Background checks

Ho Ho Ho Employee Backround Checks

September 19, 2010 by Staff Editor

It’s the day after Thanksgiving. The store looks wonderful; you are surrounded by customers busily buying! You and your store team have worked hard to get to this day. Now starts the fun and excitement of the retail holiday season. The new folks seem to be fitting in just great! Look at them up there at the register taking care of those customers! You think to yourself, employee background checks, who needs to spend that money? Boy they sure are friendly!

You laid the ground work for a successful holiday season. You bought the merchandise, you planned the advertising and you hired some employees to help you handle the additional traffic this season brings. You ran an ad and had an outstanding reaction to your “now hiring” banner. You took the time necessary to make sure your new people were the right mix for your store. You personally interviewed each one, gosh were they nice. You called and did reference checks on them, gee her old supervisor gave her a glowing personal recommendation! The store owner next door was talking about the employee background checks he did before he hired anyone this year. He got a lot of great information from the background check company. Heck though, what does he know. You have been doing this longer and know people better. Go with the gut feeling that these new employees are all going to be fantastic.

The day ends. Sales were just awesome! Wait, the register is short a lot of money.

How many managers have been in this position? Have you had your heart sink to the bottom of your stomach when the missing cash is discovered? No it’s not always the newest people that steal from their employer but, how much of that theft can be deterred by doing proper employee background checks? As an employer, you are only privy to a certain amount of information. Why not let a professional get the rest for you?

For more information contact us at employee background checks or call 1.770.426.0547

5 Things Employee Background Checks will Reveal.

September 17, 2010 by Staff Editor

In today’s America, pre employment background checks have become a must in every company that thrives for success in the entrepreneurial world. Remember that the government is always looking at you, and you should always be very careful with your potential employees if you don’t want Uncle Sam to slap you in the hands for bad management.

Even though employee background checks can become a scary task if you want to do it on your own, if you hire the perfect background check company, scary will be the least of your concerns. A background check company will help you dig out the dirt out of your potential employees. Employment screening will reveal things like:

* Lies About Past Jobs.
If you thought you’d be hiring the next Bill Gates for your company, think again. Employment screening will reveal if you are about to hire the next Bill Gates, or the next Larry the Cable Guy for your company.

* Lies About Degrees.
It’s very common for potential employees to lie about their academic history. Pre employment background checks will detect very easily degree-fudging in your potential employees as well as your company’s current employees.

* Worker’s Compensation History.
Employee background checks will reveal if your staff has been involved in worker’s compensation fraud, or if they are seriously injured that they won’t be able to put up with the job that you are trying to offer them.

* Sex Offender’s List.
Let’s face it, who wants to hire a pervert? Quick criminal background checks will reveal to you in no time if your baby-faced potential worker is in reality a wolf in disguise. Always be on the safe side and ask to your background check company for a criminal background check.

* Credit Records.
Is money disappearing from your cash registers? Hire a background check company to reveal which person on your total staff is having money problems. However, that doesn’t really mean this person is taking the money, but at least you know you have to keep an eye on this person just in case.

There are a lot of things that a background check company can help you find out. If you want to be on the safe side it’s never too late to hire one of these companies, you don’t want Uncle Sam telling you “I told you so”.

For more information: employee background checks or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: background check company, Background checks, criminal background check, employee background checks, employment screening, pre employment

Criminal Background Checks

September 13, 2010 by Staff Editor

In employment screening, all criminal background checks are not alike. They can be from the narrowest, most focused type (generally a county court search) to the broadest (a national commercial database search).

Let’s examine some of the differences.

The narrower search at the county level is the most detailed. The information is contained in the file from a criminal proceeding, and is public record. All details of the record are contained there from the date of the offense until the final disposition. Generally, these types of records are obtained by a runner, a live person who goes to the courthouse, looks up the name in an index, and pulls the actual file to examine the information that is recorded and reported as part of the background check. Some county indexes are on line, although the record itself is maintained physically at the courthouse. The advantage to this type of search is that it is extremely accurate and detailed. The disadvantage is that it is narrow and doesn’t include nearby counties where the individual may have committed crimes.

Next is the statewide criminal repository, which approximately 40 of the 50 states make available for defined purposes. The repository is made up of criminal information forwarded from local police departments, as well as municipal, lower, and upper courts. The advantage here is that the search covers a much broader area than a county specific search, but all statewide repositories are not equal. Some include only conviction information, which precludes pending cases, while others are too slow or expensive to use, making them impractical. The decision to utilize a statewide repository depends on cost, accuracy, and the content included. Not all local courts report every court action to the repository usually by oversight, but some repositories are very thorough. Your background check company generally knows which ones to avoid.

Finally, the national commercial database is an extremely broad based search. The information contained in it comes from government agencies that sell the information to subscribers, and from public sources such as on-line court systems or state departments of correction (prison inmates). The data may also come from searches that have been conducted on an individual in the past and been added to the database. This type of search can be a valuable add on tool to a more specific search, but should never be relied upon solely to make an employment decision. The advantage to this type is obviously breadth, while the disadvantages are accuracy and timeliness of the information provided. Identifiers like dates of birth and social security numbers are frequently redacted, and criminal information may be only sporadically uploaded to the database, missing recent criminal activity. Further, a crime may have been expunged by the court, but remain on the database, causing problems to the applicant and the employer.

