Kress Employment Services -2007 Background Screening Trends

Launched in July 2007, the “Background Screening Trends” survey includes online responses from 277 HR professionals and executives who interact with the background screening process regularly.

Key Findings

• More information leads to better hiring decisions
• Better background screens yield better employees
• The intricacies of the laws affecting background screening are not fully understood

In addition, the survey revealed an important change in the selection criteria HR Professionals are using to select background screening provides:

HR professionals value three components of the background screening process: accuracy, turnaround times and customer service. This is a significant change from the past, when the primary selection criterion was cost. This is evidence of a maturation of the background screening industry in that HR providers are evaluating quality. Accuracy, turnaround times and customer service are the top selection criteria for respondents from all company sizes, selected by 90.6 percent, 87.4 percent and 69.3 percent, respectively.

Accuracy
Accuracy was ranked as the single most important criterion by 64.8 percent of respondents, and 94.2 percent of respondents completely agree that the accuracy of each screen is important. Respondents also indicated that accuracy is worth the time it takes; 77.3 percent of respondents said they believe further research is necessary to locate complete and accurate information in case of a discrepancy.

For More Information or to Get the Complete Survey Results Go To www.Kressinc.com or contact comment@kressinc.com

Violent Crime Reports Up 1.9 Percent In 2006: New FBI Data

Violent crime reports in the U.S. increased 1.9 percent last year compared with 2005, the FBI reported today. The rise was greater than that reported in the FBI's preliminary report for last year issued in June, which gave the figure as 1.3 percent. The new volume includes data from more law enforcement agencies. While the rate of violent crime-473.5 per 100,000 inhabitants-rose for the second straight year, it is the third lowest total in the past two decades. Property crimes rates dropped to their lowest level since 1987.

The FBI report showed murders up 1.8 percent, from 16,740 to 17,034. The preliminary report had murders up .3 percent from 2005. Robbery reports jumped 7.2 percent, from 417,438 to 447,403. Property crimes were down 1.9 percent. Of specific property crimes, motor vehicle thefts dropped 3.5 percent and larcenies 2.6 percent but burglaries increased 1.3 percent. The full data report can be accessed on the FBI's Web site.

For More Information Go To: http://www.fbi.gov/page2/sept07/cius092407.htm

JPL Scientists Sue Federal Government and Caltech for NASA's Background Checks

Over his four decades at the California Institute of Technology's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Dennis Byrnes worked on the Apollo 7 spacecraft, set the Galileo probe on a course to Jupiter and received a NASA Exceptional Engineering Achievement Award. But because Byrnes won't let federal investigators snoop into intimate details of his personal life, he could lose his job. Byrnes is one of 28 Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) senior scientists and engineers who today sued NASA, the Department of Commerce and CalTech over background checks required of all federal employees by the Department of Homeland Security. "We're talking about the best and brightest scientists in the world. We're talking about jet propulsion, the Mars probe, the lunar landing, Galileo, the comet landing project," said Dan Stormer of Hadsell & Stormer, the civil rights law firm representing the scientists. "And they're being asked to give up their constitutional rights in order to keep their jobs." At issue is Homeland Security Presidential Directive-12, issued in 2004 but only recently implemented by NASA. It requires all federal employees to sign a broad privacy waiver before being approved for government work.

For More Information Go To: http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/08/jpl-scientists-.html

Founder of Universal Background Screening Appointed to Big Brothers Big Sisters Board of Directors

Dick Todd, president and founder of Universal Background Screening (www.universalbackground.com), was recently named to the board of directors of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona. The appointment builds on a long history of personal and corporate support for the youth mentoring organization. “The connection between our two organizations spans four decades,” reflected Todd. Todd received the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona Barry Starr Award in 2002 for his support of the agency. Last month, he was honored to expand that commitment to the organization in a leadership capacity. “It is a privilege and honor to serve Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Arizona as a member of the board of directors,” said Todd.

