Employee Investigations

Understanding Employee Investigations: Timeline and Outcomes

Our Commitment and Process

At Frederick County Public Schools, we are committed to maintaining a safe, respectful, and professional environment for students, staff, and our community. When concerns are raised about employee conduct, it is important that we handle them thoroughly, fairly, and in accordance with legal and contractual obligations.

Investigation  Approach

In our school system, most employee concerns and disciplinary matters are initially handled at the school or office level by immediate supervisors. These supervisors are responsible for investigating routine concerns, providing guidance, and taking appropriate corrective action up to and including a formal reprimand.

For more serious matters, including those that involve potential discipline beyond a reprimand, allegations of misconduct, or complex situations, a systemwide Joint Investigative Team manages the investigation centrally. This team ensures consistency, thoroughness, and adherence to applicable policies and regulations across the district. By centralizing serious investigations, we are able to provide an impartial and structured process that protects both the integrity of the workplace and the rights of all employees.

This tiered approach ensures that routine issues are addressed promptly at the local level, while more serious concerns receive the focused attention and oversight necessary to maintain trust and accountability across the system.

Why Investigations Take Time

Employee investigations often take longer than many expect and there are several reasons for this:

  1. Thorough Fact-Finding: Investigations involve gathering information from multiple sources, including interviews with staff, students, and witnesses, as well as reviewing documents, emails, and other relevant materials.
  2. Ensuring Fairness: Every employee has the right to due process by law and their contract.  This means we must carefully evaluate all perspectives and evidence before reaching conclusions.  The majority of our employees are members of labor unions and entitled to  representation during this process.
  3. Complex Issues: Some situations involve complex policy, legal, or contractual considerations that require additional review and consultation. If a case involves law enforcement or child protective services, we typically must “stand down” and delay any employment related investigations until those processes conclude, which can take weeks if not months.
  4. Confidentiality Requirements: We must protect the privacy of all parties involved. This limits the speed at which information can be shared.
    Progressive Discipline Process
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The Investigation Process

Routine employee issues are handled by school or office supervisors. Serious incidents or discipline beyond a reprimand are investigated by the systemwide Joint Investigative Team. this ensures quick resolution for minor matters and fair, consistent handling of serious ones.
The Investigation Process: Incident or allegation occurs, report is received, joint team intake, investigation initiates, fact finding, due process, decision recommended, outcomes

All employees have collective bargaining rights, including the right to appeal any disciplinary outcomes they feel are arbitrary, capricious, or otherwise illegal.

Typical Timeline

While every investigation is unique, the process often follows these general steps:

  1. Report Received: Concerns are submitted to Human Resources (HR) or school leadership.
  2. Preliminary Assessment: HR determines whether the issue requires a formal investigation and whether or not the employee should be placed on administrative leave during the period of investigation.   This includes a determination and verification if law enforcement or child protective services need to be directly involved.
  3. Investigation: Investigators collect evidence, interview involved parties, and document findings.  This happens through three structured meetings called “fact finding”, “due process”, and “outcomes”.  Employees are entitled to representation during these meetings.
    1. Fact Finding:  To gather information and ensure decisions are based on accurate and complete information, not assumptions.
    2. Due Process:  Gives the employee the opportunity to respond to findings and meets legal and ethical standards for fairness.  
    3. Outcomes: Clearly communicates the results and reinforces accountability, while documenting the resolution;
  4. Decision and Communication: Leadership reviews recommendations, makes final decisions, and communicates outcomes to those directly involved. 

As a practice, FCPS does not comment on personnel matters or active investigations. This ensures we protect the privacy of all involved and maintain the integrity of the investigation.

Possible Outcomes

Depending on the findings and any mitigating or aggravating factors, outcomes may be one of the following:

  • No action if the concern is unsubstantiated.
  • Corrective actions, such as coaching, training, or a performance improvement plan.
  • Formal disciplinary measures, including written reprimands, suspension without pay, or demotion.
  • Termination of employment in cases of serious or repeated misconduct.

Even when an employee returns to their role, any corrective or disciplinary measures are monitored to ensure the issue has been addressed appropriately.

Our Commitment to the Community

We understand that waiting for an investigation to conclude can be frustrating. However, thorough investigations are essential to ensure fairness, maintain trust, and protect the safety and well-being of our students and staff. While we cannot always share details about ongoing investigations due to privacy considerations, we are committed to transparency about our processes and outcomes where possible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)