McDonald’s Corp., in an ongoing investigation into former Chief Executive Officer Steve Easterbrook’s behavior, is looking into whether he covered up improprieties by other McDonald’s employees, according to a company executive.

The board is working with outside counsel to investigate an allegation the ousted chief may have helped conceal other employees’ behavior, said the McDonald’s executive, who isn’t authorized to speak publicly. It’s also looking into the company’s human resources department and how it functions, the executive said. Easterbrook’s attorney didn’t reply to requests for comment.

Easterbrook was fired in November over a consensual relationship with an employee, but the company received a tip months later that he had been involved in multiple affairs with workers. After concluding Easterbrook had lied and concealed evidence in the initial investigation, the fast-food giant sued to claw back his severance. He has denied the claims, contending McDonald’s had the information about his relationships with employees when it negotiated his separation agreement.

The board has continued to investigate the matter in the meantime. The HR department now under the magnifying glass at McDonald’s has already undergone upheaval in the past year, with former Boeing Co. executive Heidi B. Capozzi stepping into the department’s top slot in April. Capozzi replaced McDonald’s former top human resources manager, David Fairhurst, who departed the company the day after Easterbrook’s exit was announced in November.

The company gave no reason for his exit at the time, but the McDonald’s executive who asked not to be named said on Tuesday Fairhurst had been terminated for cause related to his own conduct inconsistent with McDonald’s values. Fairhurst couldn’t be reached for comment.

Earlier this month, after the lawsuit against Easterbrook was filed, Capozzi sent an email to employees about how the company needs to better understand the “bright spots and blind spots we have around our values” at McDonald’s. The chain has partnered with a third party to do global surveys and “listening sessions” with employees around those issues, she said in the internal email.

The results of those employee surveys and sessions, which begin next month, will be released in November. They’ll look at things like how the company hired employees and how employee concerns are raised and investigated, among other topics.