For more information: http://news.bigg.net/n74171-Founder_of_Universal_Background_Screening_Appointed_to_Big_Brothers
_Big_Sisters_Board_of_Directors.html

GIS Wins USPS Contract

The United States Postal Service (USPS) has awarded a national contract to General Information Services, Inc. (GIS) to provide background investigation pre-employment screening services. The initial award is effective through September 2009 and has three two-year renewal options that can be exercised at the discretion of the USPS. Terms of the contract were not released. GIS is a provider of total workforce management and security solutions since 1966 and is a leading provider of solutions to the retail, financial services, government, and healthcare industries. The company said it processes more than eight million screening components annually. GIS is headquartered in Chapin, SC and offers services in all 50 states and internationally.

For more information go to: http://www.hrotoday.com/News.asp?id=1190

HireRight and ExcellerateHRO Sign Global Agreement

HireRight, a provider of on-demand employment screening, has signed an agreement to provide employment background and drug screening solutions to ExcellerateHRO, the jointly owned human resources (HR) outsourcing business of EDS and Towers Perrin. “Today’s HR outsourcing customers are looking for a full-service provider with market-leading solutions, global reach and HR industry expertise," said Iris Goldfein, vice president, global offerings for ExcellerateHRO. ExcellerateHRO offers a flexible portfolio of HR outsourcing services on a global basis, including benefits administration, payroll, workforce development, recruiting and staffing, relocation and assignment, compensation management, absence management and workforce administration services. “HireRight is pleased to be ExcellerateHRO’s employment screening partner,” said Eric Boden, president and CEO, HireRight, Inc. “We’ve seen more and more Global 500 companies outsourcing many of their human resources functions for improved processes and cost savings, and we’re focused on working closely with HRO leaders like ExcellerateHRO to ensure our employment screening offerings meet their high quality standards, as well as those of their customers.”

For more information go to: http://www.hrotoday.com/News.asp?id=1144

deverus, Inc. Announces Partnership with Omni Data Retrieval

AUSTIN, Texas — deverus, the leader in background screening technology, today announced a partnership with Omni Data Retrieval, a reliable source for nationwide criminal record researching. Omni’s services will enhance deverus’ already robust vendor network. This streamlined integration will provide faster turnaround times and competitively priced county criminal research services for deverus clients. Since 1999 Omni Data Retrieval has provided reliable criminal record research to employment and tenant screening companies and is a trusted resource in the background screening industry. “Omni Data Retrieval is a leader in selling wholesale background checks. They have a solid reputation for providing high quality service using the latest technology. We are excited to extend their value to our clients through seamless integrations,” stated deverus CEO, Shawn Rucks.

For more information go to: http://enewschannels.com/2007/07/31/enc1701_224255.php

United States: DHS Publishes Final "Safe-Harbor" Procedures For Employers Who Receive SSA "No-Match" Letters And DHS Notices

After more than a year of anticipation, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has at last issued a Final Rule addressing an employer's obligations in response to receipt of a mismatch notice from the Social Security Administration. The final rules are materially similar to the draft published for comment in June 2006. (See DHS Publishes Proposed "Safe Harbor" Procedures for Employer Who Receive "No-Match" Letters) On Friday, August 10, 2007, DHS published the Final Rule ("Safe-Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a No-Match Letter"), with publication in the federal register expected this week. The Final Rule states that receipt of a Social Security Administration (SSA) no-match letter can be evidence that the employer has constructive knowledge that an employee lacks work authorization; however the Final Rule also creates safe harbor procedures for employers to avoid liability. It is anticipated that the regulations will take effect 30 days after publication in the Federal Register. The new safe harbor rules benefit employers in two ways. First, following the rules may protect an employer from immigration fines and penalties even if the employee subject to the safe harbor procedure is actually an unauthorized alien. Second, the rules provide a limited defense from government claims of discrimination predicated on the employer's conduct in following the safe harbor process.

