The most prominent trend in the employment screening industry has been a proliferation of online databases offering cheap background checks. Any one can access the internet and with a quick search be able to purchase, for example, criminal records for a low fee. While that is very appealing to companies looking to trim the budget on background checks, it may in fact be a dangerous trend.

What do the companies say that have been running background checks, back when employment screening “industry” was just a concept and not an accepted practice?

Tom Lawson, the founder of APSCREEN, the oldest screening firm in the country, says “The necessity of a background check has been established now, and that’s why we are seeing such a proliferation of people getting into the business – particularly because the internet makes it an easy field to enter because of the low start-up costs.”

Lawson continues, “But back in 1980, when we practically invented the concept of employment screening, companies had to be convinced that there was a good reason to spend money on background checks. We have always been a business that focused on training our specialists to screen applications for completeness, thoroughness and accuracy and provide our customers with individualized service. This trend of online databases is very disturbing to us because the potential for error and liability is very high.”

The Dangers of Databases – Caveat Emptor of the Quick Turnaround

Databases are only as good as the search logic used to retrieve stored data, and search logic is expensive and only as good as the amount of money the database companies are wiling to invest in it. Unfortunately, the advent of the internet has made starting an online business easy for anyone. As a result, many companies that start an internet “data selling” business do so because the start-up costs are small which means the databases can only provide limited information.

Even worse, most online database providers lack an intimate working knowledge of how to screen potential applicants. Their focus is on selling units of information for profit.

Database companies cannot simply use off-the-shelf software to retrieve publicly compiled repository information. It comes in too many proprietary “operating systems’ and while good, expensive search logic helps to delineate between the different languages of the information entered into the database company’s archival system, it can NEVER be 100% “competent”, even if it is a very “robust” retrieval architecture.

By the sheer science of databasing, 100% information retrieval capability is impossible, unless (as demonstrated recently by the IRS and FBI Computer fiascos) the “source” data originates from wholly compatible systems. This means that going in you can never expect to have a complete file when you compile data from different systems. This results in “data drops” in which bytes of information mysteriously disappear, as well as computer viruses which can reside undetected in mainframes for years and indiscriminately wipe out data, which would be undecipherable in a foreign operating environment, such as a third party compiler.

A classic example of this occurred on January 17, 1990, when screening client District Cablevision received a now infamous incorrect report of a felony cocaine conviction on one James Russell Wiggins, which was not verified for accuracy or its relationship to the subject Wiggins, and which resulted in a serious elimination of candidacy lawsuit brought against the provider based upon slander. This error dealt a major blow to the reputation of the provider and resulted in the payment of a substantial monetary settlement. (US District Court, District of Columbia; Civil Action 90-199; Wiggins (et al) v. Equifax Services, Inc. (et al).)

Database companies outnumber legitimate employment screeners almost 75 to 1 in the industry today. The main problem with such vendors who advertise “nationwide criminal checks,” “statewide criminal checks,” “instant”, or “online,” is the veracity of the data they are selling and the competency of the search used to retrieve the data.

Many vendors acquire data from a multitude of sources, not having any idea who compiled the information in the first place. This data is then combined into each vendor’s own format, which often does not contain complete information. The common term in the database industry is “data drops,” which in addition to the above meaning also means that not all of the data, such as criminal record information from a court jurisdiction that is put into the database, is available to be extracted, retrieved or researched. This occurs because of the following:

1. The bridge software used to import the jurisdictional data into the database company’s memory banks can never be 100% reliable, as long as the compiler is gathering information from “foreign” repositories

2. The computer has to handle many different formats while compiling information into a standardized format so that some of the data simply does not transfer.

This is a problem because of the technical department’s inability to inform the sales/marketing department properly as to the database’s limitations or unwillingness to tell the customer that the product it is selling may be deficient in some areas. As a result, approximately 5 to 8% of the data is lost. That means that there is a 92% to 94% chance (at best) to identify a record on a candidate. Also, data drops are indiscriminate. Rape convictions are dropped as easily as traffic tickets.

The second problem with databases is the psychological dependence they engender on those using them. As time progresses, the databases’ ease-of-use causes the user to forget just how important it is that the database be accurate and complete, and that the need for thoroughness in screening an employment candidate should never vary, as to ensure consistency in the screening process, thus precluding the successful prosecution of the employer for Title 7 claims. The results of falling into this pattern of laziness can be disastrous as litigation may not be far behind.

Crucial Steps in the Employment Screening Process

Historically, and until the late 1970s when the “personnel” department recognized the need to get involved in employment screening, background checks were performed by security departments – typically comprised of highly qualified, and often retired professionals.

Today it’s up to the HR department to create the mandatory steps needed to develop a thorough employment screening procedure including for starters, a positive candidate identification process. If this isn’t the first step in the background check, the results of your searches could be faulty and therefore prove useless.

