He Said, She Said – Now What? Tips for Effectively Assessing Credibility
You just completed an investigation interview. Now comes the hard part: assessing credibility. Sometimes the facts and credibility of the complainant, subject and witnesses are clear; but often, they’re all credible, or it’s a close call as to who is more credible. Nevertheless, the investigator must reach a conclusion: giving up and saying “inconclusive” is not an option. Credibility assessments are imperative in helping the investigator determine which testimony and evidence is more credible. In the era of #MeToo and #TimesUp, employers must confidently rely on investigation findings that are based on credibility assessments in order to support their employment decisions. The presenter, an experienced attorney investigator, shows you how to effectively assess credibility using factors such as plausibility, prior record, corroboration, consistency and motive.
Learning Objectives:
- Learn about the various factors used by experienced investigators to make credibility determinations.
- Learn to effectively analyze testimony in order to assess credibility.
- Get tips for asking insightful and probing questions to determine witnesses’ credibility.
Allison West, Esq., SHRM-SCP, AWI-CH
For over 20 years, Allison West has used her employment law background in delivering customized workplace training, conducting investigations, coaching executives/managers, serving as an expert witness, and specializing in conflict resolution and facilitated discussions to create more collaborative work environments.
Allison is a top-rated speaker at the SHRM Annual Conference as well as other HR/diversity conferences, and is a national expert on harassment, discrimination and investigations. She has appeared on PBS, CBS This Morning and in O Magazine discussing workplace harassment issues.
She is a member of the State Bar of California and holds her SHRM-SCP certification and AWI-CH (investigation) certificate.