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Background Check

Employee Screening Articles For April 2009

May 4, 2009 By Chris Miller

In case you missed any of our employee screening articles for April, here’s a quick recap of our most popular:

  • E-Verify Supported By Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano
  • 5 Improvements Coming To E-Verify
  • Job Applicants Are More Likely To Lie As The Recession Grows
  • E-Verify for Federal Contractors Delayed Again
  • A Growing Trend – Data Security and Protection
  • When Not To Do A Background Check
  • Enforcement Of The New “Red Flags Rule” Delayed Again

Smart, Compliant Hiring Decisions Made Easy

FYI Screening, Inc. offers a complete portfolio of employee screening services that will help you work smarter while providing the industry’s fastest turnaround and the highest quality results.

This will allow your company to focus on what really matters:

Hiring and Retaining The Best Employees Possible

Subscribe to our blog to stay current on all employee screening issues.

Filed Under: 2008 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2010 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2011 Best Employee Screening Posts, Best Practices For Employee Screening, E-Verify, Employee Screening, Employee Screening Tips, employment background checks, Identity Theft, Job Search, Legal Compliance, Resume Fraud, Sex Offenders, Social Networks Tagged With: Background Check, Best Practices For Employee Screening, Credit Report, Credit Reports, E-Verify, Employee Background Checks, Employee Screening, FACTA, FCRA, Identity Theft, Legal Compliance, Pre-Employment Screening, Red Flags, Resume Fraud

When Not To Do A Background Check

April 24, 2009 By Chris Miller

Some Friday humor…

Mark Anderson’s cartoons appear in publications including The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review.

Click here to see when not to do a background check.

Filed Under: 2010 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2011 Best Employee Screening Posts, Background Checks, Best Practices For Employee Screening, Sex Offenders Tagged With: Background Check, Employee Background Checks, Employee Screening

5 Improvements Coming To E-Verify

April 1, 2009 By Chris Miller

The Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman (CIS Ombudsman) made five recommendations to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to improve E-Verify.

USCIS Response To The Recommendations

Recommendation 1: Simplify the language used in all E-Verify instructions and supporting documentation.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) concurs with this recommendation and is working to simplify the E-Verify programmatic language. In Spring 2008, the USCIS Verification Division began a “Plain Language Initiative” to identify E-Verify terminology that is unnecessarily complex or difficult to understand. The Division is working to improve all E-Verify materials including the employer Memoranda of Understanding, user manuals, and tutorial by substituting plain language for all confusing or difficult legal terminology, to the extent that can be done while retaining legal clarity, accuracy, and completeness. In September and November 2008, E-Verify staff conducted a series of focus groups and interviews with key stakeholders, such as the Office of Special Counsel, various DHS offices, the American Immigration Lawyers Association and participating employers like Tyson Foods, during which actual E-Verify users and employee advocacy groups evaluated proposed new vocabulary. For example, we are reviewing new terms to replace those such as: “Designated Agent,” “tentative non-confirmation” and “final non-confirmation.” The USCIS Verification Division is planning the schedule for implementation of the new terms beginning in FY10. The USCIS Verification Division is currently working to prioritize these enhancements into the program’s release schedule. Additionally, in September 2008, the E-Verify Program revised the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Tentative Non-Confirmation Notices and Referral Letters, and the corresponding Social Security Administration notices were revised in December 2008. The revised versions include simplified instructions for employees and employers on how to complete the TNC Notice and how to contest a referral. The notice revision process used plain language principles.

Recommendation 2: Make all registration and operational documents publicly available on-line for review by prospective E-Verify end-users and employees.

USCIS concurs with this recommendation and already has posted the following key operational documents in FY08:

• The E-Verify Memorandum of Understanding (MOU):

• The E-Verify User Manual:

The Memorandum of Understanding details the responsibilities between the SSA, DHS, and employer. The E-Verify User Manual details the specific functions and features of the system, and explains their proper use. Additional materials related to E-Verify (e.g., the M-274 Handbook for Employers for the Form I-9) are currently available at www.uscis.gov and the E-Verify website. The E-Verify tutorial is an online interactive program that requires the user to actively engage in and become proficient with the program. The Verification Division will explore possibilities for providing tutorial-like documentation for public review online. Finally, the division will add other E-Verify documents, such as registration documents, to the website for more easy review by members of the public.