For more information go to: http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=51348&email_access=on&login=true

Massachusetts Latest U.S. State To Add Information Destruction Law

On August 3rd, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signed into law a comprehensive identity theft prevention legislation requiring businesses and governments to notify consumers when their data is lost or stolen. The law also sets standards for the disposal of records containing personal information. The law, which applies to all businesses, government offices and individuals, requires that paper and electronic information be destroyed prior to disposal. This brings the number of states with secure destruction laws to fifteen.

For more information go to: http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/house/185/ht04pdf/ht04144.pdf

Four in 10 Managers Have Fired Employees for Theft

While only one in 10 workers admit stealing from their employers, close to 40% of hiring managers say they have fired an employee for theft at the office, according to a recent survey. The survey, conducted by CareerBuilder.com, found that the most commonly purloined items were office supplies (15%), money (14%), and merchandise (11%). Employers and those in the human-resources industry say employee theft represents a significant challenge for business owners, who often do not have the resources to devote to oversight. "When it comes to hiring, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure," he said. Yet, for small businesses, evaluating employees can be a challenge. "They lack the people, processes and technology dedicated to thoroughly evaluate new hires and manage employee performance," Kevin Marasco, vice president of marketing for Vurv Technology said. "This can result in the hiring of workers who slip through the cracks in terms of ideal fit and qualifications, and who could have a higher likelihood to steal."

For more information go to: http://www.inc.com/news/articles/200609/theft.html

The incidence of fraud is now so common that its occurrence is no longer remarkable, only its scale. Any entity that fails to protect itself appropriately from fraud should expect to become a victim of fraud, or rather, should expect to discover that it is a victim of fraud. The ACFE Fraud Prevention Check-Up can pinpoint opportunities to save you a lot of money. Fraud is an expensive drain on an entity’s financial resources. In today’s globally competitive environment, no one can afford to throw away the 6% of revenues that represents the largely hidden cost of fraud. Those businesses that have identified their most significant fraud costs (such as insurance and credit card companies) have made great strides in attacking and reducing those costs. If an entity is not identifying and tackling its fraud costs, it is vulnerable to competitors who lower their costs by doing so. Fraud is a common risk that should not be ignored.

For more information go to: http://www.acfe.com/fraud/check.asp

Platinum Membership Just Got Better

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KPMG August 2007 Background Screening Industry Survey

To: Owners, Operators and Sales Professionals in the Background Screening Industry

KPMG Corporate Finance LLC is compiling information on companies that provide services in the background screening industry. We have designed a survey that should take less than 15 minutes to complete. While we intend to make the results known to those companies that respond to the survey, individual responses will be kept strictly confidential. Please submit your completed survey to KPMG either via email to csmith@kpmg.com, facsimile at (410) 558-6862 or regular mail to Cherie Homa, KPMG Corporate Finance, 111 S. Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202.

To complete the survey online, please go to the following website link. https://www.surveys.kpmg.com/mmi/2w3V8T6/Link.html

Defining Good Screening Practices is a Group Effort
By Lucia Bone, The Sue Weaver CAUSE

Have you ever wondered what the results might be if the background screening industry got together and determined ‘good screening practices’ for the in-home service Industry? The Sue Weaver CAUSE, Consumer Awareness of Unsafe Service Employment, is embarking on a bold strategy to determine these ‘good screening practices’ to increase consumer safety in their homes and we want you to be a part of this historic endeavor.

The primary goal of CAUSE Certification is to increase the safety of consumers and vulnerable populations. The second goal is to help businesses that provide in-home service with a program to better manage their risk, reduce their liability and prevent negligent hiring. The third goal is to create a way that in-home service firms can build a competitive advantage by distinguishing themselves as a high quality service provider that has earned CAUSE Certification. To achieve these goals, our first step is defining ‘good screening practices’ for CAUSE Certification. We are reaching out to experts in the pre-employment screening industry to complete a short survey at www.sueweavercause.org and clicking on Survey. Participants are asked to answer the questions according to the minimum screening criteria they would want performed on any worker entering the home of their elderly mother, their teenage niece home alone, their pregnant wife, their disabled friend, or their mentally challenged cousin and not by the services their company may provide.

