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Background Checks

100% Of Companies Will Be Using Social Networks As Part Of Their Employee Screening Program By 2012

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Dan Schawbel, a personal branding expert, gives his 10 Personal Branding Predictions for 2010.  The one that caught my attention was number ten:

10) Online identities becoming as routine as employer drug tests

In 2009, Careerbuilder reported that 45% of companies are using social networks as background checks.  I’m going to go with 75% of companies for 2010 and then 100% of companies in 2012.  Just like a drug test, going online to review an applicants brand is easy, cost effective and can save headaches later.  There are issues that arise such as possibly losing good talent because of one Facebook picture or judging someone based on their picture and not on their credibility.

What this means for your personal brand: Everyone is going to have to be very careful with what they put online.  Go through your online presence right now to make sure it best represents you as a professional.  Try and see your profiles through a companies eyes too.

The topic of using social networks for background checks has been controversial because of the possible legal exposure but I’m going to have to agree with Dan here…

100% of companies will be using social networks as part of their employee screening program by 2012.

It is important it note that these social searches will not replace traditional background checks (county criminal searches, verification of driving records, education and employment) but will be an increasingly important tool to help companies find the best fit employees for their organizations.

Read Dan’s 10 Personal Branding Predictions for 2010.

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No Background Check? No Problem – Cracking Down On The Gun Show Loophole

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The man in the baseball-type cap was clear about his task. He was selling weapons at a gun show in Sharonville, Ohio. And he wasn’t troubled about the minutiae of the law.

“I don’t need your address,” he said, shaking his head and waving a dismissive hand across his face. “Nothing.”

“No background check?” asks a skeptical potential buyer.

“Just show me that you’re from Ohio,” the seller said.

The buyer sounded relieved. “That’s good about the background check,” he said, “because I probably couldn’t pass one.”

“I don’t care,” the seller said. Then, with a chuckle and a toothy smile, he added, “because I wouldn’t pass either, bud.”

Undercover investigators for the New York City mayor’s office secretly filmed this transaction earlier this year as part of a seven-city and three-state study on how easy it is for people who can’t pass a background check to get a gun. Just attend one of the thousands of local guns shows held every weekend across America. Odds are that if the money is green, the dealer will sell a gun. In most cases, no questions are asked.

Read the rest of the story here.

Florida Lawmakers Pledge Changes To Their Background Screening Program

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Last week we reported about Florida’s Flawed Background Screening System and now Florida lawmakers are talking about making changes to the state system.

Laxness, Loopholes In Background Checks Of Child And Elder Care Workers

Source:  South Florida Sun Sentinel

Florida legislators pledged to overhaul state law to require that caregivers for children and the elderly undergo background checks before they begin work and to close loopholes that have let thousands of felons get jobs in day care and nursing homes.

The proposed reforms come after a Sun Sentinel investigative series last week identified disturbing flaws in the background screening system that allow people to work with Florida’s most vulnerable residents before the caregivers have been vetted.

Even people with criminal pasts can qualify for jobs as caregivers by obtaining an exemption. Thousands have sought and won official permission to work despite having records for crimes including rape, child abuse and murder, the newspaper found.

“What you have discovered is something the Legislature needs to get more serious about and get on top of immediately,” state Rep. Ari Porth, D-Coral Springs, told the Sun Sentinel. A state prosecutor, Porth is drafting legislation to require pre-employment checks and put restrictions on who can get exemptions.

George Sheldon, secretary of Florida’s Department of Children & Families, called reforming the system “a legislative priority for a number of agencies.”

“It just makes sense that the public is assured that those people who are dealing with the most vulnerable have been closely screened,” Sheldon said.

As a result of the Sun Sentinel investigation, Sheldon wrote a four-page letter Thursday to state legislators outlining his plan for a “faster, more efficient system to protect our vulnerable citizens.”

Read more here.

FYI Screening offers a wide array of customized background screening solutions to meet any need. Human Resources and Loss Prevention Professionals in numerous industries worldwide trust FYI’s screening solutions every day to make smarter, safer and more cost effective hiring decisions.

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Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/36703550@N00/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

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.

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Great, New HR Technology for Background Screening – Simplifies HR Management

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Take Control With Convenient Account Management Options Built Into Your Screening Software

Go beyond ordering and reports – simplify HR management and tap into powerful tools.

Our client module gives you access to features that streamline the whole screening experience.

  • Modify email and fax information, notification preferences and company information in real time
  • Sign up for regular screening statistics emails, giving a comprehensive summary of screening information on a daily, weekly or monthly basis
  • View past invoices online and download useful documents such as release forms from your own secure site
  • Administrative users can add, remove and manage other users online
  • Permissions management allows you to limit specific user access as needed

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