|  | The Baker's Dozen: Workplace Screening 
                - The top 
                13 providers of full-service workplace screening.
 This 
                year’s annual listing of the top 13 full-service screening 
                providers has undergone notable changes. With more providers witnessing 
                an upswing in screening activity, which has translated into growth, 
                competition is stiff. Some names from last year are missing, some 
                new names are on the list, but the core players are still present. 
                The 13 companies acknowledged as full-service, end-to-end workplace 
                screening providers offer an array of services—criminal 
                background checks, credit checks, reference checks, motor vehicle 
                reports, identity verification, employment verification, work 
                eligibility, physical security, drug testing, physical examinations, 
                data and network security, security monitoring, and security training 
                and staffing.  
                This special section also includes user feedback from HR leaders 
                who have seen success with screening programs and an in-depth 
                look at how screening works, from choosing a provider to industry 
                trends. To 
                Read the full article go to: http://www.hrotoday.com/Magazine.asp?artID=1512  
 St. Paul Gives Previously Incarcerated Persons A Break On City 
                Hiring
 St. 
                Paul would welcome a few good felons. The city decided this week 
                to stop requiring job hopefuls to state on their applications 
                whether they've ever been convicted of a crime. The immediate 
                goal is to make sure the city doesn't discriminate against applicants 
                with criminal records, which is prohibited under state law. Backers 
                said the broader intent is to give people with minor rap sheets 
                a chance to turn their lives around. "After 9/11, with the 
                increasing number of background checks employers are doing, this 
                has become a problem for people that have made a mistake in their 
                lives," said Guy Gambill, advocacy coordinator for the Minneapolis-based 
                Council on Crime and Justice. For 
                More Information, Please Visit: http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/16181165.htm  
 
  
 
 
 Accused 
                Murderer’s Love Search Gets Him Busted A 
                fugitive wanted for a double homicide in Arkansas was arrested 
                on the weekend in Wisconsin after he posted his name, picture 
                and address on an online dating Web site, police said on Monday.Calvin 
                A. Bennett, 26, has been charged with two counts of murder in 
                the killings of Pierce Odell, 79, and his wife, Mary, 78, who 
                were found shot to death on October 30 outside their home in Nashville, 
                Arkansas, about 125 miles southwest of the state capital Little 
                Rock. "He was taken into custody shortly before noon on Sunday, 
                less than 12 hours after his picture was broadcast on (the television 
                show) 'America's Most Wanted,'" said Bill Sadler, a spokesman 
                for the Arkansas State Police. For 
                More Information, Please Visit: http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid 
 Background 
                Information Services, Inc. (BIS) 
                was recently named a Weatherhead 100 Award Winner for the second 
                consecutive year as one of the 100 fastest growing companies in 
                Northeast Ohio. At the Weatherhead 100 Awards Dinner on December 
                5, 2006, Cleveland Indians radio voice Tom Hamilton announced 
                the rankings of the 100 companies receiving this prestigious award. 
                BIS was proud to be honored as the 4th fastest growing company 
                in Northeast Ohio. For additional 
                information, visit www.employeescreen.com 
                 
 ClearStar.net, 
                a leading information provider for the employment screening industry 
                has earned certified status in Microsoft Corporation’s Partner 
                Program. As a Certified Partner, ClearStar.net has demonstrated 
                expertise with Microsoft technologies and proven ability to meet 
                customer needs. Microsoft Certified Partners receive a rich set 
                of benefits – including access, training and support – 
                that give them a competitive advantage in the marketplace. “Only 
                companies that have demonstrated high levels of customer service, 
                proved their experience and attained advanced certification receive 
                the designation of Microsoft Certified Partner,” said Allison 
                Watson, vice president of the Worldwide Partner Sales and Marketing 
                Group at Microsoft. “Today, Microsoft recognizes ClearStar.net 
                for its skills and expertise in providing customer satisfaction 
                with Microsoft products and technology.” ClearStar.net is 
                a trusted provider of strategic services and decision making information 
                for background, employment and tenant screening firms. ClearStar.net 
                employs the completely platform and programming language independent 
                Microsoft .NET technology to provide screening companies with 
                an entirely web-based solution that is flexible, secure and fast 
                to deploy. ClearStar.net’s certification includes recognition 
                of their competency in Database Management Solutions. For more information, 
                please visit: www.ClearStar.net 
                 