For more information and to read the whole article click here or call Lucia Bone at 214-450-5812.

5 Tips To Improve Your Advertising!

As I am sure you have discovered as you have ventured into advertising your products and services well written copy can be the difference in a campaign that get results versus one that does not. We have helped many of you enhance your copy and here are some tips that are key to writing great copy that communicates and persuades ... to get results!

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We can help you have a high quality e-newsletter to help nurture your relationship with your clients and attract new clients. Our customized newsletter service will take over your newsletter task or create a new one for you. We can manage the creation of your newsletter for you.

We are constantly researching information to use for The Background Buzz and you can put our research to use for you. Using the information rich content from The Background Buzz (minus the ads and competitors information) we will create a custom newsletter for you.

Use your staff’s time to do more valuable work and save all the hassle of researching or writing articles, formatting and managing all the other ezine tasks with our customized ezine process.Contact Barry Nixon at 949-770-5264 or at wbnixon@aol.com for more information.

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NAPBS Announces Webcast Series: Find out more about webinars by going to http://www.napbs.com/content.php?id=289 Courses are open to members and non members.

Register Here: http://www.napbs.com/content.php?id=289

Visit PreemploymentDirectory.com’s VENDOR SHOWCASE which features suppliers to the Background Screening Industry (go to www.PreemploymentDirectory.com, click on ‘Click Here’ and then scroll down to Vendor Showcase for Background Screening Industry Suppliers). The VENDOR SHOWCASE now includes BRB Publication’s PRRN Network the dominant online portal for the public records industry

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Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment for Private Investigation and Precognition Agents

1 August 2007: The partial Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) for licensing private investigation and precognition agents has been approved by the Home Office and has been published. The Private Security Industry Act 2001 sets out under Schedule 2, Part 1, that the Security Industry Authority (SIA), has the remit to consider the licensing of Private Investigation (section 4) and Precognition Agents (section 4A). The RIA sets out a series of options, for public and industry consultation, on the potential approaches to regulation of the Private Investigation and Precognition Agent sectors. These range from doing nothing and allowing one or both sectors to continue to self regulate, to extending the licensing remit of the SIA to include both activities and establishing probity and competency requirements as conditions of the licence.

For more information go to: http://www.the-sia.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/1FCBCD2E-B3E0-4B61-A0A4-3C33FAB72C41/0/sia_pi_pa_ria.pdf

The United Kingdom’s Criminal Records Bureau (CRB),

The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB), an Executive Agency of the Home Office, provides wider access to criminal record information through its Disclosure service. This service enables organisations in the public, private and voluntary sectors to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates who may be unsuitable for certain work, especially that involve children or vulnerable adults. The CRB was established under Part V of the Police Act 1997 and was launched in March 2002. Prior to 2002, access to police checks was mainly confined to organisations in the statutory sector for staff who had ‘substantial unsupervised access’ to children. There were many other organisations that could not access these checks and yet had staff with similar access to vulnerable groups. The CRB enables many more organisations to access these checks as part of good recruitment practice. Organisations wishing to use the service can ask successful job applicants to apply for one of two types of check. The type of check required will depend upon the nature of the position. These are called Enhanced and Standard Disclosures, both require a fee but are free of charge to volunteers.

For more information go to: http://www.crb.gov.uk/

Financial Services Industry Cleans Up Its Act

Job applicants to the nation’s banks and financial institutions are less likely to lie on their job applications compared to a year earlier, according to research released today by pre-employment screening firm Powerchex. The research revealed a turn-around in the trend in applicant fraud. It recorded a 18% drop in major discrepancies on CVs and applications submitted between July 2006 and June 2007 when compared to the same period the previous year. This indicates that more stringent vetting procedures are at last having an effect, not only in catching dishonest applicants, but also in deterring them from being dishonest in the first place. That the trend is now changing is good news for HR departments in the financial services.

