A sexual harassment complaint needs investigating - How do I handle it?
Published on: 31/10/2025
Article Authors The main content of this article was provided by the following authors.
Isabelle Mannix Solicitor at RDJ LLP
Isabelle Mannix Solicitor at RDJ LLP
Isabelle Mannix

Isabelle is a Solicitor practising as part of the firm’s Employment team. She has experience in both contentious and non-contentious aspects of employment law including claims for unfair dismissal, equality and discrimination, redundancy, and protected disclosures.

Isabelle also provides advice on grievances, bullying and harassment investigations, and disciplinary and performance issues. She has experience in the defence of claims before the Workplace Relations Commission, the Labour Court and the Courts.

An employee has recently raised a complaint of sexual harassment against another employee, and I want to ensure that the investigation is carried out fairly. Is there anything that I, as an employer, should keep in mind while carrying out this investigation? How do I handle it?

Dealing with a complaint of sexual harassment can be a difficult task for any employer due to the sensitive nature of the allegations involved. Under most internal policies, an employee can make an informal or formal complaint in relation to the conduct about which they are complaining. However, in relation to cases of sexual harassment, it may be difficult for a complaint to be dealt with informally.

While it is imperative that employers

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Disclaimer The information in this article is provided as part of Legal Island's Employment Law Hub. We regret we are not able to respond to requests for specific legal or HR queries and recommend that professional advice is obtained before relying on information supplied anywhere within this article. This article is correct at 31/10/2025
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