Employee Relations Workplace Investigator

Overview

As a patient-focused organization, University of Utah Health exists to enhance the health and well-being of people through patient care, research and education. Success in this mission requires a culture of collaboration, excellence, leadership, and respect. University of Utah Health seeks staff that are committed to the values of compassion, collaboration, innovation, responsibility, integrity, quality and trust that are integral to our mission. EO/AA

The Employee Relations Workplace Investigator conducts fair, thorough, timely, and objective workplace investigations involving allegations of employee misconduct, policy violations, inappropriate workplace behavior, abusive conduct, retaliation, and other complex employee relations concerns across University of Utah Health. As a member of the Employee Relations team, the investigator provides specialized expertise in investigative planning, interviewing, evidence review, credibility assessment, fact-finding, and report writing. Serving as a neutral fact finder, the investigator is responsible for managing assigned matters and investigative processes from initial referral through final findings. The role works closely with Employee Relations consultants, Human Resources leaders, the Office of General Counsel, the Office of Equal Opportunity, and other institutional partners to ensure matters are appropriately scoped, routed, and investigated in accordance with applicable policies, processes, and requirements. The role requires exceptional judgment, neutrality, discretion, analytical ability, and interpersonal skill, as well as the ability to navigate sensitive and emotionally complex matters within a highly matrixed academic healthcare environment.

Corporate Overview: University of Utah Health is an integrated academic healthcare system with five hospitals including a level 1 trauma center, eleven community health centers, over 1,600 providers, and a health plan serving over 200,000 members. University of Utah Health is nationally ranked and recognized for our academic research, quality standards and overall patient experience. In addition to our clinical delivery system, we have a School of Medicine, School of Dentistry, College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, and College of Health providing education and training for over 1,250 providers annually. We have over 2 million patient visits annually and research grants exceeding $350 million. University of Utah Hospitals and Clinics represents our clinical operations for the larger health system.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

Workplace Investigations

- Conducts impartial workplace investigations involving allegations of employee misconduct, unprofessional or inappropriate behavior, abusive conduct, retaliation, workplace mistreatment, policy violations, and other matters assigned through the Employee Relations intake and triage process.

- Manages investigations from referral through completion, including clarifying allegations, identifying applicable policies and standards, defining scope, developing investigation plans, gathering evidence, conducting interviews, analyzing information, and preparing final reports.

- Conducts trauma-informed and procedurally fair interviews of complainants, respondents, witnesses, and other involved individuals while maintaining professionalism, neutrality, and appropriate sensitivity.

- Reviews and evaluates relevant records and evidence, including electronic communications, personnel documentation, policies, schedules, timekeeping information, video footage, and other available materials.

- Evaluates the relevance, reliability, consistency, and weight of evidence and assesses credibility when accounts or evidence conflict.

- Makes objective findings using the applicable standard of proof and clearly distinguishes established facts, disputed information, corroborating evidence, and allegations for which available evidence does not support a finding under the applicable standard proof.

- Identifies concerns that emerge during an investigation and consults with the appropriate Employee Relations leader or institutional partner before expanding the scope.

Reports and Case Coordination

- Prepares clear, concise, organized, and well-supported investigation reports documenting the allegations, investigative process, relevant evidence, analysis, credibility considerations, and findings.

- Provides timely status updates and communicates investigation outcomes to designated Employee Relations, Human Resources, or organizational stakeholders while preserving the confidentiality and integrity of the process.

- Responds to questions regarding the investigative record and conducts supplemental fact-finding when relevant information becomes available or additional clarification is needed.

- Partners with Employee Relations leadership and consultants to assess incoming matters, clarify the investigative question, determine whether formal fact-finding is appropriate, and establish the investigator’s role.

- Recognizes matters requiring specialized institutional review or investigation and promptly coordinates referral or consultation when allegations may implicate discrimination or harassment, Title IX, research integrity, privacy, compliance, patient safety, criminal conduct, faculty affairs or other specialized processes.

- Participates in coordinated or jointly assigned investigations when allegations cross functional or jurisdictional boundaries.

