News & Announcements

AWI Offers Membership Incentives

As part of its membership drive, for a limited time, AWI is offering two special membership incentives. Since AWI has expanded beyond California, the Board of Directors has authorized 100 additional charter memberships for the first 100 members outside California. When the organization was founded two years ago, the first 100 charter members joined within three months. This new program for members outside California is already proving to be popular, with a dozen new charter members outside California already enrolled. And, as an additional incentive, if you bring in 10 new members in 2012, you will receive a one year complimentary sustaining membership, a $1,000 value. Sustaining members are featured prominently on our website and in our print advertising, and receive 50% off our regular education programs. To take advantage of either of these special offers, click the Join button above.

Our Sponsors

Featured Member

Featured Sustaining Member

Barry Chersky

Barry Chersky is a trainer and consultant focusing on civil rights issues in the San Francisco Bay Area and nationally. For more than 20 years he has presented training on preventing discrimination, harassment and retaliation in a variety of workplace settings. He has conducted investigations on behalf of employers in a wide range of industries including entertainment, biotechnology, insurance, financial services, legal, and medical, in workplaces ranging from small non-profits to labor unions to multinational corporations. He has served as an expert witness in several court cases which included the evaluation of investigation practices. Since 2007 he has served as the Senior Human Resources Consultant at Saint Mary’s College of California where he conducts internal investigations. Mr. Chersky is a private investigator licensed by the State of California.

See all sustaining members.

UPDATE: Date Changed to February 14, 2012

Attorneys Conducting Workplace Investigations: Navigating the Perils of Privilege

Register by February 14, 2012 to View Live February 14, 2012 1-2:30 pm and/or Recorded Through December 31, 2012Co-Sponsored by the State Bar of California Labor & Employment Law Section. 1.5 Hours MCLE Credit Approved. HRCI Credit Pending.

Lindsay Harris Mark Tuft

Presented by Lindsay Harris and Mark Tuft

Privilege issues loom large in internal investigations, yet all too often investigators and company counsel misunderstand this complex area of law. Through a series of dynamic hypotheticals, this Webinar will examine the key privilege issues affecting workplace investigations, with reference to the California Rules of Professional Conduct, the ABA Model Rules, federal and state rules of evidence, and leading court decisions.

AWI Members Register $100

CA State Bar L&E Section $125

Non-Members Register $150

Workplace Investigations Basics

9 am to 4 pm ♦ Includes Continental Breakfast and Lunch ♦ 5.5 Hours MCLE & HRCI Pending

Basics 2012

March 6, 2012, Oakland: Natasha Baker & John Baum ♦ March 7, 2012, Sacramento: Susan Carlsen & Vida Thomas ♦ March 21, 2012, Los Angeles: Barbara Dalton, Amy Oppenheimer & Keith Rohman

This fast-paced, interactive program is designed to teach all of the practical skills necessary to investigate allegations of employee misconduct. Among other things, you will learn how to: ask effective questions, interview reluctant witnesses, obtain relevant evidence, assess credibility, and arrive at a legally defensible decision. You will also learn how to prepare and utilize all of the necessary documentation during the investigative process. Each attendee will receive program materials containing valuable checklists, forms, and templates that will assist them in carrying out investigations.

Members Register $180

Non-Members Register $330

2012 AWI Board of Directors

2012 AWI Board

Back row (l to r): Keith Rohman, Vice President Michael Robbins, Assistant Secretary Barry
Chersky, Secretary Sue Ann Van Dermyden, Julie Moore, Outgoing Director Martha Wood,
John Lohse, Lindsay Harris, Outgoing Vice President Cynthia Remmers. Front row (l to r):
Executive Director Steve Angelides, Pam Hemminger, Assistant Treasurer Marilou Mirkovich,
Debra L. Reilly, President Amy Oppenheimer, Vida Thomas, Nancy Bornn, Treasurer Walter
Cochran-Bond. Not pictured: Mary Egan. Photo by Asst. Executive Director Joan Hamasu.

Meet & Greet and Informational Reception

New York City

January 27, 2012, 2:30 - 4:00 pm

GlobalBridgeHR, 1270 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1040, New York, New York 10020

Amy Oppenheimer

Please Join AWI Founder and President Amy Oppenheimer and New York Charter Members for a Meet & Greet and Informational Reception about the Association of Workplace Investigators. A networking reception will be held followed by a brief presentation about AWI's mission, history and future plans. To RSVP or for more information click here.

AWI

Thank you for your patience as we complete the renovation of our website.

150 Attend Second Annual Conference

Over 150 workplace investigators from throughout California and several other states attended the annual conference of the Association of Workplace Investigators, Inc. (AWI), November 13-15, 2011, in Glendale California. This was the second annual conference for AWI, which began as a California association (CAOWI), and recently changed its name and expanded its scope beyond California.

The keynote luncheon speaker for the conference was Phil Angelides, Chair of the Congressional Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission (FCIC), which conducted the largest investigation in recent history. Angelides said the FCIC had only 18 months to assemble its staff, interview 700 witnesses, review 10 million pages of documents, and prepare its 566 page report. He explained that the FCIC took a two-track approach, conducting a massive data analysis to get an overview of the financial crisis, and performing case studies of three of the largest institutions involved in the crisis. Angelides was given a standing ovation.