Recommendation 3: Ensure its education and outreach efforts reach small business communities.

USCIS supports this recommendation. In 2008, the USCIS Verification Division participated in 18 nationwide outreach and educational events focused on reaching small business communities such as local small business associations and minority-owned business conferences. Moreover, E-Verify has reached numerous small businesses as a result of presentations and other forms of outreach provided at the request of many local Chambers of Commerce in Arizona and other states. This outreach has included weekly Webinars, which are informational seminars about E-Verify and the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and additional E-Verify-related events. In 2009 and beyond, the USCIS Verification Division will initiate activities to target education and outreach to small businesses and to partner with government agencies and other organizations such as Business.gov and the Small Business Administration (SBA). The USCIS Verification Division plans to place E-Verify links and information on the Business.gov website. We also plan to work with the SBA’s Office of Small Business Development Centers, which provides management assistance, information, and guidance to current and prospective small business owners via branch locations (approximately 1,100 nationwide). Our goal is to establish an agreement that will allow us to provide literature and education on E-Verify to small business owners and entrepreneurs who rely upon these offices for information and assistance in their communities. Also, the USCIS Verification Division has worked with SBA to identify webpages where it would be appropriate to integrate E-Verify information into the SBA internet site, though the timeline is dependent upon SBA’s current webpage redesign efforts. We also plan to work with SBA to determine how E-Verify information can be integrated into their program activities.

Recommendation 4: Develop and add a tickler/calendar system in E-Verify capable of issuing timely system prompts that advise employers of their next appropriate course of action for each specific and unresolved TNC.

USCIS supports this recommendation to add a system that alerts E-Verify users via email and outside of the E-Verify system of cases that require action. Currently, users must log on to the system to see whether further action is required on a case. We are exploring the development of a capability for employers to receive email notifications, including researching the security feasibility of auto-authenticating users by clicking on an email link to bring them directly to their work page. The notification would be a basic note indicating that work has arrived in the user’s queue and that the user needs to take action. In the interim, and to help employers better manage cases, the USCIS Verification Division is developing a “Case Status Alert” for E-Verify. When the user logs onto E-Verify, an alert will appear at the center of the page should any case remain open. The alert will indicate:

  1. The number of cases that require closure.
  2. The number of tentative non-confirmations that require SSA or DHS referrals.
  3. The number of cases that possess the “DHS Verification in process,” or “SSA Case in Continuance” statuses. Though the planned “Case Status Alert” is not exactly a tickler system, it operates similarly and constitutes a significant improvement in user-driven case management.

Notwithstanding these future improvements, the current E-Verify system currently has a means of case management. When a user logs onto E-Verify, he or she immediately encounters, at the top of the homepage, a link to the Case Administration site. By selecting “View Cases” (listed under Case Administration on the homepage), the user is taken directly to the page on which pending case statuses may be checked. The user may then view case statuses according to: 1) Cases Requiring Action, 2) Cases in Process, 3) Resolved Cases, or 4) all cases at once. Additionally, users can also search for a specific case using identifiers such as social security number, alien number, or employer case ID number.

Recommendation 5: Announce an intention to replace the current Form I-9 process for employers that voluntarily use E-Verify.

Eliminating the Form I-9 for employers who use E-Verify would require a statutory change. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (Pub. L. No. 99-603, 8 U.S.C. §§ 1324a-d), IRCA, mandates the current employment verification process and requires all newly-hired employees to complete a Form I-9. The statutory provisions in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 (IIRIRA) governing E-Verify specifically state that employees shall record information “on the I-9 or similar form,” and comply with Form I-9 requirements regarding retention of the form and review of documents, except as specifically modified by IIRIRA.1 However, the Verification Division is exploring the development of its own electronic I-9 form to help streamline the Form I-9 and E-Verify processes. The Government Paperwork Elimination Act (Pub. L. No. 105-277, 44 U.S.C. § 3501) mandates that federal agencies use electronic forms, when practicable. In fact, ICE permits and encourages the use of an electronic I-9. When implemented (currently scheduled for FY 10), the USCIS electronic I-9 will populate the E-Verify data fields and allow employers to save an electronic version of the I-9 on their desktops and information systems and/or print a paper version of the I-9.