For further advice on criminal background checks call 1-770-426-0547 or click here.

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So You Think You Are Hiring A Good Employee?

September 10, 2010 by Staff Editor

Bet you didn’t know some folks don’t realize when they fill out a job application that they may have committed a crime sometime in their life that could show up on background checks . Yes, they will sit there with the blank face, open mouth stare when you tell them, “Sorry, we have to let you go, you have a police record”. They checked no on the application where it asks if they have been convicted of a crime. They listed their pastor as their reference. Shoot, they even worked as a baby sitter! How much better does it get than this? A few days later, cash is missing. You have never had a problem before.

In these days of privacy, getting accurate and informative references is becoming more and more difficult. How many phones calls have you made to be only given the dates of employment and the job title the candidate held? Shoot, most major companies are outsourcing employment history. Unless it is a personal reference, there is no reference and how informative are those? Think about it, these are folks are hand selected to give positive information about the candidate. Chances are; everything is going to be rosy!

So you are starting out not really knowing what their attendance record looks like none the less why they really left their previous employer. Every bit of information you have about them comes from the interview, their great chance to sell themselves to you. Can you spot the con artist? Along comes …The Background Checks! This can be an employers silver bullet. No, it will not give you all the answers but, it will eliminate the folks that have had sticky fingers in the past, got caught and prosecuted! Be it money, merchandise or time. People steal from their employers in different ways. You will not know unless you run background checks on them if they are guilty of any of the above. Do not get burnt too badly before becoming a believer in background checks.

For more information contact us at background checks or call 1.770.426.0547

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Employee Background Checks… What is the Applicant Hiding?

September 9, 2010 by Staff Editor

Most employers who conduct employee background checks look first to determine if their applicant has a criminal history. While this is important, there are other factors to consider when performing an employee screening.

Today, we’ll look at previous employment references, and what the employer should consider.

First determine if the previous employer is legitimate. A reputable background screening company won’t depend on the contact information provided by the applicant, but will contact an actual human resources representative or other record keeper to verify employment information. While this information may be limited by company policy, chances are the records are accurate as to dates of employment and position. Some companies will provide more information such as eligibility for rehire or the reason for termination.

Which brings us to the question of inaccurate dates of employment provided by the applicant. Frequently, date stretching is done deliberately to cover periods of unemployment, a negative job experience, or even incarceration, and should not be overlooked during a background check.

Overstating the job title is also a red flag. An applicant may attempt to enhance his prospects by inflating his responsibilities and abilities to obtain a position for which he or she is unqualified and lacks the skills; a fact the employer may only discover when it is time for a performance review. A hiring mistake based on this misinformation can be annoying and costly.

Pay attention to any gaps in employment history and periods of “Self Employment”. Have the applicant adequately explain these periods to determine the validity of the claims and the reasons for them.

The ultimate question is this: Has the applicant represented himself truthfully regarding his previous employment or has he misstated his responsibilities, time on the job, or reason for leaving?

The employee background check is a valuable tool to assist employers in making optimum hiring decisions.

For further information on employment background checks, contact us at 1-770-426-0547 or click here.

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Mandatory Employee Screening Anyone?

September 5, 2010 by Staff Editor

Have you ever wondered if every employee that you are hiring should have to pass a criminal background check? I know that it increases the cost of hiring. But if you add up the hiring costs and training expenses when trying to determine an ROI of a new employee, the cost of employment screening is marginal. However, the costs of not using a background check company could be astronomical.

Have you considered that you could be hiring someone with a very bad driving record as a delivery truck driver? The bad driving record could include speeding offenses and minor moving infractions such as rolling through a stop sign. But it could also represent a tendency for careless or reckless driving. If your new delivery driver has been convicted of driving under the influence and he gets behind the wheel of your delivery truck intoxicated, you could be held accountable for his actions. Your insurance costs could sky rocket and a possible law suit could put your business at risk. A background check company could have been your best friend.

When comparing the costs of employment screening versus disastrous actions caused by employees, wouldn’t you agree that it is in the best interest of everyone that employee background checks are mandatory for everyone during the hiring process. Depending on the type of your business you should conduct employee background checks on your employees during their whole employment.

Employment screening is not something you should ignore or dismiss as unnecessary.

For more information, visit employee background checks or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: background check company, Background checks, criminal background check, employee background checks, employment screening

Not every background check company is equal

September 3, 2010 by Staff Editor

If you hire employees or take on volunteer workers you are likely conducting background checks through a background check company. Not every background check company is equal and there are considerations to be made.

How easy is it to do business with them? Are there any human beings who can intelligently answer questions available? Do they offer online services? Are the services easy to use?

What types of searches do they do? Not all background checks are the same. There are multiple areas to search in a criminal background check and it is not difficult to miss an issue with criminal history. Do they offer a credit history check? If your candidate will be handling money or valuable inventory you want to be sure they are creditworthy/ responsible.

