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Drug Screening

Want to Hire and Maintain a Healthy, Drug-Free Workplace?

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FYI Screening is pleased to announce a new integration with eScreen to provide drug-screening services to employers nationwide. eScreen’s online management system is power-packed with every tool you need to hire and maintain a healthy, drug-free workplace.

We make drug screening easy.

Originally designed as the industry’s only paperless drug-testing solution for workplace screening, eScreen today offers a full-service product line. You’ll receive instrumented rapid urine drug screens, electronic medical services, compliance administration and other support. No matter what program you need—DOT regulated, nonregulated, drugs of abuse screening, medical services, random testing, physical exams and more—FYI Screening and eScreen have you covered.

Want to learn more?

For a demo on how the eScreen system can better manage your hiring program click here.

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8 Tips On How Employers Can Minimize Risk Of Workplace Violence

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I just read an excellent article from the The Houston Chronicle entitled “Employers can minimize risk of workplace violence.”

The author stresses these important points:

“While violence cannot always be anticipated, this does not relieve employers of their obligation to provide a safe workplace. First, federal law requires it. With the Department of Labor adding investigators and stepping up workplace safety enforcement, compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations should be a management priority. Second, workers compensation insurance provides Texas employers only limited protection against liability from the inevitable lawsuits following a workplace tragedy.”

Here are the the 8 Tips On How Employers Can Minimize Risk Of Workplace Violence from the article:

  1. Accept reality: The recent shootings reinforce the fact that the risk of workplace violence is omnipresent. Employers must be proactive to prevent or minimize exposure to such incidents.
  2. Use effective pre-employment documents and conduct background checks: An effective application coupled with valid legal releases and disclaimers provide key information on the applicant. Employers should conduct background investigations to discover prior convictions, litigation history, motor vehicle records, employment references, credit history, education records and other relevant background information concerning the applicant.
  3. Establish policies on workplace violence: Employers should establish a written zero-tolerance position on violence, threats or abusive language and make clear that any violation of these rules can be grounds for termination. A workplace violence policy should also include a procedure to confidentially report threats.
  4. Conduct substance-abuse testing: Private employers should test all applicants and employees for substance abuse to the extent allowed by law. Negative test results should be a condition of employment.
  5. Develop procedures for investigating threats: These procedures should include specific guidelines for conducting an investigation and interviewing witnesses and the individual who allegedly made the threat. To the extent necessary, employers should retain security consultants, psychologists, attorneys or other professionals for advice on how to handle threats quickly, effectively and legally.
  6. Train supervisors and employees: Supervisors should be instructed to identify violence risks and report all threats to management immediately. Supervisors should be trained in conflict resolution, stress management, managing change in the workplace and recognizing the early warning signs of violent employees. They should also be trained to be sensitive to the fact that seemingly small issues can suddenly escalate into workplace problems. Employees should be trained regarding their responsibility to report threats or violence.
  7. Implement an employee assistance program: EAPs can help employees who are having a difficult time handling stress in their lives.
  8. Audit and improve security measures: Employers should establish a relationship with local law enforcement officials and a security consultant. Employers should also conduct an audit to determine areas of vulnerability and/or procedural weaknesses. Basic systems for protecting property, such as lighting, pass keys or cards, intercoms, employee identification, surveillance or alarm equipment and other systems or devices should be considered.

Related Posts From FYI Screening:

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Best Employee Screening Articles For August & September 2009

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human_resourcesIn case you missed any of our employee screening articles for August and September, here’s a quick recap of our most popular:

Smart, Compliant Hiring Decisions Made Easy

FYI Screening, Inc. is a leading provider of on-demand, easy to use employee screening solutions.

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More Background Checks

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It’s not everyday that I see a headline like this  in our local newspaper, The Columbus Dispatch.

Last night the Franklin County Board of Developmental Disabilities voted to require background checks every three years on all their employees.  Previously, background checks were conducted upon hiring and the county relied on the honor system for employees to report any offense after that.

This is a good reminder that your organization should have a Post-Hire Screening Program in place.

A Post-Hire Screening Program (also called recurring screening) is considered a best practice for employers. It ensures a safe workplace and helps reduce the risk of a negligent retention lawsuit. Conducting checks on all new hires is essential. Keep in mind, that a lot can happen in the years after a new hire comes aboard. Companies should consider protecting themselves with periodic post-hire criminal checks and drug screening.

Related Posts From FYI Screening:

Employee Screening Through Social Networks

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As recently as 10 years ago, screening your job candidates meant picking up the phone and calling their past employers and references. Sometimes, making these phone calls yielded valuable information. Other times, candidates’ relationships with the people you called would influence their opinions.

Over the past few years, social networking websites such as MySpace, LinkedIn and Facebook have provided employers with an opportunity to look at potential employees in a different light.

The beauty of social networks is they invite people to share their lives, thoughts and opinions…all in public. I’ve noticed social networks are blurring the line between “business” and “pleasure”. This can get tricky for employers. Federal and state laws prohibit employment discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex or disability. Employers need to be careful when using information from a social network in making a hiring decision. There are no lawsuits yet but I think it is just a matter of time until an employer is sued for using a social network to screen candidates.

Here are some suggestions for employers:

1. Consult with your attorney and develop written policies and non-discriminatory procedures for using social networks to screen candidates.

2. Obtain written consent from applicants so they are aware you will be looking at their online profiles and personal information.

3. If a website is searched by a background screening firm on behalf of an employer, then consent and disclosure are required under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

4. Employers should never use fake identities or engage in “pretexting” to gain access to information on social networks.

5. The safest approach is to perform a social network search after there is consent and a job offer is made contingent upon completion of a satisfactory background check.