Who is a “third person” in workplace and school investigations?

In some situations, people in addition to complainants, respondents and witnesses may be present during investigative interviews. Depending on the situation, these individuals, known as third persons, might include counsel for the individual, union representatives, parents or guardians (for minors), language translators, and other support persons. But, having them in the room may present a unique set of challenges for the interviewer.

OIG Attorney Investigators Christina J. Ro-Connolly and Neil Bautista explored this topic in the LexVid webinar “The Investigative Interview: Best Practices When Interacting with Third Persons” on February 28. The presentation is now available on demand.

Challenges and benefits arise when interacting with such third persons during the fact-finding process. Tina and Neil will discuss:

• When and why it may be appropriate to include them in the process
• Best practices and ethical considerations with interacting with third persons during the fact-finding process while highlighting an investigator’s impartiality and neutrality
• Potential conflicts and how to overcome them when interacting with represented parties
• Effective ways to communicate the roles of the parties during an investigative interview

MCLE is offered in many states, so check out the LexVid website for more information.