Frequently Asked Questions
We want to pursue stories that reveal company- or industry-wide failures or injustices that result in unsafe conditions or unfair practices. We will also pursue stories that involve abuses of power by individuals or businesses at the expense of workers or the public. We also look to uncover weaknesses in government oversight that can allow for improper policies or practices to continue undeterred.
Our investigations desk has a statewide scope that can take us to any corner of Washington. We will pay particular attention to historically underserved or disadvantaged communities as well as rural news deserts as we seek to continue expanding our investigative coverage into regions outside the Puget Sound area.
We have a lot of ground to cover, so detailed tips or questions make it much easier for us to hone in on potential stories in your community or connect trends statewide. You can email the investigations editor directly at jacob.jones@crosscut.com. We do not have the resources to investigate every tip, so providing a strong foundation for reporting with details and documents can help us determine whether we can take on the story and whether there is a strong community interest in investigating.
Yes. Other news media can republish most of our work for free. Crosscut provides guidance here on how news outlets can republish our stories and photos. Feel free to reach out to your local newspaper or TV station if you think it would benefit from sharing our work with your community.
No. Crosscut editorial staff have complete control over reporting and publication of Workplace Watch stories. Editorial staff selected the focus of the project, and there are no content restrictions or obligations tied to the grant. The funders are not permitted any advance review of stories and have not attempted to influence reporting efforts.
We strive for our reporting to be transparent and clearly grounded in fact. We will attribute the information in our stories to the sources who provided it. We will often provide links to the primary documents or recordings we used so you can check our work. Subjects of our stories will be given the opportunity to comment and share their perspective prior to publication. Even in those rare stories that rely on anonymous sources, our investigative team will still know the full identity of those sources and will work to vet their credibility before publication.
Sharing our stories with other interested readers or local officials can help increase the visibility and impact of our reporting. Sending us questions or story ideas can help us find new issues worthy of investigation. You can also support Crosscut’s work financially by becoming a member.