Where do they look? Again there are multiple databases out there that may contain information you need and going with a budget priced background check company will likely mean they are doing a minimal/ surface search and not digging into detail.

Are they looking at workers compensation claims? There are people out there who “work the system” costing employers small fortunes in high monthly insurance costs due to false claims.

What is the company’s background? New companies pop up every day because someone has a get rich quick idea. Look for well established companies with a positive track record.

Interested in learning more about what is available? Contact the background check experts at Loss Prevention Systems by calling 1-770-426-0547 or visit on the web here: background check company

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Employment Criminal Background Checks…Necessary?

August 27, 2010 by Staff Editor

Is an employee criminal background check really necessary? As a former Police Officer I came into contact with people every day that were not fit to be in the same community as the good people in society. This included individuals that caused serious injuries to others. They used weapons to harm, kill, rape and steal. The list goes on and on. I learned quickly that these people cared about themselves ONLY and most had no remorse even when caught.

Then as a loss prevention professional for several major businesses I have personally investigated over 2300 employees for mainly employee theft. I found that many of those same people are in the workforce. I guess the primary impression I have come away with from that is this: These types of employees WILL steal from a business and smile while they are doing it. The only remorse that the majority had was that they were caught. This applies to all ages, sex, race, religion….

Now add this to the fact that many different studies over the years conducted by many different organizations boils down to this: Approximately 20% of the work force has stolen from their employer. This is one in five of the people in the work force today and that work for you! You may not wish to believe this but it is FACT. And we are only talking about theft. This does not include other crimes.

Is an employment criminal background check necessary? It is not just necessary it is an absolute requirement, no compromise. Unless you do not mind wasting money, time, labor and loss of your cash and merchandise to learn the hard way.

Oh, by the way if you hire someone that is violent or prone to it and they injure, kill or harm in any way another employee or customer you will be held liable. Saying I didn’t know does not hold water. The courts lean towards the fact that you should have conducted a criminal background check because they are readily available at low cost.

I forgot to mention, I have seen hundreds of managers and business owners that have said something to me like “I know people, I don’t have people like that working for ME”. They are the ones that are really at danger because their ego out weighs their business sense. Remember one in five!

Don’t compromise on employment screening!

For more information on employee background checks contact us or call 1.770.426.0547

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Background checks, criminal background check, employee background checks, employment screening

INVESTIGATION THROUGH PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING

August 24, 2010 by Staff Editor

Should employers actually check up on potential hires through pre-employment screening? ABSOLUTELY! A recent study showed that half of all reference checks conducted on prospective employees differed between what the job applicant provided and what the reference source reported. Would a potential candidate actually lie on their resume or job application? In today’s job market, you better believe it!

Pre-employment screening through background checks, criminal or credit checks is a highly controversial topic. Many people in the general public do not wish for their personal history to be poked through by some investigator. Some people feel that the information that could be discovered is either irrelevant, or could be taken the wrong way, if the potential employer does not have all the facts.

One way to prevent harm to a potential employee is to provide them with the report prior to giving it to the employer. This way, the individual can address any discrepancies on the front end.

In May, 2002, Northwest Airlines was hit with a civil lawsuit by 10,000 of its mechanics. Basically Northwest was accused of using information that was past the 10 year limit set by some current laws. According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, arrest records can remain for up to seven years. Some credit information can remain for up to 10 years.

Employees working in the trucking industry, airports, ports of entry, cruise ships, etc will be subject to a pre-employment screening more often than other types of job categories. Any employee who makes greater than $75,000 dollars per year may be subject to pre-employment screening and background checks that goes back for longer periods of time and contains more thorough information.

To gain assistance in your pre-employment screening and background checks, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547.

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EMPLOYEE BACKGROUND CHECKS….ARE THEY BENEFICIAL TO YOUR BUSINESS?

August 19, 2010 by Staff Editor

YES!! In today’s tough economic times many companies, especially small ones, have eliminated some fundamental job applicant requirements, such as drug testing or checking someone’s history.

In today’s climate, employers should be even more cautious who they hire, particularly in high risk positions, such as individuals in the teaching or day care profession. Things such as the Enron scandal, September 11th and other corporate scandals have caused a heightened awareness of falsifying information and put higher scrutiny on company officials.

Many federal and state laws now require employers to run employee background checks on potential canidates. It will depend on what your particular company does and what those employees are being hired to do. Even if your business ventures are not high risk, resume fraud is on the rise, you do not want to hire an employee that costs your business profits in the long run.

Reporting on a potential hire can include an extensive amount of information or can be as simple as verifying education and social security numbers. Often these reports include: driving records, credit history, court records, bankruptcies, medical history, military records, past employer information and criminal history. The computer and information technology age has increased what we can find out about other individuals. It is up to you how extensive you want your search information to be. Each state law outlines what can be searched on an individual’s history. You can also check the Fair Credit Reporting Act for additional guideline information.

Why is all this information important to an employer? Often an employer can be held accountable for criminal acts or acts of negligence committed by an employee. This is especially true if the employee will be working with the public, elderly, children or entering people’s homes. Conduct employee background checks….it can save your profit margin!

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