What should an employer do when it receives an anonymous complaint about an employee?

How much credence to give anonymous calls really is a matter of opinion and judgment. Anonymous calls could be from individuals not associated with the employer or from employees. The issues raised may be legitimate or may be malicious. Unfortunately, because the complaint is anonymous, the employer is hampered in responding in a meaningful way. As with all concerns raised to an employer, the best approach is to actively listen, document the call and respond with an appropriate level of urgency based on all other information available.

When employers receive an anonymous call about an employee, they should do the following:

• Note what the caller says, so that after the conversation ends, they will have the details to make an effective decision. If the phone has caller ID, employers should make note of the phone number.
• Consider the demeanor of the caller. Some callers may seem credible, whereas others may rant incoherently. Employers should assess the caller’s credibility by considering how logical the caller’s train of thought is, whether he or she includes details that make sense and whether he or she states the case calmly. An employer may also be able to assess whether the caller has information that shows a close relationship to the employer.
• Consider whether there are situations at work that would corroborate the caller’s claims. For example, if the caller claims the employee is abusing illegal substances and the manager has noticed erratic behavior and absenteeism, the employer may pay more attention to the complaint.
• Determine if the situation is urgent and could cause immediate harm to others if true. If yes, the employer should contact law enforcement. If no, and the employer determines it cannot dismiss the accusations outright, an investigation should be considered.
• In all cases consider the impact that the claims would have if they were true. In some cases the accusations are not related to the employer’s operations and can be disregarded as idle gossip. In other cases, if the claims were true, there may be serious implications to the employer or affected employees. For example, suggestions that the employee is defrauding the company or is planning some kind of violent outburst are much more serious than claims that an employee spends time off doing something embarrassing.
• Document the call, and raise the issues to the appropriate authorities or level of management.