 ChoicePoint® 
                Named Among World's Top Technology Providers to Financial Services 
                Industry for Third Year For the third 
                consecutive year, ChoicePoint® today was named among the world's 
                top technology providers to the Financial Services industry as 
                part of the 2006 FinTech 100 list. The company placed 29th on 
                the annual listing of technology companies that derive more than 
                one-third of their revenue from the financial services industry. 
                The 2006 list marks the third time that American Banker and Financial 
                Insights have partnered to honor the world's top technology providers 
                to the financial services industry worldwide. The rankings include 
                the FinTech 100 and the top ten vendors to the banking, insurance 
                and capital markets segments. Analysis was conducted on more than 
                450 companies for the recognition. For more information, 
                please visit: http://www.choicepoint.com/choicepoint/news.nsf/1e81a178107b63b18525687f005493a7/e0583e1c39ddf1d685257221007c950c?OpenDocument
 
 ChoicePoint® 
                Honored With Inaugural Sue Weaver CAUSE Award ChoicePoint® 
                was honored with the inaugural Sue Weaver "Opening Doors 
                for CAUSE in 2006" Award, designed to recognize companies 
                for exemplary efforts to help make the world a safer, more secure 
                place. The Sue Weaver CAUSE was founded in 2004 with the mission 
                of promoting "consumer awareness of unsafe service employment" 
                (or, "CAUSE") by requiring background checks on all 
                workers sent to peoples' homes. The organization was founded after 
                Sue Weaver was attacked and killed by a department store service 
                contractor who had previously worked in her home in Orlando, Fla. 
                Her attacker was later found to be a twice-convicted sex offender 
                on parole. ChoicePoint®, based in Alpharetta, Georgia, is 
                a leading provider of background screening services to companies 
                and non-profit organizations across the United States. ChoicePoint® 
                is a leader in social contribution and, through its ChoicePoint® 
                Cares giving programs, donates millions of dollars in free and 
                discounted technology to make the world a safer place through 
                the positive power of information. From ensuring volunteers who 
                work with children are not convicted criminals to helping locate 
                missing and exploited children, ChoicePoint® seeks out opportunities 
                to make a difference with their unique technical capabilities. 
                 For more information, 
                please visit: http://www.sueweavercause.org 
                or http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/061211/clm079.html?.v=34
 
  
 
 
 
 Student-exchange programs scrutinized Sally Smith is on a mission. She monitors foreign-exchange-student 
                activities throughout the United States to make sure teenagers 
                in the programs are safe from predators, pedophiles and other 
                criminals. Smith works with the Committee for Safety of Foreign 
                Exchange Students - and although she lives in San Diego, she wants 
                to be sure the Leon County School Board emphasizes safety and 
                security measures in its new policy for such programs. School 
                Board chairwoman Maggie Lewis-Butler said safety and security 
                of children in the program, American and foreign, will definitely 
                be the foremost priority. "I will recommend we use the same 
                screening policy we already have in place for our employees, mentors, 
                contractors, volunteers and other visitors to our schools," 
                Lewis said. "That policy includes background checks and fingerprinting, 
                and I will strongly recommend it continues. The safety and security 
                of these children are our first concern."  For More Information, Please Visit:http://www.tallahassee.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061208/NEWS01/612080344/1010
 
 University 
                of Akron to do background checks on dorm applicants AKRON -- University of Akron President Dr. Luis 
                Proenza announced that beginning next semester, those entering 
                the dorms and those who accept roommates will go through a tougher 
                screening process. For More Information, Please Visit: http://www.wkyc.com/news/regional/akron_article.aspx?storyid=60621  
 
  Printed with permission from © 2006, MASSPIRG 
                Education Fund
 
 
                 
                  | 2006 
                    Background Buzz MEDIA RATES: |  Click 
                here 
                for more information about advertising in The Background Buzz 
                and PreemploymentDirectory.com (Sections: US Provider, International, 
                Vendor Showcase.) 
                 
                  | RESEARCH 
                    : FRAUD AND RETAIL THEFT |  Retail 
                Crime Losses Reached A Record High Of $37.4 Billion Nationally 
                According To The National Retail Federation 
 For 
                More Information, Please Visit: http://web.crim.ufl.edu/research/srp/NRSS_2001.pdf 
 
