The Host Chapter 5 Uncomforted Free Essays

string(27) a piece of the front line. Hi, Wanderer! Won’t you sit down and make yourself at home?† I dithered on the edge of the Comforter’s office, one foot in and one foot out. She grinned, only a small development at the edges of her mouth. It was a lot simpler to peruse outward appearances now; the little muscle jerks and moves had gotten comfortable through long stretches of presentation. We will compose a custom exposition test on The Host Chapter 5: Uncomforted or then again any comparative point just for you Request Now I could see that the Comforter discovered my hesitance somewhat entertaining. Simultaneously, I could detect her disappointment that I was as yet uncomfortable going to her. With a calm moan of abdication, I strolled into the little splendidly hued room and took my standard seat-the puffy red one, the one farthest from where she sat. Her lips pressed together. To stay away from her look, I gazed through the open windows at the mists leaving past the sun. The black out tang of sea brackish water blew delicately through the room. â€Å"So, Wanderer. It’s been some time since you’ve come to see me.† I met her eyes culpably. â€Å"I left a message about that last arrangement. I had an understudy who mentioned a portion of my time†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes, I know.† She grinned the small grin once more. â€Å"I got your message.† She was alluring for a more established lady, as people went. She’d let her hair remain a characteristic dark it was delicate, inclining toward white as opposed to silver, and she wore it since quite a while ago, pulled in a free pig tail. Her eyes were an intriguing green shading I’d never observed on any other person. â€Å"I’m sorry,† I stated, since she was by all accounts hanging tight for a reaction. â€Å"That’s OK. I comprehend. It’s hard for you to come here. You wish so much that it wasn’t vital. It’s never been essential for you. This scares you.† I gazed down at the wooden floor. â€Å"Yes, Comforter.† â€Å"I know I’ve requested that you call me Kathy.† â€Å"Yes†¦ Kathy.† She giggled softly. â€Å"You are not calm with human names yet, are you, Wanderer?† â€Å"No. To be completely forthright, it seems†¦ like a surrender.† I admired see her gesture gradually. â€Å"Well, I can comprehend why you, particularly, would feel that way.† I gulped noisily when she said that, and gazed again at the floor. â€Å"Let’s talk about something simpler for a moment,† Kathy recommended. â€Å"Do you keep on making the most of your Calling?† â€Å"I do.† This was simpler. â€Å"I’ve started another semester. I thought about whether it would get tedious, rehashing a similar material, yet so far it doesn’t. Having new ears makes the narratives new again.† â€Å"I hear beneficial things about you from Curt. He says your class is among the most mentioned at the university.† My cheeks warmed a piece at this applause. â€Å"That’s ideal to hear. How is your partner?† â€Å"Curt is magnificent, much obliged. Our hosts are fit as a fiddle for their ages. We have numerous years in front of us, I think.† I was interested on the off chance that she would remain on this world, on the off chance that she would move to another human host when the opportunity arrived, or in the event that she would leave. However, I didn’t need to pose any inquiries that may move us into the more troublesome regions of conversation. â€Å"I appreciate teaching,† I said. â€Å"It’s to some degree identified with my Calling with the See Weeds, so makes it simpler than something new. I’m obliged to Curt for mentioning me.† â€Å"They’re fortunate to have you.† Kathy grinned heartily. â€Å"Do you realize how uncommon it is for a Professor of History to have encountered even two planets in the educational plan? However you’ve carried on a term on practically every one of them. Furthermore, the Origin, for sure! There isn’t a school on this planet that wouldn’t love to take you away from us. Abrupt plots approaches to keep you occupied so you have no an ideal opportunity to consider moving.† â€Å"Honorary Professor,† I revised her. Kathy grinned and afterward took a full breath, her grin blurring. â€Å"You haven’t been to see me in so long, I was thinking about whether your issues were settling themselves. In any case, at that point it happened to me that maybe the purpose behind your nonappearance was that they were getting worse.† I gazed down at my hands and said nothing. My hands were light earthy colored a tan that never blurred whether I invested energy in the sun or not. One dull spot denoted the skin simply over my left wrist. My nails were stopped. I detested the sentiment of long nails. They were horrendous when they brushed the skin wrong. Furthermore, my fingers were so long and slight the additional length of fingernails made them look odd. In any event, for a human. She made a sound as if to speak following a moment. â€Å"I’m speculating my instinct was right.† â€Å"Kathy.† I said her name gradually. Slowing down. â€Å"Why did you keep your human name? Did it make you feel†¦ more at one? With your host, I mean?