- Identifies actual or perceived conflicts of interest and escalates significant risk, threats to safety, potential criminal conduct, evidence of ongoing harm, or other urgent concerns through appropriate institutional channels.

- Coordinates with Public Safety when allegations involve potential criminal conduct, threats to safety, weapons, violence, or other matters requiring law enforcement or security response, while maintaining appropriate separation between administrative and criminal investigative processes.

Investigative Standards and Improvement

- Applies consistent investigative practices, documentation standards, and procedural safeguards across assigned matters.

- Supports the development and maintenance of investigation protocols, templates, interview guides, report formats, case-management practices, and quality standards.

- Communicates when case complexity, witness availability, or other circumstances may affect expected completion.

- Maintains accurate case documentation, investigative timelines, case status, evidence records, interview documentation, and other required information in the designated case-management system.

- Maintains appropriate investigative documentation sufficient to support institutional review, audit, litigation response, or other authorized purposes.

- Maintains current knowledge of workplace investigation practices, employment-related requirements, and institutional policies.

- Identifies recurring themes, process gaps, or organizational risk patterns and shares de-identified insights with Employee Relations leadership.

- May provide education to HR professionals and leaders regarding investigative processes, participant expectations, documentation practices, and non-retaliation requirements.

- Remains impartial regardless of the position, seniority, professional status, or organizational influence of individuals involved in an investigation.

Partnership and Professional Conduct

- Builds effective working relationships with Employee Relations consultants, HR Strategic Advisors, HR leaders, operational leaders, and institutional partners while maintaining appropriate independence as a neutral fact finder.

- Treats investigation participants with dignity, respect, and professionalism and handles sensitive and confidential information with sound judgment.

- Remains composed and objective when navigating emotionally charged conversations, conflicting accounts, challenging interpersonal dynamics, and allegations involving senior leaders.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

- Advanced knowledge of workplace investigation principles, practices, and procedural fairness.

- Demonstrated ability to conduct sensitive interviews, ask effective follow-up questions, evaluate conflicting information, and assess credibility.

- Strong analytical reasoning and the ability to reach objective, evidence-based conclusions.

- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to organize complex information and prepare clear, defensible investigation reports.

- Ability to maintain neutrality and exercise sound judgment and discretion when handling confidential, sensitive, or high-risk matters.

- Strong organizational and case-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple investigations and competing deadlines.

- Ability to interpret and apply organizational policies and standards consistently and recognize when consultation, escalation, or referral is necessary.

- Ability to work independently and collaborate effectively across a complex, highly matrixed academic healthcare organization.

Qualifications

Required

- Bachelor’s degree in human resources, criminal justice, legal studies, psychology, sociology, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant investigative experience.

- Five years of progressively responsible experience in employee relations, workplace investigations, compliance investigations, human resources, or a closely related area.

- Demonstrated experience independently conducting workplace or administrative investigations, including investigative planning, interviewing, evidence analysis, credibility and investigative assessment, and written findings.

- Demonstrated experience preparing formal investigative reports or comparable analytical work products.

- Familiarity with trauma-informed interviewing practices and investigations involving sensitive or emotionally complex allegations.

Qualifications (Preferred)

Preferred

- Experience conducting complex workplace investigations in a healthcare, academic, research, public-sector, or similarly regulated environment.

- Experience investigating allegations involving senior leaders, clinical employees, faculty, licensed professionals, or other complex employee populations.

- Advanced degree in human resources, law, conflict resolution, or related field.

- Professional certification or specialized training in workplace investigations, employee relations, human resources, mediation, or conflict resolution.

- Professional certification such as SHRM-CP, SHRM-SCP, PHR, SPHR, or equivalent credentials.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

Employee must be able to meet the following requirements with or without an accommodation.

- This is a sedentary position in an office setting that may exert up to 10 pounds and may lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. This position involves sitting most of the time and is not exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

## Physical Requirements
Climbing, Far Vision, Listening, Manual Dexterity, Near Vision, Sitting, Speaking, Standing, Walking