{"id":"hr-reply-to-harassment-report","audience":"hr","category":"people-work","technique":"constraints","track":"people","level":"intermediate","free":true,"title":"Draft the reply to an employee who reports her manager in writing","task":"Marisol Tran has just reported her manager in writing and is afraid of retaliation. HR must reply today. You are Jordan Ellis, HR Business Partner, and you are drafting for HR to review before anything is sent. Plain text, under 180 words. The very first line must be exactly: DRAFT FOR HR REVIEW. Thank her and take it seriously without saying whether the claims are true or false. Promise no outcome. Say confidentiality is kept as far as possible, say retaliation is not allowed, and give the next step with its date and the support available. Leave out internal notes and names of other people.","materialLabel":"Her email and your notes (attached to your prompt automatically)","material":"EMAIL FROM Marisol Tran, Senior Analyst - Thu Nov 5, 8:47pm\n\"I'm writing because I don't know who else to tell. For about six months my manager, Greg Hollis, has made demeaning comments about me in team meetings. He has called my work 'kindergarten level' and said 'maybe someone who actually understands this should take it over.' Kevin and Aisha were in the room both times last month. I've started dreading Mondays. I'm scared that if this gets back to Greg he will make my life worse, or hurt my review. Please don't tell him it was me. I just need this to stop.\"\n\nHR FACTS (confirmed)\n- Policy: every written report is reviewed, and HR contacts the employee within 2 business days. Jordan will contact her by Monday, Nov 9 to schedule a private conversation.\n- Details are shared only with people who need to know to handle the report. HR cannot guarantee that Greg will not learn who raised it.\n- Retaliation for reporting is against company policy (Section 4.2). If she sees any, she should tell Jordan right away.\n- Free, confidential counseling through the Employee Assistance Program: 1-800-555-0142, 24 hours a day.\n\nINTERNAL ONLY\n- Greg is our top performer and leads the $4M Delaney account\n- Director Paul Weston, on Slack: \"Let's keep this low-key, Greg is critical to Q4\"\n- Two other people have left Greg's team this year\n- Kevin Osei and Aisha Rahman would be the first witnesses we interview","rules":[{"type":"maxWords","max":180},{"type":"plainText"}],"mistakes":[{"title":"Taking a side","why":"The AI writes \"I'm so sorry Greg behaved this way\" or \"this is unacceptable\" before anyone has investigated.","fix":"Say: \"Take it seriously without saying whether the claims are true. Promise no outcome.\"","checks":["r0"]},{"title":"Promising total secrecy","why":"The AI wants to comfort her, so it writes \"this will stay completely confidential\".","fix":"Add: \"Say confidentiality is kept as far as possible, shared only with those who need to know.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Skipping the no-retaliation line","why":"A warm reply forgets the one sentence she is most afraid to need.","fix":"Add: \"State that retaliation is against policy and to tell Jordan right away.\"","checks":["r1"]},{"title":"Leaking the pressure","why":"The AI uses everything in the notes, including the witnesses' names and the director's \"keep it low-key\".","fix":"Add: \"Leave out internal notes and names of other people.\"","checks":["r2"]},{"title":"Trusting the AI to count words","why":"A sensitive reply runs long and sprouts headings or bold.","fix":"Say \"under 140 words, plain text\" and cap the parts, like \"7 short sentences\".","checks":["maxWords","plainText"]}],"promptHints":[{"label":"Marks it as a draft for HR","patterns":["draft for hr","first line","hr (will )?review"]},{"label":"Takes it seriously, no conclusions","patterns":["no conclusions","true or false","without (saying|judging)","promise no","no outcome","don'?t promise"]},{"label":"Confidentiality as far as possible","patterns":["as far as possible","confidential","need to know","don'?t promise"]},{"label":"States no retaliation","patterns":["retaliat","section 4\\.2","tell jordan"]},{"label":"Next step, date and support","patterns":["nov 9|november 9|monday","eap|employee assistance","1-800","next step"]}],"hint":"HR will edit this and then Marisol will read every word. Say what the first line is, what the reply must not conclude or promise, what it must say about secrecy and retaliation, the dated next step, and what to leave out.","mission":"Draft the reply Marisol reads tonight, for HR to review.","musts":["Take it seriously; no verdict, no promised outcome","Confidential as far as possible; no retaliation","Dated next step and support"],"rubricLabels":["The first line is exactly \"DRAFT FOR HR REVIEW\", and the reply thanks her and takes the report seriously without saying or implying that the claims are true or false (it does not call Greg guilty, abusive or a bully, and does not say the claims are unfounded) and without promising any outcome (such as \"this will stop\", \"he will be dealt with\" or \"we will take action\")","It says confidentiality is kept as far as possible, with details shared only with people who need to know (it does not promise absolute confidentiality or that Greg will not find out), and says retaliation is against policy and that she should tell Jordan right away if she sees any","It says Jordan will contact her by Monday, Nov 9 to set up a private conversation, gives the Employee Assistance Program number 1-800-555-0142, and does not name Kevin, Aisha or Paul, or mention Greg's performance, the Delaney account, Q4, or keeping this low-key"]}