Employee Relations and Investigations

• HR professionals
• Employee relations managers
• Generalists seeking to move into a specialized role

• Employee Relations and Investigations Certificate from Cornell ILR School
• 50 Professional Development Hours (5 CEUs)
• 50 Professional Development Credits (PDCs) toward SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP recertification
• 50 Credit hours towards HRCI recertification

During complicated times, employee relations issues skyrocket. Managing these issues, with a process in place to mitigate further internal problems in a professional manner, can be challenging. Poor handling of internal investigations can result in legal and monetary damages, reputational harm to an organization, and a negative impact on employee morale.

In this certificate program, you will explore a framework for conducting effective employee relations (ER) conversations with employees and managers. When workplace complaints turn more serious, it is important you complete a thorough and fair internal investigation. This program will take you through the full investigation process, starting with conducting an interview. From there you will work on structuring and conducting the investigation. Finally, you will conclude and evaluate the investigation.

Throughout this program, you will learn and apply the frameworks, processes, and communication skills needed to help you develop effective ER management practices for conducting conversations and conducting internal investigations that will enhance the success of the organization’s mission through its employees.

The courses in this certificate program are required to be completed in the order that they appear.

This program includes a full year of free access to the HR Symposium!

These highly interactive virtual events span multiple days and explore today’s most pressing topics. Symposium offers exclusive opportunities to engage in real-time discussions with your eCornell community, applying insights from your courses to real-world scenarios. Through reflections and small-group discussions, you’ll deepen your learning, broaden your perspective, and expand your professional network.

Symposium events are held throughout the year, providing ongoing opportunities to stay engaged, gain fresh perspectives, and strengthen your skills. Once enrolled, you’ll receive access to the Symposium networking site and details about upcoming sessions. You can participate in as many as you’d like to make the most of your experience, though attendance is not required to complete your program.