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About the Investigator – David Harris, Calgary Workplace Investigator
Independent Workplace Investigations in Calgary and Alberta
David Harris conducts independent, fair, and defensible workplace investigations for employers in Calgary and across Alberta.
Workplace complaints require a process that is impartial, careful, and legally informed. David Harris brings decades of employment law experience to workplace investigations involving harassment, discrimination, bullying, reprisal, misconduct, occupational health and safety concerns, and other serious workplace issues.
Based in Calgary, David conducts independent workplace investigations for employers who require a neutral fact-finding process and a reliable written report.
David has acted as legal counsel in hundreds of workplace cases involving employment disputes, workplace investigations, human rights issues, occupational health and safety concerns, and employer decision-making. He now conducts independent workplace investigations for employers who require a fair, neutral, and defensible process.
Workplace Investigation Services
David Harris conducts independent workplace investigations involving:
- workplace harassment complaints
- bullying and toxic workplace allegations
- discrimination and human rights complaints
- sexual harassment complaints
- retaliation and reprisal allegations
- workplace misconduct
- conflict of interest concerns
- occupational health and safety issues
- complaints involving managers, supervisors, or senior personnel
- investigation report writing
Each investigation is conducted in a fair, unbiased, and legally informed manner, with careful attention to the rights of the complainant, the respondent, witnesses, and the employer’s need for a reliable and defensible process.
The Role of an Independent Workplace Investigator
An independent workplace investigator is a neutral fact-finder.
The investigator does not advocate for the employer, the complainant, or the respondent. The investigator’s role is to gather relevant evidence, interview the parties and witnesses, assess credibility where required, and make findings based on the evidence.
A properly conducted workplace investigation helps an employer understand what occurred, respond appropriately, and reduce legal and workplace risk.
Investigation Process
A workplace investigation may include:
- reviewing the complaint and defining the issues to be investigated
- identifying relevant documents and witnesses
- interviewing the complainant, respondent, and witnesses
- reviewing emails, text messages, workplace policies, records, and other relevant evidence
- assessing conflicting evidence and credibility where necessary
- making findings based on the balance of probabilities
- preparing a written investigation report
The scope of the investigation is tailored to the seriousness of the allegations, the workplace context, and the employer’s legal and operational needs.
Where requested, the investigation report may include findings only, or findings together with recommendations.
When Should an Employer Hire an Independent Workplace Investigator?
An employer should consider hiring an independent workplace investigator when a complaint involves serious workplace concerns such as harassment, discrimination, bullying, reprisal, conflict of interest, misconduct, or occupational health and safety issues.
An external investigator may be especially appropriate where:
- the allegations involve a manager, supervisor, executive, or senior employee
- internal HR staff may be seen as lacking independence
- the complaint raises legal, human rights, or occupational health and safety issues
- credibility findings may be required
- the workplace relationship has become highly strained
- the employer requires a careful written report
- the matter may later be reviewed by a court, tribunal, arbitrator, regulator, or other decision-maker
Investigations are not solely complaint-driven. If an employer has reason to believe that offensive or unlawful workplace conduct may have occurred, the employer may have an obligation to investigate even where no formal complaint has been made.
Fair, Independent, and Legally Sound Investigations
A workplace investigation must be more than a collection of interviews. The process should be fair to all parties, properly documented, and focused on the issues that must be decided.
David Harris brings legal judgment and workplace experience to the investigation process, including careful attention to:
- procedural fairness
- neutrality and independence
- properly defined allegations
- relevant evidence
- witness interviews
- credibility assessment
- the balance of probabilities
- clear written findings
- defensible investigation reports
The goal is to provide the employer with a reliable factual foundation for responding to the workplace issue.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a workplace investigator do?
A workplace investigator reviews relevant evidence, interviews the parties and witnesses, assesses the information gathered, and makes findings based on the evidence. In many cases, the investigator prepares a written report setting out the allegations, evidence, analysis, and findings.
When should an employer hire an independent workplace investigator?
An employer should consider hiring an independent workplace investigator when a complaint involves workplace harassment, discrimination, bullying, retaliation, conflict of interest, misconduct, occupational health and safety concerns, or other serious workplace issues.
An independent investigator may also be appropriate where the complaint involves senior personnel, where internal HR staff may not be seen as independent, or where the employer needs a process that can withstand later legal or regulatory scrutiny.
Are workplace investigations only required after a formal complaint?
No. Workplace investigations are not solely complaint-driven. If an employer has reason to believe that offensive, unsafe, discriminatory, or unlawful workplace conduct may have occurred, the employer may have an affirmative obligation to investigate.
Does David Harris conduct workplace investigations outside Calgary?
Yes. David Harris is based in Calgary and conducts independent workplace investigations for employers in Calgary and throughout Alberta.
What kinds of workplace complaints can be investigated?
Workplace investigations may involve harassment, bullying, discrimination, sexual harassment, reprisal, workplace misconduct, conflict of interest, occupational health and safety concerns, toxic workplace allegations, or complaints involving managers, supervisors, executives, or other senior personnel.
Why hire an external workplace investigator?
An external investigator can provide independence, neutrality, and procedural fairness, particularly where the allegations are serious, the parties are senior employees, the workplace relationship has become strained, or the employer needs a defensible process.
Need an Independent Workplace Investigator in Calgary or Alberta?
To discuss an independent workplace investigation in Calgary or elsewhere in Alberta, contact:
David Harris
david@empl-law.com
Maureen
maureen@empl-law.com
Independent workplace investigations for employers in Calgary and across Alberta.
About David Harris
David Harris is a former Canadian employment litigation lawyer and author of legal publications on Canadian employment law, including Wrongful Dismissal.
His legal writing has been cited in hundreds of reported cases. He has acted as counsel in workplace cases involving wrongful dismissal, constructive dismissal, workplace investigations, human rights, occupational health and safety, harassment, discrimination, and employer decision-making.
David continues to write, publish, and maintain Canadian Employment Law, a comprehensive online employment law resource for lawyers, HR professionals, employers, and students.
His background in employment law, workplace human rights, occupational health and safety, and litigation allows him to conduct workplace investigations with careful attention to fairness, evidence, credibility, and legal risk.
David also acts as an employment law and workplace human rights mediator.
Need an independent workplace investigator in Calgary or Alberta?
To discuss an independent workplace investigation in Calgary or elsewhere in Alberta, contact David at david@empl-law.com or Maureen at maureen@empl-law.com.
Additional Resources
David also acts as an Employment Law & Workplace mediator.
LinkedIn Profile: David Harris
Your guide to the basic rules of conducting a workplace investigation can be downloaded here:
Check out the Suspension Hub here.
David continues to write, publish, and maintain Canadian Employment Law, a comprehensive online resource for employment law practitioners, HR professionals, and students.
David is the author of Wrongful Dismissal and other legal publications on Canadian employment law.
David’s text book has been cited in hundreds of reported cases, the highlights of which are summarized here.
David also runs a YouTube channel with video explanations and discussions on Canadian employment law topics.
📢 New: We’ve added a full chapter on
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Connect with David Harris
- 🔗 LinkedIn Profile
- 🏛️ Calgary Workplace Investigations
- 📚 Employment Law Reference Hub
- 🎥 YouTube Channel — Explainers & discussions on Canadian Employment Law
📑 Published on CanLII Connects
Read legal commentary on Luan v. ADP Canada Co. (2020 ABQB 387) as published on CanLII Connects, Canada’s legal commentary platform.