Everything I Know about Witness Statements

Over the next several weeks, I’m going to be doing a few videos on some of the most important types of evidence and what I learned about them. Ibn this video, I share my experience with witness statements to shine a light on some things you can use and help ease some common frustrations. Witness statements are powerful evidence. But they are not the ONLY powerful evidence. Witness statements can be HARD to get. These two things help. Ask right away Don't be scary! Even if you get a statement, it may not help. Getting them can be emotional. Once you have witnesses, protect them. I suggest saving the names of as many witnesses as you can for your EEOC investigation, when there’s a much stronger chance that your witnesses’ statements will be honest. Your investigator can document what they have to say, under penalty of perjury, so it’s harder for them to change their story later… -By hearing, you will probably have some witness testimony that you can use, even if it comes from THEIR witnesses. Most witnesses in these cases don’t know much about the policy or the law around discrimination. That makes them terrible liars in these types of cases. Witness statements can be powerful evidence… so I encourage you to try to get yours… right away, as soon as the discrimination happens… If you can get the statements, great. Protect you witnesses and carry on. But if you can’t get statements… don’t stress. Try to focus on documenting as much as you can instead. And know that eventually there will be an investigation and a hearing where their witnesses will have to speak on the record. Chances are, at least some of them will lie, or do something stupid, trying to help your employer out… and end up helping you. ---- All opinions are my own. Not LEGAL advice. Just me sharing my perspective as an employee who went through the EEOC claims process & won. I am not an expert at all things EEOC. While I do my best to be factual in my observations, viewers should assume that all observations or statements are ALLEGEDLY. *Never trust your fate to a YouTube content creator. Do your own research, pilot your own vessel. * --- Background photo on thumb courtesy of searchable NASA Image Library: https://images.nasa.gov/