For additional information contact
:Sara West-Callahan
Carter-West Public Relations
Phone: 949-369-6980
Email: swest@earthlink.net
NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR THE PREVENTION OF WORKPLACE VIOLENCE
LAUNCHES WEB-BASED PREEMPLOYMENT SCREENING DIRECTORY
LAKE FOREST, CA, NOVEMBER 24, 2003 — Each year, almost one million American workers become victims of violent crime; an annual cost to US companies of over 35 billion dollars. Employers face a critical need to know who they are hiring or who is on their payroll. In response to this need, the National Institute for the Prevention of Workplace Violence (the Institute) has launched a new Web-based Preemployment Screening Directory; a one stop source for all preemployment and background screening needs.
With the tragic events of September 11th and the continued fight against terrorism, employers should be particularly vigilant. Just recently the FBI warned critical industries, including energy, telecommunications and banking and finance to check out their employees in case they might have terrorist sleeper-cell operatives. Organizations also face an increasing need to defend themselves against costly negligent hiring lawsuits; those which go to trial cost employers an average of over $2 million a year, according to attorney Rebecca Spears, a specialist in workplace violence cases.
"Our vision is to make the Preemployment Screening Directory the largest and most comprehensive listing of companies in this business and the premier source of research, articles and legal issues directly focused on preemployment and background checking. This ambitious effort fits well into our overall strategy to become a full service provider that can meet all workplace violence needs," commented W. Barry Nixon, President of the Institute.
The Institute is one of the top workplace violence prevention consulting and training firms in the country and owner of the award winning website – www.Workplaceviolence911.com.
The site is a leading source of online workplace violence information and ranks in the top 10% of all Web sites according to Alexa.com, a Web-based research firm that monitors web rankings and traffic.
According to Nixon, the Preemployment Directory is enjoying strong interest with 156 organizations already listed. To gain a listing in the Directory, a company must be primarily in the business of conducting preemployment screening or background checks and must provide this service to multiple clients. (Most of the listings fall into this category) A company can also be listed if it offers these services as part of a suite of secondary services.
The directory can be accessed by visiting www.workplaceviolence911.com and clicking on "Preemployment Directory". Top features of the Directory include:
* User friendly: Companies can be located geographically or alphabetically
* Ease of Use: Focused on saving employers valuable time by providing access to information by most frequently used categories; Legal Watch, Federal Credit Reporting Act, etc. User has direct access to their category of interest without searching through multiple levels to find a specific listing
* One stop source for preemployment and background check companies; no need to search multiple websites or directories
* Directory is featured on a site that is the #1 source of comprehensive information on workplace violence on the Internet; www.workplaceviolence.com ranks in top 10% of all Web Sites according to research conducted by Alexa.com which measures traffic and ranks URLs
* Award winning Website; winner of prestigious "Golden Web Award"
* Unlimited access to Reference Library database; a comprehensive source of preemployment and background checking information which is updated weekly
* "Ask the Expert" feature that provides free expert counsel on how to effectively select a preemployment screening company that is the best fit
"While other directories exist, many focus on much broader categories such as ‘Investigative Services’ or ‘Staffing and Recruitment’. The reader is forced to look through reams of listings that are not directly focused on preemployment and background checking, wasting valuable time. These directories may only have a ‘handful’ of companies that are actually involved in this area," Nixon commented.
"www.workplaceviolence.com focuses on preemployment and background checking exclusively, while also encompassing the vital issues that may impact companies such as security, risk management, legal issues, safety, etc. The site provides the big picture regarding preemployment and background checking because it is it is an integral part of a complete workplace violence prevention program, not just a peripheral interest," Nixon added.
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ABOUT THE INSTITUTE:
As a leader in the area of occupational violence prevention, the Institute serves as a center for research, consulting, training, and communication. Its mission is to educate employers, unions and employees about the growing threat of violence in the workplace and how to effectively deal with it. The Institute focuses on preventative efforts and prepares clients to respond appropriately should an incident of violence occur.
For more contact Barry Nixon at 949-597-0977 or visit www.workplaceviolence.com.