniority.
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Confidentiality has limits, especially around pay. You cannot impose a blanket gag, tell employees they cannot discuss their own pay or working conditions, or bar anyone from contacting a government agency, so tie any request to the open matter and review a broad or standing rule with counsel.
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Never a stand-in for legal advice. The kit marks the situations to take to a qualified employment attorney before you act: anything involving safety or a credible threat, a protected category, a senior leader or HR itself, a union or a request for a representative, a broad confidentiality rule, or a possible legal claim. How you handle a concern carries legal weight that varies by state and changes over time, and every file carries a last-reviewed date.
Who it is built for and where to go if that is not you
Built for
- An HR generalist, manager, or business owner who has to look into a workplace concern and wants to run it promptly, neutrally, and on the evidence, with the record to show for it.
- An HR team of one, or a small HR function, that needs one consistent process for intake, investigation, findings, and a case log across every manager and every matter.
- An operations or people leader who has to be sure a complaint was handled fairly and documented, and who wants to know when a matter has to go to counsel before it goes further.
If you are looking for
- An ordinary performance concern with no misconduct or protected issue behind it, handled through the review process. The Performance Review and Calibration Toolkit builds that.
- A leave or accommodation request to handle under FMLA, the ADA, or state law, rather than a complaint to look into. The Leave and Accommodation Kit covers it.
- The everyday people-management playbook for routine one-on-ones, coaching, and team issues, not a formal investigation. The People Manager Toolkit is built for that.
Before you buy
What format are the files and can I edit them?
The Field Guide and the Start Here are print-ready PDFs, the workbook is an Excel file that also works in Google Sheets, and the templates are an editable Word file. Everything is yours to keep and adapt. Save a copy of the workbook for each matter.
Is this legal advice?
No. It is general information and a guided process for planning. How you handle a workplace concern carries legal weight that varies by state and changes over time. The kit marks where to bring in employment counsel, and it does not determine that any matter complies with the law. Take anything involving safety, a protected category, a senior leader, a union, or a possible claim to a qualified employment attorney before you act.
How is this different from a free template or checklist?
A free template gives you a blank form. This is a guided process that walks the whole matter: triage a new concern, plan a neutral investigation, interview and log who you spoke with, weigh the evidence on the everyday standard, reach a clear finding on each point, and track the matter to close in a case log. It is grounded in how investigations go wrong and marks the points where you stop and get counsel.
Can employees be told to keep an investigation confidential?
You can ask the people involved to keep an open matter private while you work it, and explain why. You cannot impose a blanket or permanent gag, tell employees they cannot discuss their own pay or working conditions, or bar anyone from contacting a government agency, because labor law protects those rights. The kit shows where the line is and routes a broad or standing rule to counsel.
What is the refund policy?
Digital products are covered by a 14-day money-back guarantee. See the refund policy for the full terms.
What happens after I buy?
Checkout delivers an instant download link, and a receipt with the same link arrives by email. Open the Start Here page first, then read the Field Guide before you work a live matter. If a file gives you trouble, email support@truestephr.com.
A guided process, templates, and general business information for planning, not legal or tax advice. How you handle a workplace concern carries legal weight that varies by state and changes over time, so confirm current requirements for your state, and bring in qualified counsel for anything involving safety, a protected category, a senior leader, a union, or a possible legal claim. Last reviewed June 2026.
