{"content":[{"text":"| \n If you cite to a new case during argument, provide a cite letter.","bbox":{"left":0.129987,"top":0.050364,"width":0.5332020000000001,"height":0.06562300000000001}},{"text":"15.","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.100414,"width":0.025035,"height":0.015573000000000004}},{"text":"find in preparing the brief. If you are going to refer to it during argument, provide the court with a cite letter \n either before or after the argument. And a cite letter is just that a letter stating that you plan to or did \n refer to this case during argument. Do not add additional argument.","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.14844,"width":0.84285,"height":0.04754200000000003}},{"text":"Hopefully, these tips will make your argument preparation easier and your argument more effective \n and enjoyable.","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.212229,"width":0.843822,"height":0.031636}},{"text":"*Deborah Race is an appellate attorney in Tyler, Texas. She is board-certified in civil appellate law. Deborah \n can be reached at drace@raceappeallaw.com.","bbox":{"left":0.063728,"top":0.260262,"width":0.859502,"height":0.03162900000000002}},{"text":"Legal Mojo |","bbox":{"left":0.071169,"top":0.338385,"width":0.18168800000000002,"height":0.03382000000000002}},{"text":"Teresa Schiller***","bbox":{"left":0.414703,"top":0.385675,"width":0.16272599999999998,"height":0.016927000000000025}},{"text":"What if an employee of a business makes a complaint (internally or publicly) about workplace \n misconduct? What should the business do?","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.418896,"width":0.849414,"height":0.031636}},{"text":"It depends on many things, but one important decision is whether or not the business needs to \n investigate the complaint at all. For example, would a lower-level review of the complaint be sufficient? How \n serious is the complaint? Does it allege a violation of company policy? Does a company policy specify \n particular steps for addressing it?","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.466775,"width":0.850011,"height":0.06360399999999994}},{"text":"Suppose an investigation is needed. A successful investigation clarifies the objective facts, and then \n resolves the complaint and improves the workplace so that everyone can get back to business. Here are \n some possible steps to take in investigating an employment complaint.","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.546775,"width":0.849761,"height":0.047540999999999944}},{"text":"1.","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.610563,"width":0.014933000000000002,"height":0.015572999999999948}},{"text":"Decide preliminary issues.","bbox":{"left":0.129987,"top":0.610563,"width":0.22671499999999997,"height":0.015572999999999948}},{"text":"First, decide preliminary issues. For example, what should be the goal(s) of the investigation? Some \n possible goals are to (a) figure out whether misconduct has occurred, (b) stop the misconduct and determine \n how to prevent it in the future, and (c) lay the groundwork for taking appropriate action.","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.642685,"width":0.849415,"height":0.04754199999999997}},{"text":"What status should an accused employee have during the investigation? The goal is to balance the \n need to prevent further damage to the complainant and the business with the need to minimize adverse \n action against an employee who later could be exonerated. Some possibilities are to (a) give the employee \n paid time off until the end of the investigation, (b) transfer the employee, (c) suspend the employee, and (d)","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.706622,"width":0.849401,"height":0.06345599999999996}},{"text":"complainant may need to have the accused employee moved to a different area of responsibility, or moved \n out of the chain of command.","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.786474,"width":0.849762,"height":0.0314819999999999}},{"text":"And one cardinal rule \n unfounded.","bbox":{"left":0.071179,"top":0.834352,"width":0.22886300000000004,"height":0.03148699999999993}},{"text":"no retaliation against the complainant, even if the complaint is later deemed","bbox":{"left":0.320148,"top":0.834352,"width":0.600639,"height":0.015572999999999948}},{"text":"5","bbox":{"left":0.184525,"top":0.879276,"width":0.00873299999999999,"height":0.015338999999999992}},{"text":"Page | 4","bbox":{"left":0.875094,"top":0.956701,"width":0.08017600000000003,"height":0.01828099999999999}}],"images_bbox":[],"images_bbox_not_text_overlap":[]}