Promoting and enhancing the quality of impartial workplace investigations.™
Credit Available - See Credits tab below.
Total Credits: 1.0 HRCI Credits, 1.0 SHRM, 1.0 CA MCLE
Session Description:
This webinar continues the workplace investigator community’s essential conversation around the emotional and psychological demands of investigations work. While prior programs have focused on investigative processes, best practices, and legal frameworks, this session turns inward—spotlighting the often-unspoken challenges that many investigators face when navigating difficult subject matter.
Whether you’re an internal HR professional or an external third-party investigator, your neutrality and resilience are constantly tested. Using real-world examples, the presenters will explore what it means to hold space for others and remain neutral while also protecting your own well-being. Participants will learn how trauma-informed practices can support the integrity of investigations, reduce the risk of secondary trauma, and foster long-term sustainability in the work. The program will offer practical tools for identifying signs of emotional strain, preserving neutrality in challenging interviews, and creating supportive systems—individually and organizationally.
This session invites open reflection, peer engagement, and community connection around the human side of fact-finding.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this webinar, participants will be able to:
Disclaimer:
The contents of this webinar and the positions taken are those of the presenter only, may be time-sensitive, and are not warranted, endorsed or otherwise recommended by AWI and are not intended to provide legal advice.
HR (General) Credits: 1.0
SHRM PDCs: 1.0
California MCLEs: 1.0
Meagan Bainbridge is a Weintraub shareholder and member of the Labor & Employment and Litigation groups.
She exclusively practices employment law and related litigation in state and federal courts and before various administrative agencies. Additionally, she provides advice and counsel to employers concerning their workplace policies, practices, and personnel decisions. Meagan regularly assists employers in all aspects of their employment relationship with their employees, including on such matters as recruiting and hiring; employment agreements and compensation plans; protection of trade secrets; wage and hour laws; independent contractor status; performance standards and disciplinary actions; privacy; leaves of absence and reasonable accommodations; preventing discrimination, harassment, and retaliation; preventing and responding to theft and embezzlement; reductions in force, terminations, and layoffs; and compliance with other state and federal employment laws. Meagan is a member of the Association of Workplace Investigators (AWI) provides impartial workplace investigations.
Meagan also regularly defends employers against employment claims for breach of contract, discrimination, retaliation, harassment, wrongful termination, unfair business practices, violation of wage and hour laws, as well as numerous other tort and statutory employment law causes of action. She has extensive experience litigating class actions. Substantive areas of expertise include California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the California Labor Code.
Chiedza Nziramasanga, JD, AWI-CH, is the owner of Transformative Workplace Investigations, where she partners with organizations to advance equity, transparency, and accountability in workplace investigations. A former employment attorney with deep expertise in discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and wage theft, Chiedza delivers practical, empathy-driven guidance through consulting, training, and thought leadership to help build healthier workplace cultures.
Cara Trapani, JD, AWI-CH, is a partner at Buehler Trapani LLP, the successor firm to one of Northern California’s oldest workplace investigations law firms. Cara has significant experience investigating allegations of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and other misconduct. Her deep understanding of workplace dynamics and dedication to fostering healthy workplaces led her to transition from a career in litigation to workplace investigations. Before co-founding Buehler Trapani LLP, Cara litigated civil rights and employment claims at a boutique litigation firm in San Francisco.