Site Map - Investigations

04/02/2008 - Two scientists argue radiation screening at American ports of entry is flawed and a potentially fatal hole in our national security.

03/13/2008 - Language that was stealthily placed in rules that require government contractors to report waste, fraud, and abuse exempts U.S. contractors working overseas to the dismay of members of Congress and some in the Department of Justice.

02/29/2008 - A housing complex isn’t liable for the shooting of one resident by another, ruled a Tennessee appeals court, because the complex conducted a background check of the assailant before he moved in.

02/12/2008 - A Defense Department analyst and three Chinese Nationals have been arrested in espionage-related cases.

11/28/2007 - Is the federal testing program sufficient?

11/28/2007 - Follow these six tips to ensure that investigations are conducted properly.

11/27/2007 - A law (P.L. 108-159) renewing the expiring provisions of the Fair Credit Reporting Act includes a provision stating that information about certain internal investigations need not be communicated to the target of the investigation until the inquiry is completed.

11/19/2007 - The threat of another 9-11, as well as Bush Administration priorities, has led to a drop in the prosecution of some defendants in favor of others.

11/13/2007 - By helping tipsters overcome their reluctance to report trouble in the office, well-run anonymous hotlines yield valuable information for company investigators.

11/13/2007 - Lawmakers in Maine have enacted a new law (formerly H.B. 735) governing investigators from other states. The new law will allow investigators from other states to act legally in Maine without obtaining a Maine license, but only in certain circumstances.

11/08/2007 - A California appeals court has ruled that a government employer has violated an employee's rights by not letting the employee see the documents created and collected in the course of an investigation into the employee's conduct. The employer had a policy against sharing such documents with the subject of the investigation unless the punishment meted out was greater than a written reprimand. (Beverly Hinrichs v. County of Orange, California Court of Appeal, No. G028834, 2005

11/02/2007 - Forget reliability and admissibility. Polygraph tests get results, contends one author.

11/02/2007 - The Delaware Supreme Court has ruled that a McDonald’s employee, Susan Rizzitiello, cannot sue the company for wrongful termination. Rizzitiello was suspended pending an investigation of inventory issues. However, Rizzitiello resigned her employment and filed a lawsuit. The court ruled that Rizzitiello could not claim wrongful termination if she was not terminated. Also, the court determined that a suspension to conduct a workplace investigation could not be considered grounds for a constructive discharge—a situation in which working conditions are so poor that the employee has no choice but to resign. (Susan Rizzitiello v. McDonald’s Corporation, Supreme Court of the State of Delaware, No. 93-2004, 2005)