Fraud scandals like that seen recently at Molson Coors emphasize importance of strategy, policies, and prompt action when employees face criminal allegations
Employee misbehaviour always makes for a good headline, and recently two cases alleging just that have made waves in Canada.
In Quebec, two former employees of the province’s auto insurance board (SAAQ) were charged in relation to an alleged scheme to sell more than 2,000 fake driver’s licenses. In Ontario, Molson Coors Canada filed documents in court accusing former managers of embezzling millions through shell companies and fake vendors.
So, how should HR leaders respond when employees are facing criminal allegations?
According to Joel Smith, an employment lawyer at Shields O’Donnell MacKillop LLP in Toronto, when an organization learns of new and potentially criminal misconduct, or criminal charges have been filed against an employee, quick, thoughtful fact-gathering is essential.
“The first step certainly is to investigate, but it doesn't have to be a big, formal investigation [initially],” says Smith. “Get a handle on the circumstances, what happened, what are the charges, when was the employee charged, and then consider that in the context of their role.”
That emphasis on context is critical for HR. A fraud charge for a back-office role will be evaluated differently than for a controller handling client funds, just as alleged license fraud in a regulatory authority handling auto insurance raises public trust...
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