† I would have jumped at the chance to think about Curt’s decision also, however it was such an individual inquiry. It would have been off-base to approach anybody other than Curt for the appropriate response, even his accomplice. I stressed that I’d previously been excessively discourteous, yet she snickered. â€Å"Heavens, no, Wanderer. Haven’t I revealed to you this? Well. Possibly not, since it’s not my business to talk, yet to tune in. The greater part of the spirits I talk with don’t need as much support as you do. Did you realize I came to Earth in one of the absolute first situations, before the people had any thought we were here? I had human neighbors on the two sides. Brief and I needed to claim to be our hosts for quite a long while. Significantly after we’d settled the prompt region, you never knew when a human may be close. So Kathy just became what my identity was. In addition, the interpretation of my previous name was fourteen words in length and didn't abbreviate prettily.† She smiled. The daylight inclining through the window got her eyes and sent their silver green reflection moving on the divider. For a second, the emerald irises shined luminous. I’d had no clue about this delicate, comfortable lady had been a piece of the bleeding edge. You read The Host Chapter 5: Uncomforted in classification Article models It took me a moment to process that. I gazed at her, amazed and out of nowhere increasingly conscious. I’d never paid attention to Comforters never had a need now. They were for the individuals who battled, for the frail, and it disgraced me to be here. Knowing Kathy’s history caused me to feel somewhat less clumsy with her. She got quality. â€Å"Did it trouble you?† I inquired. â€Å"Pretending to be one of them?† â€Å"No, not so much. This host was a ton to become accustomed to-there was so much that was new. Tangible over-burden. Following the set example was very as much as possible handle at first.† â€Å"And Curt†¦ You decided to remain with your host’s mate? After it was over?† This inquiry was increasingly pointed, and Kathy got a handle on that without a moment's delay. She moved in her seat, testing her sanity up and collapsing them under her. She looked mindfully at a spot simply over my head as she replied. â€Å"Yes, I picked Curt-and he picked me. From the outset, obviously, it was irregular possibility, a task. We reinforced, normally, from hanging out, sharing the peril of our central goal. As the university’s president, Curt had numerous gets in touch with, you see. Our home was an addition office. We would engage frequently. People would get through our entryway and our sort would leave. Everything must be fast and calm you know the viciousness these hosts are inclined to. We experienced each day with the information that we could meet a last end at any second. There was steady fervor and continuous dread. â€Å"All generally excellent reasons why Curt and I may have framed a connection and chosen to remain together when mystery was not, at this point important. Also, I could deceive you, alleviate your feelings of dread, by disclosing to you that these were the reasons. But†¦Ã¢â‚¬  She shook her head and afterward appeared to settle further into her seat, her eyes drilling into me. â€Å"In such a significant number of centuries, the people never figured love out. What amount is physical, what amount in the psyche? What amount of mishap and what amount destiny? For what reason did consummate matches disintegrate and unthinkable couples flourish? I don’t know the appropriate responses any better than they. Love just is the place it is. My host cherished Curt’s have, and that adoration didn't kick the bucket when the responsibility for minds changed.† She watched me cautiously, responding with a slight glare when I drooped in my seat. â€Å"Melanie still laments for Jared,† she expressed. I felt my head gesture without willing the activity. â€Å"You lament for him.† I shut my eyes. â€Å"The dreams continue?† â€Å"Every night,† I murmured. â€Å"Tell me about them.† Her voice was delicate, convincing. â€Å"I don’t like to consider them.† â€Å"I know. Attempt. It may help.† â€Å"How? In what capacity will it help to reveal to you that I see his face each time I close my eyes? That I wake up and cry when he’s not there? That the recollections are so solid I can’t separate hers from mine anymore?† I halted suddenly, grasping my teeth. Kathy pulled a white hanky from her pocket and offered it to me. At the point when I didn’t move, she got up, strolled over to me, and dropped it in my lap. She sat on the arm of my seat and paused. I hung on determinedly for a large portion of a moment. At that point I grabbed the little square of texture irately and cleaned my eyes. â€Å"I loathe this.† â€Å"Everybody cries their first year. These feelings are so unthinkable. We’re all kids for a piece, regardless of whether we planned that or not. I used to destroy each time I saw an entirely dusk. The flavor of nutty spread woul

