FAQ's
What is an Employee Ethics Line? An Ethics Line or Corporate Intelligence System is an interactive voice response telecommunication system that enables employees to anonymously report activities that place the company at risk from a civil, ethical, or criminal standpoint.
Why is it necessary? It's necessary in order to meet compliance requirements relative to sexual harassment and discrimination, and to deter theft and events such as workplace violence and fraud.
Why shouldn't a company do it themselves? Because by utilizing a third party, as is recommended by most legal and compliance experts, liability of the company is reduced. An external Ethics Line is considered to be part of best practices.
Can it be proven that an Employee Ethics Line will reduce liability? Yes. As a matter of fact, there are many cases that show when an employer utilized their own internal method of reporting, it was proven in court that the aggrieved employee was not afforded a 'non-biased and without fear of reprisal' method of reporting.
Why is it imperative to have a system such as ours in place? In today's world, it is extremely difficult for an employer to know everything they need to know about their employees. By providing a conduit for information, the employer received two tangible benefits. The main benefit is the satisfaction of compliance requirements that helps provide freedom from negative judgment. The second benefit is the flow of information that improves corporate ethics and reduces loss.
Is there a cost savings associated with this system? Yes. From a prevention standpoint, millions of dollars in judgments have been averted. From a loss standpoint, costs associated with loss and theft have been reduced up to 22%.
For more information, please read the following articles: Risk Solutions Update and Bulletproofing an Organization.