Need Help With E-Verify?

As a designated E-Verify service provider, FYI Screening can help you join the growing ranks of those employers who use the E-Verify system to confirm the legal status of workers in the United States.

For more information please contact us at 1-800-809-2419 or click here.

Filed Under: 2009 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2011 Best Employee Screening Posts, Best Practices For Employee Screening, E-Verify, employment background checks, Legal Compliance Tagged With: Background Check, E-Verify, Employee Background Checks, Employee Screening, Pre-Employment Screening

4 Common Lies Told By Job Candidates

November 7, 2008 By Chris Miller

Recent estimates suggest that over 50% of job applicants lie on their resumes. And when asked, nearly 70% of college graduates claim they would consider lying in order to get a job. For employers, this should be a major concern. At best, hiring an employee who lied on her resume wastes valuable time and resources. At worst, it can lead to workplace violence, theft, and negligent hiring lawsuits.

As applicants become increasingly comfortable with lying to potential employers, screening and background checks have never been more important. Today, I’ll expose 4 of the most common lies told by job candidates.

Lie #1: “Yes, I Earned That Degree”

Applicants lie about the degrees they’ve earned all the time. In some cases, they may have attended the school, but never finished their coursework. In other cases, they may have never attended the school in the first place. It’s a common lie because employers often fail to verify the information.

Lie #2: “I Don’t Have A Criminal Record”

Sometimes, applicants will lie outright about their criminal past. Other times, they’ll change small details such as how their name is spelled, the date they were born, or the cities in which they’ve lived. This can be a major hiring issue and employers need to carefully validate what they’re being told.

Lie #3: “I’ve Been Steadily Employed”

A lot of applicants realize that a gap in their employment history raises eyebrows. From an employer’s perspective, the gap may imply that the applicant spent in prison. So, candidates will lie about it, disguising gaps by changing dates or even creating jobs from thin air.

Lie #4: “My Salary At My Previous Job Was…”

Potential hires often inflate their salaries to give them more leverage over future salary negotiations. Offering a compensation package based upon misleading salary information can cost an employer tens of thousands of dollars.

Finding The Truth

Hiring an employee who has lied on their resume or application has become a significant problem for employers. But, the lies can be easily exposed by your hiring staff or an employee screening service. By doing extensive background checks on applicants, you can discover the truth. And that can make your business less vulnerable to a bad hire.

Subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss any helpful tips and articles like this one.

Tags: Workplace Violence,  Negligent Hiring Lawsuits, Gaps in Employment, Employment Background Checks

Photo Credit: ktylerconk

Filed Under: 2008 Best Employee Screening Posts, employment background checks, Negligent Hiring, Resume Fraud, Workplace Violence Tagged With: Background Check, Gaps in Employment, Negligent Hiring Lawsuits, Resume Fraud, Workplace Violence

Employee Screening Articles For October

October 31, 2008 By Chris Miller

In case you missed any of our employee screening articles for October, here’s a quick recap:

Sex Offenders and Halloween Safety Tips- Part 2

Sex Offenders and Halloween Safety Tips

Pre-Employment Drug Testing For Teachers

Background Checks For The Education Industry

Background Checks For Temporary Employees

Do You Have a Sex Offender Working For You?

Immigration Crackdown – HR Director Indicted

Drug-Free Work Week

Why Gaps In Employment Are A Red Flag

$100 Million For E-Verify

Hiring For Hotels: Why Screening Is Essential

Subscribe to our blog so you don’t miss any helpful tips and articles like these.

Filed Under: 2008 Best Employee Screening Posts, 2010 Best Employee Screening Posts, Background Checks, Best Practices For Employee Screening, Drug-Free Workplace, Employee Screening, Employee Screening Tips, employment background checks, Job Search, Negligent Hiring, Sex Offenders, Workplace Violence Tagged With: Background Check, Credit Report, Credit Reports, Drug Screening, Drug-Free Workplace, E-Verify, Education Background Checks, Education Screening, Employee Screening, Employee Theft, employment background checks, Form I-9, Gaps in Employment, Hotel Security, Immigration, Negligent Hiring, Negligent Hiring Lawsuits, Pre-Employment Screening, Sex Offender, Sex Offenders, Temp Workers, Vendor Background Checks, Workplace Violence

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