Workplace Investigation Training Simulator | HR Case Studies for Managers, HR Teams and HRBPs | Interactive Digital Download

Most people learn to run workplace investigations on a real one, with a real employee's job on the line. Case Files lets you practice first.

Case Files is an interactive investigation simulator that runs in your web browser. Work three realistic cases from the first report to the 30-day check-in, make the calls an investigator has to make, and then see how your file would hold up if it became Exhibit A.

Designed by an HR professional with 15 years of experience and a workplace investigations credential, and built on the same process I teach: intake, assess, plan, investigate, analyze, report, act and follow up.

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THE THREE CASES
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No. 01 The Brightwell Account (foundational, about 40 minutes)
A harassment and retaliation complaint against the company's top-performing sales manager, while his VP wants it pushed to January.

No. 02 The Saturday Shift (intermediate, about 35 minutes)
An anonymous hotline tip says a well-liked plant supervisor is padding overtime. Preserve the evidence before the cameras overwrite it, and test the "on-call" story against the records.

No. 03 Fresh Energy (advanced, about 35 minutes)
A 22-year employee is passed over for a promotion and hears "fresh energy" in her feedback meeting. She has talked to a lawyer. Some allegations hold up and some don't, and you have to explain why.

All people, companies and events are fictional.

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WHAT YOU DO IN EACH CASE
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• Make the decisions: confidentiality, escalation, interim measures, who investigates, what to preserve and what to recommend
• Run four interviews with a limited question budget. Open, fair questions build your record. Leading ones get flagged
• Work an evidence locker of texts, emails, records, logs and interview notes, plus an activity log that builds as you go
• Write real work product (allegation lists, summaries, talking points) and compare it to a model answer
• Make findings for each allegation (substantiated, unsubstantiated or inconclusive) and tie them to the evidence
• Get a debrief: a defensibility score across seven standards, "Exhibit A" (the questions opposing counsel would ask about your file), an answer key with reasoning, and a printable case file

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THE BRIEFING ROOM
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Six short lessons with quick checks, about 25 minutes in total: the legal foundation, process and planning, confidentiality and anti-retaliation, interview techniques, documentation and findings, and escalation. A Field Guide with quick-reference cards is available inside every case.

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WHO IT'S FOR
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• HR generalists and newer HR business partners building investigation judgment
• The HR department of one, before a real complaint lands on your desk
• People leaders who want to understand why the first conversation and retaliation risk matter
• HR teams: run the same case, compare debriefs and talk through the Exhibit A questions together

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WHAT'S INCLUDED
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• The simulator (ZIP file): unzip it and double-click the .html file inside the 01-App folder
• README, license terms (LICENSE.txt) and changelog
• Font license for the two free fonts built into the simulator

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HOW IT WORKS
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1. Download the ZIP from your Etsy purchases and unzip it.
2. Open the "01-App" folder and double-click Case-Files-Investigation-Simulator.html. It opens in your web browser.
3. Start with the Briefing Room, or go straight to a case.

No install, account, subscription, hosting or internet connection needed. Works in current versions of Chrome, Edge, Safari and Firefox on a computer, tablet or phone.

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PLEASE READ BEFORE BUYING
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• This is an educational simulation, not legal advice. Laws and requirements vary by jurisdiction. Consult qualified employment counsel about real investigations.
• It's a training tool, not a case-management system. Never enter real employee or investigation information.
• Progress saves only in the web browser on your device. Clearing browser data or using a private window erases it. Each person should use their own browser.
• You'll need to unzip a file on a computer to get started.
• This is a digital download. No physical item will be shipped.
• Because this is a digital product, returns and exchanges aren't accepted. Please message me with any questions before you buy.

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LICENSE
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Single-business license: use it inside one business or organization, for any number of your own team members, including internal training sessions. It may not be shared, resold, redistributed or used to train clients or in paid workshops. Full terms are included in your download. Need a consultant or trainer license? Send me a message.

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HOW THIS WAS MADE
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Designed by The HR Edit and made with the help of AI. The process, teaching approach and standards come from my own investigations course and toolkit. I designed the simulator, chose every case scenario and HR approach, and directed, reviewed, edited and tested it before release. AI tools assisted with writing the code and drafting case, lesson and README wording.

The listing photos and video are real screenshots and a screen recording of the simulator. Photo 2 is an unedited screenshot. Branded photos add text and layout around real screenshots. No AI-generated images are used.

© The HR Edit