For more information go to: http://dofonline.co.uk/personnel/personnel-2007/drop-in-financial-job-applicant-
frauds01807.html

Drink Or Drugs Driving - Employers Can Be Held Liable

At a time when the Government is considering a reduction in the drink drive limit and introducing random roadside breath tests, as well as cracking down even harder on drug drivers, there has never been a better moment to introduce a drugs and alcohol policy at work. Fact: if an employee has an accident caused by substance abuse and someone is injured or killed, i.e. a member of the public or a colleague, and if the company has no active policy and testing regime, the company can be 100% liable for the actions of the employee as it has done nothing “which is reasonable” to prevent the accident from happening. However, if the company has introduced a policy and is following testing regimes, it will have done everything which is reasonable and, therefore, will not be held liable. According to recent reports, the current UK drink drive limit of 80mg per 100ml of blood may be slashed to 50mg and, rather than just stopping motorists who are driving erratically or who have committed a moving traffic offence, police may also be given the power to stop drivers at random.

Further information is available from Simon Truelove, Grendonstar Distribution Limited, Key House, The Embankment, Emery Park, Vale Road, Heaton Mersey, Stockport, SK4 3GN. Tel: 0044 (0) 161 443 0000. Fax: 0044 (0) 161 443 0040.

http://www.pandct.com/media/shownews.asp?ID=15156

New Information on Mexico’s Data Protection Laws Added

We have greatly enhanced our International Resource Center to be a valuable resource for anyone looking for information on doing international background verifications, vetting or verifications. It includes information on international data protection and other laws, terrorist searches and much more. Also included is very practical information on time zones, locating cities, holidays in different countries, etc.

International Training Resources

We have just added a new section, International Training Resources, to the International Resource Center. We will update this section as we identify new training and educational opportunities. ,Bookmark this valuable resource so you can use it over and over. To view the International Section go to www.PreemploymentDirectory.com and look under the gray line, like the one below, in the middle of the page:

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Labor fraud-probe report finds multilevel breakdowns

Officials at Broward County's labor agency didn't follow the rules they had put in place to prevent fraud, allowing one clerk to steal more than $2 million from the local employment agency, state investigators found in a recent inquiry into Broward Workforce One. Former accounts payable clerk Brenda Felder faces trial in three weeks on charges that she wrote hundreds of checks to herself from the agency over a period of four years. The theft, which investigators believe began in 2002, was uncovered last fall by a teller at Felder's bank. Workforce One, the agency tasked with helping Broward County residents find jobs, is funded by government dollars, especially from the state Agency for Workforce Innovation and the U.S. Department of Labor. Both government agencies have investigated the theft and how it occured. State investigators from the Agency for Workforce Innovation found breakdowns in financial controls in multiple levels of the organization, according to a report recently released to The Miami Herald following a public records request.

For more information go to: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-167132989.html

Call Barry Nixon at (949) 770-5264 today to find how Infinity Screening Solutions (Reoccuring Post Hire Screening of Employees) consulting can contribute to increased sales, revenue and increased customer satisfaction for your background screening firm.

United States: California Courts Warn Employers: Train Your Managers!

A series of recent California state and federal decisions emphasize the urgent need for proper management training and the importance of preventive employment practices. These decisions highlight the top five employment liability issues for California employers: disability leaves; sexual harassment; workplace violence; arbitration and employment agreements; and unfair competition.

How should you respond when an employee reports an threat of potential workplace violence? The Court of Appeal in Franklin v. The Monadnock Company (5/24/07) held an employer has a legal responsibility to provide a safe place of employment for its employees and must respond to allegations of workplace violence. Franklin alleged a coworker had threatened to kill him and three other employees. The company did not take action. A week later, the co-worker attempted to stab Franklin with a screwdriver and another metal object. He complained again to the company and reported the incident to the police department. Shortly thereafter Franklin was terminated from his employment. He sued the company for wrongful termination in violation of public policy. The Court of Appeal found Franklin could maintain his wrongful termination claim as there was a public policy in providing a safe workplace. California Labor Code § 6400 and Code of Civil Procedure § 527.8 create an obligation for the employer to provide a safe and secure workplace. Specifically, the court emphasized the employer’s obligation to respond where the employee has a reasonable belief of a threat of violence or fear for his or her safety, which creates a "credible threat of violence."

