falsely accused

I am writing for my husband who was suspended with pay for a week while an investigation is pending next week. Of course he was not told who it was,(although by the ? asked of him it was obvious), or of an specific event. He beleives this person is retaliating against him because of the actiions he had to take against her last week. He was instructed to speak with her by his boss about the extreme amount of funeral time she took off for a in-laws funeral (two weeks for 2 relatives), her review was up when she came back, she was not given the 6% raise she expected only 3%, and was very mad. Some of what my husband said to her, he didnt agree with himself, but was told to say by his boss. By the way they have worked together for over 4 years now.
Within 4 days of this he is now suspended. It looks like retaliation I know, but if in the end we find this to be true, are there actions we can take against her? He was humiliated being escorted out of the building, not to speak of how, right before christmas, we dont know how we will finacially survive or get a job with that on his record.
If he is proven innocent will a history remain in his file?
My real question is: Do we hire a lawyer now before the investigation has started? or after if he has been proved guilty and been fired? If we hire a lawyer now, will our small company in omaha ne that only employs 87 people take it as a threat that we dont trust them to be fair. Help and Thank You. crissa

I don't what I can do for you except to say I am relatively in the same position and I'm pissed. My situation is under jimmytax in this category. My employer wants me to sign something that I'm sure I won't. It will probably cost me my job but I think that is better than to ruin my reputation. I live in Missouri and my employer for the most part can fire me for looking at him wrong. The lady that is accusing me and another guy is a very insecure poor divorcee. She has a very low self-esteem. Her and her two friends don't like me or my friend because we have fun at work and she doesn't know how to. In any case, from what I understand it wouldn't hurt you while you are suspended is to keep on this site and do a lot of reading. I have two small children and probably will get fired real soon. You should probably go to a lawyer for consultation ( shich is like an hour) pay is fee and take everything he says with a grain of salt. You could probably win any fight you want to but it will be expensive I'm sure. My suggestion is the same thing I'm going to do and that is to look for another job ASAP. I am right in the middle of the situation and my boss has never been too fond of me anyway.