Managing Conflict Constructively System †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Talk about the Managing Conflict Constructively System. Answer: Presentation: In one meeting; I discovered that both the speculations manage an individual (pioneers), affecting other colleagues to achieve a set objective. To the extent, the legitimacy of both the hypotheses is concerned, them two have their own masters and impediments. This is an endless discussion of conceived/made. Both the hypotheses can show the present and forthcoming administrators some significant exercises on how they can turn into a pioneer. Every individual may have own conclusion with respect to which hypothesis stands increasingly suitable. As indicated by me, the characteristic hypothesis stands valid. According to the expressions of Fleeson et.al. 2015, this hypothesis expresses that there are sure attributes characteristic in pioneers which are absent in some other individual. Along these lines this hypothesis says that pioneers are conceived, not made. This is one of my best learning results of the classes since it instilled a superior comprehension of the idea of pioneers. As indicated by the assessment of G, (2015), attribute hypothesis considers individual qualities of the pioneers so as to recognize them from not pioneers such as self-assured, dependable, and adaptable, and so forth. Then again, the social hypothesis recommends that Leaders are prepared to assemble such practices like decided towards work being individuals arranged and pioneers are made and not conceived. Gathering conduct and Team at work I took in the significance of safe condition while evaluating the Case study: Why dont cooperation like they should? It is a standout amongst other learning of my course; as I took in the way of carrying on in a gathering and how to determine the logical inconsistency which emerges while filling in as a gathering. Many, times while working in a gathering or in an association; strife emerges and numerous things stay inferred. Because of these positive connections doesn't stay for quite a while and the circumstance deteriorates. As per Maruping et.al. (2015), if the constructive condition is accessible than individuals or representative can clarify the reality or issues which they are looking in a simple way. Along these lines, I think it is important to guarantee that sheltered condition is accessible in the association with the goal that workers can examine anything they need. I additionally perceived the way that fitting arranging is fundamental for accomplishing the pre-decided poi nts while filling in as a gathering. This learning will help me in carrying on in fitting way as a major aspect of the gathering and will likewise let me settle issues in the most ideal manner. A similar will help me in achieving foreordained objectives (Temminck, et.al. 2015). Inspiration was my best learning result as it made by understanding that how organizations persuade their staff for their maintenance. It was fascinating to know the manners in which organizations embrace for the worker benefits. I might want to share my best involvement with this respect. The vast majority of the organizations Mars have distinctive advantage frameworks like demonstrating wellness clubs and free suppers to their representatives so they can deal with their wellness routine all the while with the companys work. Different organizations like PayPal and Amgen perceive the workers needs to better diversion offices which incorporate the arrangement of non-tedious hours. Numerous organizations likewise acquaint good cause plans with fulfill their requirement for self-realization (Nawaz et.al., 2014). Numerous organizations like USG People explicitly depend on budgetary impetuses to rouse workers. Different motivating forces incorporate giving chances to business, giving exte nsion to showing initiative characteristics by appointing work to bring down levels. Greater part of the organizations in the IT business direct inside headway programs for their representatives. According to Buble et.al. 2014, giving testing occupations through occupation enhancement is another method of giving inspiration to their workers with the goal that they don't feel weariness by doing dull errands. Representatives who have higher request needs don't engage ordinary advantages. They need something more than that. Force and Politics In this week I took in the significance of assigning power. I additionally discovered that what the effects of keeping it close are? This has helped me such that what approach is better in that circumstance. As indicated by Brandsma et.al. (2016), the organization concludes that what parts of activities are to be assigned dependent on the trouble and significance of the errands. In the event that the undertaking requires the use of information which the staff gangs, it would bode well to do appoint that part and the other way around. On the off chance that the errand is something that others don't have the foggiest idea or perhaps need more certainty and information about then it must be kept close (Scarbrough et.al., 2013). This is done to diminish the odds of errors in significant issues if the subject is of upper hand. This learning can be helpful for me later on as now I know the upsides and downsides of appointing work. In the event that the organization has total trusts on its representatives just, at that point it can appoint work and that too which isn't vital. Each organization needs to find some kind of harmony between what ought to be appointed and so forth (Tjosvold et.al., 2016). This week was of most extreme significance as it managed the most delicate issue of the work environment that is of contentions and exchange. As per the expressions of Firth (2014), each working environment experiences clashes which can be among two organizations, two divisions or two people. Exchange, then again, is a genuine conversation among two additional gatherings which target arriving at a resolution. For this, it is critical to pick fights carefully. Few out of every odd clash may