For more information go to: http://www.mondaq.com/article.asp?articleid=50166&email_access=on

Are You Tired of Hiring Other Peoples Rejects? - 12 Mistakes Recruiters Make and How To Avoid Them

When John applied for a job at Oakland Company, his resume looked fabulous, showing tremendous talent and advancement. His qualifications were beyond question and he built immediate rapport with everyone in the interview process. Every one of his references checked out. Six months later, you were wondering why you hired this clown. Today's hiring professionals seem to prefer recruiting candidates from the ranks of the employed. It is a logical approach assuming others have recognized their talent and retained them while untalented people were sent to the unemployment line by their frustrated past employer. The reality being overlooked in this scenario is that most employers fail to deal effectively with underperformers. The secret in effective recruiting today is to understand the twelve mistakes commonly made by hiring professionals and recruitment teams.

For more information go to: at http://www.getmaximpact.com

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"Lawyer's Guide to Fact Finding on the Internet"- 3rd Edition by Carole A. Levitt and Mark E. Rosch

More information regarding "The Lawyer's Guide to Fact Finding on the Internet" can be found online at the Internet Fact Finder Web site. http://www.searchsystems.net/ OR http://www.searchsystems.net/list.php?nid=494

Background Screening of Healthcare Personnel: Understanding the Interplay of Laws

This is a must read article for Human Resource departments that handle background screening internally or for firms that handle this as a service provider. The article artfully walks the reader through the myriad of laws that healthcare facilities must adhere too. From JCAHO Standard 1.20 which mandates that hospitals have a process to ensure a person’s qualifications are consistent with their responsibilities to HIPAA guidelines which provide that when a healthcare facility performs its own drug screening utilizing its medical personnel and collection or lab facilities, the results may be considered protected health information, to American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) guidelines for screening medical student screening and appropriate state laws.

For more information go to: HR Pulse, Summer 2007, The Official Publication of the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration

United States

National Association for Professional Background Screeners Mid-Year Conference (NAPBS) 2007 Mid-Year Meeting, September 9 through 11, 2007, Chicago, Ill, see www.NAPBS.com

2007 HR-XML Global Partnering & Integration Summit, September 26-28, 2007, Las Vegas, NV, USA
http://www.partneringsummit.com

2007 Annual Pre-Employment Screeners Conference, November 11 - 14, 2007, Clearwater, Florida
http://www.search4crime.com/Conference/index.htm

INTERNATIONAL

Business Forums International’s 9th Annual Workplace Drug & Alcohol Policy Summit, London, Friday 28 September 2007Now in its ninth year, this vital summit is still the UK's ONLY event for corporate and public sector drug and alcohol policy makers - get up-to-the-minute policy and practice, http://www.bfi.co.uk/index.php

UK Personal Data Integrity Summit 2007, London, Thursday 4 October 2007
Protecting personal data within your organisation - A vital event for both private and public sector organisations. http://www.bfi.co.uk/index.php

Business Forums International’s 11th Annual Pre-Employment Vetting & Screening Conference, October 17, 2007, London, England, http://www.bfi.co.uk/event.php?idEv=28

European Pre-employment Vetting & Screening Summit 2007,Amsterdam, Netherlands, Friday 30 November 2007, Amsterdam, Netherlands, http://www.bfi.co.uk/event.php?idEv=30

Background Investigator’s India Pre-employment Screening Conference, December 6-7, 2007, Bangalore, India, http://www.search4crime.com/Indiaconference

World Federation of Personnel Management Associations (WFPMA), World Congress, For Details on International events by date go to http://www.wfpma.com/dates.html

2007 Events (Click Here to View full list of 2007 Events) – The List is Updated Monthly)