For example, critical identification data needs to be gleaned from credit bureaus and other repositories including unused maiden names, or intentionally omitted information such as date of birth and variations in social security numbers. This is where the difference between true employment screeners and data sellers comes into play. It takes years of experience to be able to differentiate, for example, intentionally omitted information versus an honest mistake.

The same holds true for incomplete disclosures such as partial criminal history in which the full story can dramatically change your assessment of the applicant. One such case involved an applicant who disclosed to the company that she was convicted of trespassing. When the criminal check came back, however, it was discovered that while she had indeed told the truth that she was convinced of trespassing, she had also been convicted of trafficking in child pornography and possession of controlled substances – a serious error by omission.

Hiring decisions must not be made on partial, incomplete or incorrect data, but on thorough information and a consistent application of thorough scrutiny of all of the information regarding criminal, credit, work and education history, driving attitude, whether or not the candidate has completed the application completely, as well as identity disclosure.

A screener must have extensive knowledge about each vendor source to make the appropriate follow-on decisions that develop into a full and comprehensive report.

Online databases don’t provide highly trained researchers who can spot “red flags” and other indicators in an application that demand further consideration. You can only get this kind of service from an interactive screener who has years of experience in processing background checks.

Another reason online databases can be cause potential liability is because most databases contain information that may not be used in the screening process such as arrest records, or unadjudicated matters, or matters for which an expungement exists at the Court but is not reflected in the database.

As previously stated, professional background checks require an experienced researcher who knows what to look for including: verifying a applicant’s true identity, obtaining verification of past employment and education, fully investigating the applicant’s criminal past (a skill that requires an intense, and multi-level knowledge of court procedures, credit evaluation including legal records such as bankruptcies, tax liens and judgments, driving analysis, as well as a history of being a sex offender or involved in domestic violence or retraining orders for stalking. All of the factors contribute to, but may not necessarily be germane to the job description, at hand, and while exciting, could lead an employer into court, for using the information to deny candidacy, for inapplicability.

By now it should be fairly clear that professional background checks are a comprehensive package that far outweigh any “bits and pieces” of information that can be provided by any individual online database. When a person is thinking about hiring someone and they believe that “all I really need to do is run a fingerprint check,” they are really missing the point. So much more information is needed to make a careful, informed hiring decision. Besides, only police departments run fingerprint checks, not employers.

Liability Risks of Not Performing Background Checks

In today’s hiring environment employers face ever increasing potential for liability from the workplace when they choose not to do background checks on their news hires. Those liabilities include:

· Premises liability for not safeguarding customers from employees who steal, lie, cheat or injure

· Negligent hiring liability in the event of violence or fiduciary malfeasance, for not providing other employees a safe place to work

· Termination or investigation of the individual who hired an applicant who later steals from the company or exposes the company to the above-mentioned liabilities.

· Litigation under officer/director liability theories because of incompetent or inept hiring practices involving the company and/or person who hired the employee

To prevent this type of litigation, a company must have established a refined HR policy that includes a professional employment screening component.

You must become knowledgeable about employment laws which a good background screener can help you with. For example, did you know that it is illegal to make a decision to not hire someone based on an arrest record alone? Usually, the only time it is legal for a third-party provider to release arrest information is in the case of daycare providers and nuclear facility workers. An employer, generally is not allowed to ask about arrests and cannot use this information to deny employment

Critical Tips For Choosing an Employment Screener

So what should you be looking for in an employment screening company?

First of all, look for longevity. The longer a company has been providing background checks, the more experienced it is, and as a result, the knowledge, they will have in recognizing the signs of a “suspect” applicant. This is a field where screeners need not only be highly trained, but have extensive experience.

Ask for references and then call them. You want a company with an extensive and positive track record of providing factual information so you can make an informed hiring decision.

Look for the company’s professional memberships in organizations such as ASIS, SHRM, PIHRA, NPRRA, NAPBS, as well as others. This indicates a combined knowledge of the screening and security industries.

Do you as the hiring company; have a complete knowledge of employment law? If not, you need your screening company to know the laws involving background checks. If is extremely beneficial if you hire a company that has an acute knowledge of “negligent hiring” practices, much in the way that an Expert Witness would know.

The company should have an intimate, thorough and long-term knowledge of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA), and the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), as well as Sarbanes-Oxley, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act, and the myriad local statutes that may or may not apply to the employment process. They should also have the ability to testify for you in a court of law if need be; or even better, keep you out of court in the first place!

Does your prospective screener have knowledge and understanding of current HR management systems? How about corporate due diligence programs or factual employment screening programs that train people to find fraudulent applications and false identities?

Are you beginning to see how there is so much more to background checks than first meets the eye?