merit a response. Some may even hamper the picture of the individual and of the association. This exercise caused me to comprehend different manners by which the contentions can be taken care of effortlessly like willing to co-work, understanding different people needs, and so forth. On the off chance that it is the matter of exchange a methodology of win-win must be received so neither of the gathering experiences misfortune. An activity plan must be embraced for significant exchanges with the goa l that significant arrangements don't leave the hand (Tjosvold et.al. 2015). It is essential to manage most extreme consideration. A few arrangements may likewise require direction from experts. According to the assessment of Heiss, (2013) clashes must be needs as far as territory. Pointless clashes may bring about a misuse of vitality time and exertion which could be utilized in other beneficial regions. In this manner, in a work environment, it is essential to not enjoy into any superfluous clashes. References Brandsma, G. J. Blom-Hansen, J. (2016). Controlling assigned powers in the post-Lisbon European Union.Journal of European Public Policy. 23(4). 531-549. Buble, M., Juras, A., Mati?, I. (2014). The connection between directors administration styles and motivation.Management: diary of contemporary administration issues. 19(1). 161-193. Firth, A. (Ed.). (2014).The talk of arrangement: Studies of language in the workplace(Vol. 15). Elsevier. Fleeson, W. Jayawickreme, E. (2015). Entire characteristic theory.Journal of Research in Personality,56, Pp82-92. (2015). Authority: Theory and practice. Sage distributions. Heiss, S. N. (2013). Sound conversations about hazard: The Corn Refiners Associations key exchange of expert in the discussion over high fructose corn syrup.Public Understanding of Science.22(2). Pp 219-235. Maruping, L. M. Magni, M. (2015). Inspiring workers to investigate joint effort innovation in group contexts.Mis Quarterly.39(1). Nawaz, A. et.al. (2014). Variables Motivating Employees in Public Sector Banks: An Empirical Investigation. Scarbrough, H. Corbett, J. M. (2013).Technology and Organization (RLE: Organizations): Power, Meaning and Deisgn. Routledge. Temminck, E. Mearns, K., Fruhen, L. (2015). Persuading representatives towards feasible behaviour.Business Strategy and the Environment.24(6). Pp 402-412. Tjosvold, D. Tjosvold, M. (2015). Overseeing Conflict Constructively. InBuilding the Team Organization(pp. 120-137). Palgrave Macmillan UK. Tjosvold, D., Wan, P., Tang, M. M. (2016). Trust and Managing Conflict: Partners in Developing Organizations. InBuilding Trust and Constructive Conflict Management in Organizations (Pp. 53-74). Springer International Publishing.

How to Avoid Common Mistakes When Handling an EEOC Complaint

How to Avoid Common Mistakes When Handling an EEOC Complaint If you run a big company long enough, complaints about harassment and discrimination at work are bound to find their way to your doorstep. It’s one thing when such complaints are handled internally.It’s quite another when you receive a letter from the Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) informing you that a discrimination charge has been brought forward by one of your employees and the commission is commencing investigations on the matter.EEOC complaints can have huge impacts on your business.If the matter goes to court, it turn out be a long, exhausting, and financially draining litigation process.In addition, it could completely tarnish your company’s image and drive away both customers and potential hires in future.It could also lead to high employee turnover as your best people start to look for greener pastures elsewhere.The point here is that EEOC complaints are no trivial matter.They must be handled with extreme care if you want your company to survive one without b eing scathed.In this article, we take an in-depth look into EEOC complaints and some common mistakes to avoid when dealing with an EEOC complaint.WHAT IS AN EEOC COMPLAINT? EEOC stands for Employment Opportunity Commission. It is the US federal agency responsible for administration and enforcing of civil rights laws in the event of discrimination at the workplace.The commission has the mandate to investigate cases of people suffering discrimination at the workplace because of their race, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, gender identity, genetic information, sexual orientation, as well as cases of retaliation after reporting, opposing, or participating in a discriminatory practice.In 2018, the EEOC received a total of 76,418 complaints.Most of these were retaliations.Other big offenders included race, sex, and disability-related complaints.In that year alone, the commission received over 554,000 calls and emails, handled over 200,000 enquiries relating to potential di scrimination claims.In the course of the year, the EEOC filed 199 lawsuits, filed 29 amicus curiae briefs, and resolved 141 lawsuits.WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEONE FILES A COMPLAINT? The commission uses a variety of techniques to investigate a complaint â€" each case is different, with different circumstances requiring a different approach.If someone in your company files a discrimination complaint, the EEOC might send over an investigator to the office/workplace.Another case might involve talking to potential witnesses via phone or asking