Impartial, high-stakes fact-finding to ensure FEHA and Title VII compliance. Serving employers throughout California and Arizona.
Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA, Gov. Code § 12900 et seq.), harassment and discrimination are unlawful when they target a protected characteristic, including race, ancestry, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age (40 and over), physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, military or veteran status, and other categories defined under state and federal law.
To constitute an actionable hostile work environment, the conduct must be severe or pervasive enough to alter the conditions of employment or create an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment, and it must be connected to a protected category. A single severe incident, or a pattern of less severe but pervasive conduct, may each meet this standard. Conduct that is unprofessional but not tied to a protected characteristic may not be legally actionable, yet may still violate company policy; see our Bullying & Conduct Investigations page for those matters.
California employers have an affirmative obligation to take reasonable steps to prevent and promptly correct harassing and discriminatory conduct. An employer may be held liable when it knew or should have known of harassment and failed to take immediate and appropriate corrective action. A prompt, neutral, well-documented investigation is a central element of a legally defensible response and can significantly reduce exposure in litigation and agency proceedings before the California Civil Rights Department or the EEOC.
Thorough evaluation of conduct related to race, gender, age, disability, and other protected classes under state and federal law.
Investigating claims of adverse actions taken after an employee has engaged in protected activity or “whistleblowing.” Learn more about our retaliation claims investigations.
Ensure your response to harassment or discrimination allegations meets strict legal standards. Contact us to request our Harassment Investigation Intake Checklist and our California Workplace Investigation Guide.
A Southern California employer received a complaint alleging that a supervisor subjected an employee to repeated demeaning comments regarding the employee’s national origin and accent, and that the conduct escalated after the employee raised concerns internally. Because the respondent was a supervisor, the company retained Allen Morris Investigations to conduct an independent investigation.
We interviewed the complainant, the respondent, and eight witnesses, and reviewed emails, chat messages, scheduling records, and comparator evidence regarding assignments and discipline. Each account was documented in detail, and credibility was assessed based on consistency, corroboration, motive, and plausibility under the preponderance of the evidence standard.
The investigation substantiated a portion of the allegations, finding that several comments occurred as described and violated company policy, while other allegations were not substantiated. The employer implemented corrective action, provided targeted harassment prevention training, and adjusted reporting lines. The documented, neutral findings enabled the employer to demonstrate prompt and appropriate corrective action under FEHA, and the matter resolved without litigation.
Under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), unlawful harassment includes unwelcome conduct based on protected characteristics such as race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability that is “severe or pervasive” enough to create a hostile work environment.
An independent investigation demonstrates that the employer took “immediate and appropriate corrective action.” It provides an unbiased factual record that is much more defensible in court than an internal HR review that might be perceived as biased.
Most harassment investigations are completed within 14 to 30 days. This includes the initial intake, witness interviews, evidence review, and the delivery of a comprehensive final report.
While absolute confidentiality cannot be guaranteed due to the need to conduct a fair and thorough investigation, we maintain the highest level of discretion possible and only share information with those on a “need-to-know” basis.
Yes. We conduct thorough fact-finding for all protected categories under California FEHA and federal Title VII, including age, physical or mental disability, medical conditions, and genetic information.
Member: Los Angeles County Bar Association • Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI) • Orange County Bar Association (OCBA) • International Association of Interviewers (IAI) • San Bernardino County Bar Association • Hispanic Bar Association of Orange County • Greater Irvine Chamber of Commerce • Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce
Orange County, California (PI #27033) | Phoenix, Arizona (PI #1829951). Speak with an investigator at (949) 573-4624.