                 
                  |  | One 
                    of the true test of any association or organization is the 
                    added value it gives to its members. In today’s fast 
                    pace environment busy professionals have to make choices about 
                    how to spend their time and which organizations they want 
                    to be associated with. The following is one person’s 
                    experience that clearly demonstrates the value that NAPBS 
                    has contributed to him. |  NAPBS has 
                been a wonderful opportunity for networking with fellow providers 
                and prospects. Microbilt has gained several new clients specifially 
                from meetings at NAPBS conferences.
 Kim Ross, Vice President of Sales, www.Microbilt.com 
                866-453-7945
 
 
                
                  |  |  
   
                 
                  | 
 
                       
                        |  JOB 
                            BOARD DEDICATED TO THE BACKGROUND SCREENING INDUSTRY 
                             |    Find 
                      resumes of people with industry experience and industry 
                      employers seeking industry experience. BackgroundScreeningJobs.com 
                      - your one stop source to quickly and easily find people 
                      in the background screening industry. Go to backgroundscreeningjobs.com 
                      today!  
 Liberty Alliance Announces Libertyhire 
                      A Breakthrough Recruiting Tool  LibertyHire is an exciting new product to 
                      modernize and simplify client’s hiring and recruiting 
                      process. It is safe, secure and easy to use. It consists 
                      of an Online Employment Application and Career Center. The 
                      Online Employment Application gives clients the ability 
                      to receive employment applications online with the flexibility 
                      to update the colors, logo, and specific verbiage. It also 
                      enables recruiters to be able to Host Virtual Job Fair. 
                      In addition, When looking at a specific employment application, 
                      recruiters can take several actions: Send for a screen, 
                      Reject Applicant, Hire Applicant, Create Career Center, 
                      Create a job board, Create multiple employment applications 
                      based on specific needs of a specific job and Track positions 
                      to specific recruiters. For 
                      More Information, Please Call Rick Dyer at 800-630-2880 
                      or Click 
                      Here  
 Refero Launches Online Solution 
                      for Secure & Simple Employee Referencing London - Refero Ltd announces the launch 
                      of its secure Reference Database Management System (sRDMS), 
                      a highly efficient employee referencing solution which uses 
                      the internet to enable employers to store employee references 
                      securely and permanently. References are easily accessible 
                      by future employers, while former employees are confident 
                      that a fully authorised and accurate record of their employment 
                      is available.
 For More Information, Please Visit: http://www.refero.co.uk/product.html 
                      or http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,17732.shtml
  
 
                      
                        | Negligent 
                            Hiring Lawsuit Filed Against Burger King In Chicago 
                             It's 
                            the old story of an employer doing zero or minimal 
                            background screening of a potential employee, and 
                            ending up being sued for millions of $$$! Your prospects 
                            have all heard about the story in today's news, and 
                            might well be open to your message!  If 
                            you're selling to HR recruiters, are you aware of 
                            Onrec.com's traffic?  Since 
                            2000, Onrec.com/Online Recruitment Magazine has grown 
                            to become the largest recruiter information portal 
                            on the Web. We can offer your business a huge 
                            audience for your message!  So 
                            how do we compare? This year, we overtook Erexchange 
                            in Alexa's rankings, and are now ranked #1 of any 
                            online recruitment publication. Please take a look 
                            at the latest competitive overview, which can be downloaded 
                            at http://www.onrec.com/content2/traffic_stats.pdf. 
                             Our 
                            most popular advertising options are our 100% opt-in 
                            newsletter sponsorships, web site banner ads, ads 
                            in the North American edition of Online Recruitment 
                            Magazine, and our Enhanced Vendor Profiles, where 
                            you can showcase your company for only $2.73/day! 
                             Interested? 
                            Questions? Please call Tim Hartrich at 630-985-3006 
                            or visit http://www.onrec.com/ 
                             
