Workplace Harassment & Discrimination Evaluations
What the evaluation covers
Emotional distress — anxiety, depression, and traumatic stress reactions.
Functional impairment — whether work, relationships, or daily life were affected.
Causation — whether the workplace events were the proximate cause of the psychological harm, versus other contributing factors.
Context of the incidents — the number, intensity, duration, and chronicity of the events, and how the person responded at the time (reporting, coping, seeking support).
Our evaluation process
We structure these evaluations using the five-stage model developed by Goodman-Delahunty and Foote (2013), the same framework we use for personal injury evaluations — a widely cited approach to evaluating causation and damages in discrimination and injury cases. It organizes the evaluation around five time periods relative to the alleged events:
Pre-incident functioning — psychological baseline before the alleged harassment or discrimination, from clinical interview, prior records, and collateral sources.
Time of incident(s) — the circumstances of the alleged events and the person's response at the time.
Post-incident period — how functioning changed following the events, including reporting and coping.
Current status — psychological functioning at the time of the evaluation, assessed through testing and interview.
Future prognosis — anticipated course of recovery or ongoing impairment.
Each stage draws on records review, collateral interviews, and standardized testing, including validity measures to assess the consistency of reported symptoms.
Source: Goodman-Delahunty, J., & Foote, W. E. (2013). Using a five-stage model to evaluate workplace discrimination injuries. Psychological Injury and Law, 6(2), 92–98. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12207-013-9154-y
FAQs
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Either plaintiff's or defense counsel. The evaluation is conducted independently regardless of which side retains it.
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he evaluation provides an objective clinical opinion on psychological functioning and causation — it's one piece of evidence among several. How it fits into a case is a question for your attorney.
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The evaluator's role is to reach an independent clinical opinion, not to advocate for either side. The same standards and tests apply regardless of who retained the evaluation.
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It varies by case complexity and record volume. However, you can expect at least 2-3 interview and testing sessions with a psychologist.
The Elara approach
Our expert forensic psychologists have years of experience evaluating and diagnosing mental health disorders and applying clinical concepts to legal issues. Together, we have evaluated thousands of individuals who have been arrested and charged with various offenses. We approach every case with objectivity, thoroughness, and compassion toward all examinees, no matter their allegations.