To counter the potentially negative effect on employee morale, and the attendant negative effect on performance and customer relations, the investigator must control the quantity and quality of information available to employees. However, the investigator should remember that employees will naturally have questions and legitimate concerns about the investigation and its potential impact on their lives and careers. It is also natural that an embezzlement investigation will attract media attention from television, radio and newspapers. The investigator must also control the quantity and quality of information available to the media. Besides statements made by employees that may or may not be accurate, documents filed with law enforcement agencies, the courts or other public agencies may be accessible to reporters and other members of the public.
Reporters have a legal right to gather information for publication.
Reporters have the legal right to seek an interview with any employee. Employees have the same right to refuse to be interviewed. The institution should authorize only certain designated persons to provide information about the institution to the media, and specifically prohibit all other employees from doing so. All employees not so designated should courteously refer all requests from reporters for information or interviews to the individual designated by the institution to handle media inquiries. This individual might be the CEO, the Security Director, the Auditor or another designated officer.