your company to give written information to the commission.The EEOC asks the employer to respond to the charge with a position statement (that is give their side of the story).Furthermore, the commission may also ask the company to produce documents and any other information that relates to the EEOC charge.If your company ever receives an EEOC charge or subpoena, this is the smart way to respond:Don’t blow off the charge.Call your lawyer.If you have taken insurance to cover such situations (employment practices liability insurance â€" EPLI), notify your insurance carrier about the charge.The commission usually offers the company an opportunity for mediation. Consider it seriously. In many cases, you can resolve the charge and get a general release, and save the money you would have spent litigating the claim in court.On the other hand, if you don’t wish to mediate or settle, do not ignore the EEOC’s request for documents or reply noncommittally. What you could do instead is contact the EEOC investigator and politely explain why the commission should narrow down and tailor its request. Consult your lawyer for advice on the best approach to take.Be reasonable, be selective â€" Do not object merely on grounds of principle. Develop a strong argument based on the information they are seeking and the scope of the filed complaint.Even when objecting, ensure you provide the commission with the information that they are entitled to receive.Keep good records of your negotiations with the agency in the course of the investigation. Send letters to confirm any verbal agreements and conversations. In case matters end up in court, you want to prove that you cooperated.WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T HANDLE EEOC COMPLAINTS PROPERLY?It is important that you handle an EEOC complaint properly.Failure to do so can have several negative repercussions for your company, including:Costly litigation â€" If you cooperate, you might resolve the issue through mediation or a settlement. If you don’t, the EEOC may sue you. Even if it doesn’t sue, the employee who filed the complaint has the right to do so. This will translate to a litigation that is costly in more ways than one, including steep legal expenses and bad publicity that eats into your bottom line.Penalties and indemnifications â€" Whether you resolve the case through litigation, settlement, or mediation, you as the employers are still required to pay penalties for th e EEOC complainants. You might be required to pay their back wages, reinstate them, and in some cases, promote them. You could even be ordered to pay their legal expense. If it goes to court and you lose, the court may award punitive and compensatory damages to the complainants. How you handle the situation determines how much you end up spending.Loss of reputation â€" This is particularly pertinent if you operate in a competitive market where customers are spoilt for choice. Customers stay with you because of their perception of your company. If your company’s reputation is ruined, this could result in some customers shunning your company. Potential employees will also have qualms about working for your company.Labor turnover â€" If you handle the EEOC complaint wrongly, your other employees will realize they work in an unfriendly work environment and will be more likely to leave, especially your best people.COMMON EEOC COMPLAINTS Source: Labor Day BlogCommon EEOC complaints are based on at least one or a combination of the following discriminations/situations: sex, race, religion, national origin, color, disability, age, equal pay, genetic information discrimination, or retaliations.Sex DiscriminationThis occurs when someone at a workplace (an applicant or employee) receives unfair treatment on account of their sex.It includes discriminating against them because of their gender identity and their sexual orientation.Race/ColorRace discrimination is when someone is treated unfairly because they belong to a certain race or have certain personal characteristics associated with race â€" like skin color, hair texture, or certain facial features.ReligionReligion discrimination pertains unfair treatment on account of one’s religious beliefs.The law protects those who belong to traditional, organized religions as well as those who have sincerely held religious, moral, or ethical beliefs.National OriginThis involves treating people unfairly because of their ethnicity, accent, country or part of the world they come from, or because they appear to belong to a certain ethnic background.It is unlawful for employers to hire only US citizens or lawful permanent residents unless the law, regulation, or government contract requires them to do so.DisabilityDisability discrimination is when a qualified person with a disability receives unfavorable treatment because of their disability.According to the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers should provide reasonable accommodation for employees or job applicants with disabilities, unless this would cause undue hardship for the employer.AgeThe Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) protects persons who are 40 and older from discrimination.While it does not expressly protect younger workers, some states do have laws that prohibit age discrimination among younger workers.Equal Pay/CompensationThe Equal Pay Act requires people to receive equal pay for equal