In short, can your vendor help keep you from unwanted litigation? Unless you or someone in your company is an expert in employment law, you are putting your company at significant risk by using an online database provider. If you are using any of the multitudes of online databases, it’s not likely you are protected.

Not only do these online companies increase your risk of exposure, they may even add to it. For example, let’s say you are currently using an employment screener that does not require you to provide a signed release for each applicant. Sounds relatively harmless, doesn’t it?

The truth is what these companies have done is had you waive liability to them when you signed up for an account so they can avoid the time and effort it takes involved in this critical step. Their focus in on increasing their sales; which isn’t necessarily in your company’s best interest.

In the case of a credit bureau audit, your company is now responsible for producing an original signed application and therefore also liable if you don’t have one on file. A good employment screener is not only a long-term certified credit bureau, they also provide signatures for these audits on a regular basis and you should never even know when theses audits occur. A typical lawsuit of this nature could cost your company six figures. There is no upside for a company purchasing background checks to take this kind of risk.

What type of criminal conviction research, hand-researched or online databases, does the company provide? Most companies do not realize that there is absolutely NO single source of information available regarding criminal convictions. It doesn’t exist – anywhere. Do they verify these discoveries against subject identifiers and if so, how?

Does your online provider claim to have worker’s compensation claim records? Any information provided regarding worker’s compensation claims potentially provides a false sense of security for the user. The truth is the only records available for worker’s compensation are appeals, not claims, and much of the available files are sealed because they are not as yet adjudicated. This means the file competency rate for this type of data is about 40% – not good enough.

Does the employment screener have international research capability? If not, how will they screen people you might want to hire from overseas? Without the kinds of connections and a network of relationships developed over long periods of time, this information would be almost impossible to get.

Has the company you want to hire ever been involved in a litigation themselves for improper screening processes? Can they provide you with at least three long-term references? Do they have professional liability insurance including errors and omissions? Are they FACTA, FCRA; CCRRA, and G-L-B compliant?

And of course you need to know the practical things such as cost, turnaround time and reporting method. Many competent employment screeners are listed in publications such as the Security Industry Buyers Guide as well as industry publications such as those connected with the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS).

What is needed now in this industry is a standardization of compliance for employment screeners and someone to step up and create an industry co-operative that can police it.

Cathy Taylor
http://www.articlesbase.com/human-resources-articles/employment-screening-what-the-trend-in-online-databases-means-to-the-industry-352710.html

Employing highly intelligent and highly qualified employees in a range of sophisticated commercial businesses is a risky business for employers.

To acquire competitive business advantage in an increasingly globalized and networked world of pharmaceuticals, genetics, telecommunications, power supply and information technology requires the employment of highly qualified, well educated, experienced and clever employees.

Potential employers and employees are both well advised to seek legal assistance when drafting or accepting terms of employment. Due to the seniority of these employees, their employment contracts are less likely to be workplace agreements but more likely to be private , one-off, contracts of employment.

Often, employees in the pharmaceuticals, genetics, telecommunications, power supply and information technology industries will have access to secret and confidential information which is both price and market-sensitive. This information might be chemical formulae, scientific and technological data, chemical, electrical or manufacturing trade processes, hardware or software engineering designs, or a range of other sophisticated technological and scientific information. The potential employee will need access to this information to perform his or her anticipated role. When the employment relationship ends, however, the employer is faced with a double problem. First, the employee is leaving. Whether the departure is voluntary or involuntary, it will be an inconvenience and a disruption to the employer. Secondly, and more importantly long term, the departing employee will take with him or her, knowledge of the secret and confidential information which may be the very basis of the employer’s competitive advantage in a particular industry or market.

To minimise this long term disruption, employers often include restraint of trade clauses in employment contracts when employing people in these sensitive areas. Commonly, the restraint of trade will prevent the former employee from seeking employment with any competitor of the former employer in the particular market for a period of time.

In current times, where there is a shortage of trained staff, particularly in scientific and technological areas, the reason why an employee departs is generally because he or she has received a better offer from a competitor.
In deciding whether or not to enforce the restraint of trade clause against a departing employee, Victorian courts have to balance a number of competing factors.

First, neither Australian nor Victorian general law will restrain a former employee from seeking employment with a competitor. Any such restraint must be found in an enforceable clause in the contract of employment with the former employer. Employers, therefore, should always ensure that staff are employed pursuant to written contracts of employment which contain enforceable restraints of trade.

Secondly, Victorian courts will not allow employers to prevent former employees from conducting a living by practising the skills which may have taken many years to acquire through university courses or practical experience. However, this is only a general rule or starting point.

Thirdly, Victorian courts will not allow former employees to obtain an unfair springboard into a new career by abusing the trust of the former employer. Examples are where employees spend an entire weekend photocopying price lists, formulae, client contact details and other confidential information and then resign the following Monday morning to set up a competitive business the following Tuesday morning.