 All 
                            Preemployment Directory.com members will get a 10% 
                            Discount on Enhanced Vendor Profiles. Call Tim Hartrich 
                            at 630-985-3006 and mention code: PD.COMWBN |  
 Accused 
                      Killer's Employer Faces Duty Of Care Query In $10 Million 
                      Lawsuit A $10 million wrongful-death suit brought 
                      against the trash company that employed the man accused 
                      of murdering fashion writer Christa Worthington is raising 
                      significant questions over an employer's use of background 
                      checks on potential employees. Specifically, lawyers said 
                      the civil case being brought by the Worthington estate could 
                      expand the duty of care business owners — especially 
                      those in businesses where client contact is minimal like 
                      a trash collection company — owe to customers when 
                      owners become aware of a potential employee's past criminal 
                      record. "It's a huge issue," said Bruce A. Bierhans 
                      of Stoughton, who represents the trash company. "I 
                      remember when the lawsuit first came out, I got a lot of 
                      calls from trucking companies and trash companies, concerned 
                      about whether they had to go out and do background checks 
                      on all the guys driving their trucks now."  For More Information, Please Visit: http://www.masslaw.com/news1107.cfm 
                         
 
                       
                        | PREEMPLOYMENTDIRECTORY.COM |  Become 
                      a Platinum Member and Join the High Achievers PLATINUM 
                      MEMBERSHIP HAS IT’S PRIVELIGES CLICK 
                      HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW TO CREATE ADDITONAL SALES OPPORTUNITIES 
                      FOR YOUR FIRM AND TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE PLATINUM CLUB 
                       
 Hiring 
                      Foreign Nationals in Canada – An Immigration Overview 
                       The ability to move personnel across borders 
                      and to recruit skilled workers from abroad is of increasing 
                      importance to many business operations. It is essential 
                      that companies and their personnel recognize and comply 
                      with applicable immigration laws. There is a growing need 
                      in Canada for skilled workers. To fill skills shortages, 
                      companies may have to consider hiring foreign nationals. 
                      If you hire or use the services of a foreign national in 
                      Canada, you must consider immigration issues, and you must 
                      be prepared for the challenges of dealing with immigration 
                      authorities. The key is to deal with immigration issues 
                      on a proactive basis. This article provides an overview 
                      of the immigration rules relating to hiring foreign nationals 
                      to work in Canada. For More Information, Please Visit: http://www.gowlings.com/resources/enewsletters/ImmigrationUpdate/Htmfiles/V1N02_20060731.en.html#b 
 International 
                      Recruiting: Applicant Screening In Developing Markets Screening techniques honed in developing 
                      markets provide valuable lessons for talent management everywhere. 
                      Originally, the push for screening in the developing markets 
                      was driven by the multinationals, but now local employers 
                      are increasingly recognizing the need for background screening. 
                      "The biggest weakness among companies that are recruiting 
                      in the developing countries is their lack of knowledge about 
                      the local market and their willingness to rely entirely 
                      on cheap background checks," says Bob Sikellis, managing 
                      director and associate general counsel at Vance. "In 
                      the U.S., the quality of standard pre-employment screening 
                      is good enough for entry-level positions. But outside the 
                      U.S., the quality is abysmal. The databases are simply not 
                      available." Instead, companies must develop the capacity 
                      for deeper pre-employment investigations, often working 
                      with local partners. Even then, the company must know which 
                      local security companies do quality work. For 
                      More Information, Please Visit: http://www.iaccm.com/full.php?id=466 
 Police Nab Convict Working As Security 
                      Guard Israel - Alert police officers in the Mahaneh 
                      Yehuda market Wednesday stopped a suspicious-looking man 
                      carrying an Uzi only to discover that he was a perfect example 
                      of a threat to public security. The suspicious 32-year-old 
                      man turned out to be a security guard who was employed by 
                      a civilian contractor to secure the building of the Jerusalem 
                      security barrier. The man did not have a license for the 
                      automatic weapon he was carrying, and police were horrified 
                      to discover that the man was a convicted criminal who is 
                      currently being treated at an outpatient clinic for drug 
                      addicts. Following questioning, the man was released on 
                      restricted terms. After questioning the directors of the 
                      security company, police discovered that the suspect was 
                      hired without even so much as a nod at basic screening procedures. 
                      According to police, the man arrived at the company, completed 
                      a short interview, filled out forms and was given the weapon 
                      and told to report to work.  For 
                      More Information, Please Visit: http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1162372FJPArticle%2FShowFull 
 Financial 
                      Services and Markets Act 2000 Creates Requirement For Employment 
                      Screening Practices To Identify “Fit & Proper” 
                      Individuals United Kingdom 
                      - Employees need to be screened to meet companies’ 
                      standards of internal control and to meet the requirements 
                      of the FSA. Failure to have regard to the requirements of 
                      the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) can lead 
                      the authorised firm to be in breach of its own obligations 
                      to the FSA, and also exposes the firm to risk of employing 
                      individuals which can pose severe risk to the organisation. 
                      The obligations of the regulated employer begins at the 
                      time of recruitment. Under the FSMA, if a regulated employer 
                      is asked for a reference for a former employee and is notified 
                      that the prospective employer wishes to appoint the individual 
                      as an approved person, the former employer must provide 
                      all relevant information of which it is aware, as soon as 
                      practically possible. Also, to employ an individual who 
                      will be performing a controlled function or who will be 
                      occupying a position of significant influence, approved 
                      person status must be obtained from the FSA. The individual 
                      cannot carry out a controlled function until they have been 
                      deemed “fit and proper” for the role. 
 For More Information or to Read the Full Article, Please 
                      Visit: http://www.powerchex.co.uk/documents/compliance%20monitor%20fit%20and%20proper.pdf
 
