We have a concern that one of our employees on long term sick leave is working outside of the Company while supposedly too ill to return to work for us. We are therefore considering hiring a Private Investigator to gather evidence to substantiate our concerns. Can we then use this evidence to discipline, and potentially dismiss the employee, for this activity? How do I handle it?

Jennifer Cashman writes:

Like you, many employers retain the services of Private Investigators to gather information on their employees, particularly where they have a concern like this about the employee’s conduct in or out of the workplace. While evidence gathered by a Private Investigator can be extremely useful for an employer, very considerable thought