work. The jobs don’t have to be identical, so long as they are substantially equal. Equality is determined by job content not job title. The law covers all forms of pay.PregnancyThis involves unfavorable treatment of a woman because of childbirth, pregnancy, or a medical condition related to the two.Women are protected from this kind of discrimination by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA).Genetic InformationThe Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA) protects employees from genetic information discrimination. Employers should not use genetic information when making employment decisions.An example of genetic information is information about a disease or disorder in a person’s family medical history.RetaliationComplaints against retaliation are the highest in number of all EEOC complaints. Retaliation occurs when an employer retaliates against employees for doing any of the following things:Filing EEOC complaintsBeing a witness in an EEOC chargeCommunicating wi th a supervisor or manager about employment discriminationRefusing to obey orders that would lead to discriminationResisting sexual advances or intervening to protect someone else from sexual harassmentAsking for accommodation of a religious practice or disabilityAsking coworkers or managers about salary information in a bid to reveal potentially discriminatory wages.Answering questions during an investigation of alleged harassment at the workplaceCOMMON EEOC MISTAKES AND HOW TO AVOID THEMIf you own or run a company, there is a high chance you will get hit with an EEOC complaint at some point, if it hasn’t happened already.When this happens, there is a right approach and a wrong approach.Some employers react without prior deliberation, no plan, and it comes back to bite them when the case ends up in a courtroom.The following are the most common mistakes employers make and how you can steer clear of them:Ignoring the ComplaintUpon receiving a complaint from the EEOC, some employers may choose to ignore the complaints for a variety of reasons, such as assuming that the EEOC does not apply to their business because they employ less than 15 employees, or assuming that the charge is not something serious.Regardless of the number of people working under your company, or any other circumstances, you should take an EEOC complaint very seriously, and under no conditions should you ignore the complaint.For instance, racial discrimination cases have a law known as Section 1981 which supersedes the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Section 1981 covers all employees, regardless of a company’s size.Furthermore, Fair Employment Practices Agencies (FEPAs), which apply to counties and states, may offer protection to employees where the EEOC can’t.Our advice is that you should cooperate with the EEOC investigators.If you have a lawyer, call them, ask for their advice on how to approach the situation, learn what loopholes there are or what booby traps are in the law that you should watch out for.If you ignore the EEOC, they will probably slap your company with a subpoena, and if the matter does end up in court, the judge will have a simple decision to make since it will be clear that you did not cooperate at all or even communicate with the EEOC.In other words, you need to be strategic. Give in a little, but with your eye on the endgame.It will give you and your lawyers[s] time to come up with a plan of action and sort through your different options, which include objecting, mediation, or out of court settlement.Not Being ProactiveDon’t wait for the EEOC to do all the investigating. They could miss something or look in the wrong place.Since you know your own company better than they do, you are likely to find more information than they do.Once you are notified of the EEOC complaint, you should start your own internal investigation into the matter in order to find out the veracity of the complaint.Carrying out your own investigation will also help you to determine how deeply it goes, with the ultimate aim of putting an end to discrimination and harassment in your company.When carrying out your investigation, seek the counsel of your lawyers as well as the advice of human resource professionals. Be very careful who you select for the job of investigating.Look for someone who has a broad experience and a good understanding of discrimination law.It’s wiser to use outside consultants on the matter because you don’t want the investigator to have any connection to the allegations or any interest whatsoever in the outcome.Keep in mind that this person might be summoned as a witness in case of litigation.You need someone ethical, someone you can trust.Ensure the investigator has access to any documents relevant to the investigation â€" hardcopy, electronic documents, emails, personnel files, managers’ desk files and notes, performance reviews, HR policies, HR files that pertain to the complainant, the accused, the possible witn esses, and so on.Communicate to your people that no documents should be destroyed as this can ruin the investigation, both yours and the commission’s and put you in a precarious position in the eyes of the EEOC.After completing the investigation, determine if any discrimination occurred.Develop and implement a plan on how to address the inappropriate behavior, illegal or not.Inappropriate behavior, even when seemingly harmless is not