                       
                        |  “GOT 
                            INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION?” |  
 We have added the CIA World Fact Book to 
                      the World Information Center in the International 
                      Resource Center. Our intent is to continuous add relevant 
                      information to create a valuable resource that will be used 
                      over and over by anyone looking for information on doing 
                      international background verifications, vetting or verifications. 
                      It includes information on EU countries data protection 
                      and other laws, Canada, terrorist searches and much more. 
                      Also included is very practical information on time zones, 
                      locating cities, etc. Check it out and I am sure you will 
                      want to Bookmark it so you can use it over and over. To 
                      view the International Section go to www.PreemploymentDirectory.com 
                      and look under the line in the middle of the page:  
                        
 Workplace 
                      Violence Prevalent Among Large Employers  The Bureau of Labor Statistics 
                      reports that half of employers with a workforce of 1,000 
                      or more experienced incidents of workplace violence within 
                      the 12 months prior to the survey's recent completion. The 
                      survey examined the prevalence of security features, risks 
                      facing employees, employer policies and training, and topics 
                      related to maintaining a safe work environment. Large employers 
                      report the most prevalent type of incident (34 percent) 
                      occurs between co-workers; incidents involving a customer 
                      or client (28 percent); and domestic violence (24 percent). 
                      "Other" incidents comprise the remaining cases 
                      cited. More than 70 percent of U.S. workplaces have no formal 
                      program or policy addressing workplace violence, according 
                      to the survey. However, among those that do, about 82 percent 
                      are private companies. For 
                      More Information, Please Visit: http://www.hreonline.com/HRE/story.jsp?storyId=8431432&sub=false 
                       To Create a Comprehensive 
                      Workplace Violence Policy (in about an hour) Go 
                      To: http://www.workplaceviolence911.com/servlets/wpvDoc?action=display&key=1813 
                      to learn about the Ultimate Workplace Violence Prevention 
                      Policy Maker Software.  
 
                       
                        |   
                            “SPECIAL FREE INTRODUCTORY OFFER:” |  Get 
                      a free Comprehensive Guide for Selecting a Background Screening 
                      Firm – Everything you need to know to select a firm 
                      that will help you to avoid bad hires. Learn about industry 
                      best practices and standards. 
 
 Learn 
                      how we can create a custom private label version of the 
                      Comprehensive Guide for Selecting a Background Screening 
                      Firm for your marketing efforts   |  
                 
                  | UPCOMING CONFERENCES & EVENTS: |  Society 
                for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Annual Conference, 
                Las Vegas, NV, June 24-27, 2007, http://www.shrm.org/conferences/annual/ 
                 For Details 
                on State Conferences, go to http://www.shrm.org/conferences/state/CMS_004287.asp 
 CUPA-HR 
                National Conference & Expo 2007, 
                November 8-10, 2007, http://www.cupahr.org/ 
                http://www.cupahr.org/conferences/conference/exhibitsponsor.html 
                For Details on Regional Conferences go to http://www.cupahr.org/newsroom/news_template.asp?id=1982  
 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)
  
 |  |