HR WORKPLACE INVESTIGATOR E&LR

at  City of Toronto

Job ID: 48031
Job Category: Human Resources
Division & Section: People & Equity, Employee Relations
Work Location: METRO HALL, 55 John St, Toronto, M5V 3C6
Job Type & Duration: Full-time, Permanent
Salary: $86,716.00 - $112,255.00, TM5343 and wage grade 6.
Shift Information: Monday to Friday, 35 hours per week
Affiliation: Non-Union
Number of Positions Open: 1
Posting Period: 12-JUN-2024 to 20-JUN-2024
Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America and home to a diverse population of approximately 2.8 million individuals. Consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities, the City of Toronto is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture. Our People and Equity Division delivers critical functions within the City’s complex multi-site, multidivision, multi-stakeholder and union and non-unionized environment. A team of approximately 35,000 employees are the driving force behind the City’s ability to provide programs and services to residents, business, and visitors to this community.
The People & Equity Division is current hiring an HR Workplace Investigator E&LR. This is an excellent career step for an analytical and resourceful workplace investigator with a passion for investigations.

WHAT IS THE JOB SUMMARY?

To investigate allegations of employee misconduct in contravention and/or violation of City bylaws, policies, procedures, or legislation, as part of the Internal Investigation Unit (IIU) in Employee Relations. To interview, gather and analyze evidence, make factual findings, and prepare objective reports. To ensure investigations are carried out in a timely, impartial, and fair manner in accordance with workplace investigation jurisprudence, frameworks, rules, and best practices.

WHAT YOU WILL DO?

• Implement detailed plans and recommend policies/procedures regarding program specific requirements.
• Conduct research into assigned area ensuring that such research takes into account developments within the field, corporate policies and practices, legislation and initiatives by other levels of government.
• Investigate absence abuse, fraud, conflict of interest, theft, maladministration, workplace code and non-code harassment, nepotism, cronyism, substance abuse, unethical behaviour, and other alleged forms of workplace misconduct.
• Conduct thorough and objective investigations regarding allegations of misconduct or wrongdoing for unionized and non-unionized staff across the organization. Review and analyze files with a focus on fact-finding, procedural fairness, timeliness, and attention to detail.
• Employ trauma informed approaches to conducting workplace investigations involving parities who have or are experiencing trauma, or varying degrees of mental wellness, those who are emotionally distressed or have dysregulated behavioural outbursts.
• Utilize a variety of communication and psychological safety training including different strategies to effectively communicate with persons of diverse abilities and backgrounds who may be distressed, confrontational or emotional due to an alleged incident.
• Conduct on-site interviews and gather evidence at various work locations. Record and maintain meeting minutes, electronic and hardcopy records.
• Utilize assessment of the evidence and credibility analysis of the parties to make factual findings and provide detailed reports, confidential communications, and briefings.
• Determine whether the factual findings amount to a breach of the applicable City bylaws, policies, procedures, or legislation.
• Work collaboratively with partners in various Divisions, teams, management, law enforcement agencies and legal counsel to liaise and exchange information.
• Testify and give evidence regarding investigations in legal procedures, including arbitration, Ontario Human Rights Tribunal hearings, criminal and/or civil litigations.
• Maintain an expert knowledge of collective agreements, City bylaws, policies, practices, legislation, and standard operating procedures that have a bearing on workplace investigations.
• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of workplace investigation principles, theories, practices and tools, research, and interviewing techniques.
• Represent the IIU on task forces, corporate initiatives, and other committees. Deliver education and/or training on investigation policies, procedures and best practice.
• Model and contribute to an environment which supports and values equity, inclusion, and organizational change.
• Maintain continuous and up-to-date knowledge about all forms of discrimination and harassment. Employ an equity lens concerning anti-Indigenous and anti-Black racism within workplace investigations practices. Comprehend the impacts of systemic racism and barriers related to workplace investigations.
• Deals with sensitive workplace issues and information in a responsible, professional, and confidential manner.

WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE ROLE?

1. Post-secondary education Industrial Relations, Criminology or a related educational field, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
2. Experience working in a unionized organization conducting a variety of workplace investigations (e.g., collusion, theft, nepotism, fraud, workplace harassment etc.).
3. Experience developing investigation plans, drafting detailed and comprehensive workplace investigation reports, and communicating investigative findings.
4. Understanding of systemic barriers related to the workplace investigations, including knowledge of anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Black racism and the impacts of systemic racism and all forms of discrimination and harassment.
5. Knowledge of trauma informed approaches to conducting workplace investigations involving parities who have or are experiencing trauma, or varying degrees of mental wellness, those who are emotionally distressed or have dysregulated behavioural outbursts.
6. Ability to conduct well-reasoned, unbiased research, summarize results, and provide user-friendly information and data reports to support investigations, projects and initiatives.
7. Excellent presentation and communication skills and ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with various levels of staff within the organization, including testifying/presenting evidence in arbitration hearings.
8. Highly developed interpersonal skills with the ability to effectively develop and cultivate productive working relationships with staff at all levels of the organization, including Legal and Union officials.
9. Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage complex competing interests and concurrent investigations in a detail-oriented environment ensuring confidentiality.
10. Ability to exercise sound judgement, integrity, discretion and political acumen while applying a broad perspective requiring an integrated knowledge of human resource management, related disciplines and business processes.
11. Knowledge of employment and related legislation (e.g., Ontario Labour Relations Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act, Workers Safety and Insurance Act, Human Rights Code, Employment Standards Act), equity principles, contractual obligations and sound human resource practices.
12. Experience identifying fraud trends and supporting data analytics, open source searching and analyzing online information.
13. Active and good standing investigative certification (e.g. ASIS, PCI, CFE) or Private Investigation certification an asset.