something you want tolerate in your workplace as it can balloon into something undesirable.Meanwhile, the results of your investigation will determine what course you should take with the EEOC â€" go for an out of court settlement, mediation, or fully cooperate with the commission and await its decision.As with most situations in life and business, if you don’t take the reins and control the situation, you and your company will be passive participants who react to things instead of active participants who chart their own course.Being InconsistentIf you say one thing today and say another tomorrow, it hurts the perception you convey to the investigators and eventually, if matters take that route, to the court.That’s why it’s so important that you take the EEOC complaint seriously and be proactive in gathering all the necessary information you need with the help of your legal counsel, your human resource department, and an internal investigation.It’s important to think things through clearly, ensuring that you are not frivolous when articulating your position statement. You don’t want to leave out any important information or any reasons that explain the situation.If you leave out information in your statement and later after the initial confusion subsides you want to enhance your statement at court with new or different information, the court is likely to view such inconsistency unfavorably.It gives the court grounds to consider your reasons as pretexts and ultimately gives it a justification to decide against you.There fore, take great pains to ensure your position statement articulates everything accurately and clearly.RetaliationAs I mentioned, retaliations make up the bulk of EEOC complaints. Retaliating is the worst mistake you can make in handling an EEOC complaint.First of all, retaliation is itself one of the types of workplace discrimination that the EEOC has the mandate to investigate.Even if the original complaint lacked merit, retaliation makes the EEOC investigator and the court more likely to side with the complainant.Furthermore, it opens a new charge against you, which the court will most certainly convict you for, even when taking your side in the original discrimination charge.Destroying EvidenceThere is one thing about such cases â€" no matter how hard you press down on the lid, given enough time and a proper investigation, the truth will always reveal itself eventually.Destroying evidence may seem like a good decision at the time, but it is not so wise in the long-term.Any attem pts to conceal, destroy, or falsify documents/evidence are illegal and will come back to haunt you. Simply don’t do it.Refusing MediationAt the end of the day, remember you are running a business.What matters most in a business is the bottom line. You should make decisions based on how they affect your company’s profitability.A hardline stance may give you a good feeling of standing your ground, but if in the long run it leads to expenses which your company can’t afford to pay, is it really worth it?Some employers are skeptical of the EEOC’s mediation program, unable to conceive that EEOC mediators can act with any fairness to the employers.This is a mistaken point of view. EEOC mediators are, in fact, fair and savvy.It is their job is to facilitate economical resolutions where possible.Of course not every case should go the mediation route â€" sometimes clearing the company’s name is more important.Intentional DelayYes, we talked about being strategic, but some tactics ar e ultimately self-harming.Delay can be a legitimate strategy in some cases, but it’s generally not, particularly if you don’t have an endgame in mind.One way delaying cooperation can harm you is in the accrual of back pay and back benefits that you are expected to pay the complainant.In other words, the more you delay, the more money you will have to take out of your pocket to pay the complainant.Moreover, if the matter goes to court, your slow cooperation won’t win any points in your favors.Working on Your OwnWhat you need when a legal problem such as this crops up is practical, avoid the temptation to handle the matter by yourself.Solid advice from an experienced, knowledgeable legal professional â€" a lawyer who has a good understanding of discrimination laws and preferably experience dealing with such cases.In truth, many of the mistakes we have listed here would be avoided if you had a good lawyer in your corner to tell you what to do and what not to do.Furthermore, lawye rs have their own way of communicating with each other, and you will make faster progress if you have a lawyer communicating on your behalf with the EEOC lawyers.WRAPPING UPWhen faced with an EEOC complaint, it is of utmost importance to handle the complaint carefully. Do not react without thinking. Do not ignore the complaint, do not retaliate, and do not react with unnecessary aggression.Cooperate where cooperation is logical.Object where objection is logical. Talk to a lawyer. Conduct an internal investigation.You will also need to decide how you will play it. Will you wait for the commission’s decision, settle, or go for mediation?Think long-term, not short-term. Think of your company’s best interests.Above all, put in place mechanisms in your organization that ensure cases of discrimination either don’t happen or are dealt with swiftly before they escalate because in the long run they are very costly.