Workplace Harassment Response Checklist for Global HR Teams

This workplace harassment response checklist helps global HR teams in Korea organize the full response process: document the concern, assess immediate protection needs, investigate objectively without delay, take appropriate action based on the findings, and follow up. Each stage reflects the employer duties set out in the Labor Standards Act [1].

What this resource includes

This resource provides an eight-stage response framework receive, assess, protect, plan, investigate, document, respond, follow up with the key HR action and guiding question for each stage, a pre-closure confirmation list, the most common response mistakes, and guidance on where EAP support fits alongside the formal process. It complements our detailed guides on the reporting procedure and investigation process by giving HR a single overview to work from when a case arrives.

How to use it

Use the checklist in two ways. Before a case occurs, run it against your current process: confirm who receives concerns, who can conduct an objective investigation, how interim protection is assessed, and who owns follow-up. During a live case, use the stage table to track progress and the confirmation list before closing the file. Rate each item honestly a stage handled informally but undocumented should count as incomplete, since documentation is what demonstrates compliance later.

Workplace harassment response checklist

Response stage	HR action	Key question
Receive	Document the concern	What has HR been told or become aware of?
Assess	Review immediate risks	Is there ongoing harm or retaliation risk?
Protect	Consider interim measures	What protection may be needed during the investigation?
Plan	Assign an objective investigator	Is there a conflict of interest?
Investigate	Interview parties and review information	What facts can be established?
Document	Maintain clear records	Are decisions and actions recorded consistently?
Respond	Take appropriate action	What measures are required based on the findings?
Follow up	Review workplace and employee needs	Are there continuing risks or support needs?

Before closing the response process, confirm:

• The initial concern has been documented, with reported facts separated from HR assumptions.
• Immediate protection needs have been assessed, and interim measures considered where necessary never imposed against the affected employee's wishes [1].
• Investigator objectivity has been reviewed for conflicts of interest.
• Relevant parties, witnesses, and evidence (messages, documents, records) have been identified.
• Investigation records are securely managed and confidentiality requirements communicated to all participants [1].
• Findings and HR decisions are documented.
• The affected employee's opinion was heard before measures against the actor were decided [1].
• Retaliation risks have been reviewed unfavorable treatment of the reporter or victim is prohibited [1].
• Follow-up responsibilities are assigned.
• Employee support options, including the EAP, have been communicated.

The stages in brief

Receive and assess. Record when and how the concern was reported, the people involved, the reported conduct, dates, potential witnesses, and available evidence without deciding at intake whether the allegation is substantiated. Then check whether the conduct is continuing, whether the employee still works directly with the alleged actor, and whether there is retaliation risk or significant distress.

Protect and plan. Where necessary, protective measures may include changing the work location or granting paid leave; under the Labor Standards Act these must not be taken against the affected employee's wishes [1]. Assign an investigator without conflicts of interest and define how information will be collected.

Investigate and document. Interview relevant parties, review messages and workplace records, and document consistently. The purpose is to establish facts objectively not to confirm HR's initial assumption. The investigation must begin without delay once the employer receives a report or becomes aware of possible harassment [1].

Respond and follow up. If harassment is confirmed, review the measures required under the Labor Standards Act: protective measures for the affected employee and necessary measures against the person who committed the harassment, with the affected employee's opinion heard first [1]. Afterward, keep reviewing retaliation concerns, workplace relationships, manager support needs, and policy gaps.

Common mistakes

Waiting for a formal written complaint. The investigation obligation may apply when the employer receives a report through any channel or otherwise becomes aware of possible harassment [1]. Deciding the outcome before investigating. Avoid labeling the situation "harassment" or "just a conflict" at intake; document and fact-find first. Moving the affected employee without their consent. A transfer may look like a quick fix, but protective measures must not be imposed against the employee's wishes [1]. Sharing investigation information too broadly. Limit access to those who need it and review the confidentiality requirements that bind investigation participants [1]. Ending the process at the investigation. Retaliation risks, team tensions, and support needs continue after the decision assign follow-up owners.

When EAP support is appropriate

EAP support is appropriate when an employee affected by workplace harassment experiences emotional distress or related personal concerns. The World Health Organization identifies violence, harassment, and bullying among the psychosocial risks to mental health at work [2]. An EAP provides a confidential support channel for employees and, depending on the service model, consultation for managers and HR. The formal harassment process and EAP support serve different purposes and can run at the same time: the harassment process addresses workplace conduct and the employer's legal response, while the EAP supports the people involved.

Important limitations

This checklist is a practical organizing resource, not a universal accreditation standard or a legal compliance checklist. Adapt it to your workforce, internal policies, and applicable legal requirements, and seek qualified legal review for contested or high-risk cases. An EAP should not be treated as the employer's investigator — investigation is the employer's own duty [1]. More broadly, responding to individual cases does not replace systematic management of psychosocial risk; ISO 45003 provides guidance on managing psychosocial risks within an occupational health and safety management system [3].

Related guides

• Workplace Harassment in Korea: A Practical Guide for Global HR Teams
• Workplace Harassment Report in Korea: HR Response Procedure
• Workplace Harassment Investigation Checklist for Employers in Korea

Frequently asked questions

Does HR need a formal written complaint before investigating workplace harassment in Korea? No. Under the Labor Standards Act, the employer must investigate without delay when it receives a report or becomes aware of possible workplace harassment [1].

Should HR separate the affected employee and the alleged actor? Assess whether protective measures are necessary. Measures may include a workplace change or paid leave, but they must not be taken against the affected employee's wishes [1].

What should HR do if workplace harassment is confirmed? Review appropriate measures for the affected employee and necessary action against the person who committed the harassment, hearing the affected employee's opinion before deciding measures against the actor [1].

Can an EAP investigate workplace harassment? No, the investigation is the employer's duty. EAP services focus on confidential employee support and, depending on the provider, manager or organizational consultation.

Get support

Use this checklist to review your reporting and investigation process before a case occurs. If your organization needs confidential employee support alongside its workplace response process, contact Nudge EAP to discuss EAP services for your workforce in Korea.

NOTE:

This article is intended for general informational purposes only. Specific legal, medical, clinical, or employment-related matters may require review by an appropriately qualified professional.

 

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Sources

[1] Korea Legislation Research Institute, "Labor Standards Act" (official English translation), Articles 76-2 and 76-3 https://elaw.klri.re.kr/eng_mobile/viewer.do?hseq=59932&type=part&key=40

[2] World Health Organization, "Mental health at work" (fact sheet) https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-at-work

[3] International Organization for Standardization, "ISO 45003:2021 — Occupational health and safety management: Psychological health and safety at work" https://www.iso.org/standard/64283.html