Essentially, Victorian courts perform a balancing act between the competing interests of the employee to be able to continue to gain a living on the one hand and the employer’s interests of being able to reasonably prevent the disclosure of confidential and secret trade-sensitive information to competitors when the employment relationship ceases.

The sorts of factors courts have taken into account are as follows. First, Victorian courts will look to see whether the restraint of trade is reasonable or is too restrictive. Any restraint which tries to prevent an employee from working not only in the particular business of the former employer but any other associated or ancillary business is likely to be struck down. Likewise, a restraint which seeks to prevent an employee from working for an excessively lengthy period (generally more than 12 months) is also highly likely to be struck down and declared unenforceable. To overcome these problems, lawyers draft restraint of trade clauses to have a “waterfall” effect. The clause contains a number of alternatives, for example, starting from a very wide restraint and then proceeding to an increasingly narrow restraint in terms of future employment activities or in terms of length of time. Each one of the alternatives is severable from the contract if declared unenforceable by a court. Accordingly, a court might reject a restraint which provided for former employee X not to be employed in any pharmaceutical industry within South East Asia including Australia. The court, on the other hand, may be prepared to enforce a restraint which prevented employee X from being employed in the field of molecular genetic artificial-blood technology in either Melbourne or in Sydney for a period of one year. Such a restraint is far more precise and reasonably protects the former employer’s confidential information whilst allowing the employee to seek employment in the general field of molecular genetics.

A court must also be satisfied that an employer’s fears are genuine. For instance, is the information really secret and confidential? If the information is only knowledge which an employee would obtain through the repetitive working of his or her ordinary job, courts are less likely to regard this as secret or confidential information. Other sorts of information which are publicly available (even such as client contact details and price lists) may also not qualify. If there is no secret or confidential information, then there can be no restraint of trade.

Courts will also look to see whether the employee was specifically compensated for the restraint when first employed. If an employee received a specific additional sum as a hiring incentive for a longer than normal restraint of trade, courts are more likely to be persuaded that the restraint, when ultimately applied, is reasonable. The employee has accepted the restraint when first employed and has received a specific benefit for it.

Another factor which courts will examine is the seniority of the former employee. The more senior, the more likely it may be that the now departed employee may be capable of encouraging other staff to follow him or her and more capable of influencing former clients to switch allegiance. Alternatively, if the former employee was not employed in a managerial position and was only employed at either a junior or specific technical level, courts may be less worried about wholesale client or staff defections which would need to be prevented by the restraint of trade clause.

Until recently, courts seemed reluctant to enforce restraints of trade for more than 3-6 months. However, recent New South Wales Supreme Court authorities seem to be swinging the pendulum back in favour of employers where the balancing exercise outlined above suggests that the restraint of trade does need to be enforced to reasonably protect the former employer’s market and confidential information interests. For instance, Brereton, J., in John Fairfax Publications Pty Ltd v. Bert & Ors [2006] N.S.W.S.C. 995 upheld a restraint of trade for 12 months in relation to a former employee who had been employed at a senior level. The same judge, in Cactus Imaging Pty Ltd v. Peters [2006] N.S.W.S.C. 17 (18 July 2006) also enforced a restraint of trade for 12 months in a situation where the former employee operated in a restrictive market or oligopoly.

This is a complex area of law. Contracts of employment generally and restraints of trade particularly need to be carefully drafted to have their intended legal effect.

Employers and employees need to be carefully advised on the range of tactics available in post employment scenarios.

Michael Pickering – LAC Lawyers
http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/employment-law-the-enforceability-of-post-employment-restraints-of-trade-vic-113816.html

Sometimes people become confused as to exactly which category of employment they fall in to. Of course there is the permanent employee or the casual or part-time or permanent part-time or even the independent subcontractor. The real difference between the various categories of employment is whether there is a contract of service or a contract for services.

Employment arises in a number of contexts particularly given the social diversity of our workforce today. Due to job sharing, permanent part-time employees are becoming more and more acceptable in the Australian workforce. Of course the predominant type of employee is the full time permanent employee on which the majority of businesses throughout Australia rely. This may have something to do with the fact that 75% of all business transacted throughout Australian is carried out by small to medium enterprises.

Essentially the type of employee that you are is normally set out in a letter of appointment, a contract of employment, an award or other industrial instrument including Certified Agreements or Australian Workplace Agreements or as otherwise agreed with the employer. Irrespective of the documents evidencing employment, employees are often issued with job descriptions or specifications covering the type of work they are required to carry out. It is becoming more prevalent for employees to be issued with letters of appointment and/or contracts of employment given the deregulation of the Australian workplace.

Often, employees other than full time employees work fewer hours, although with casuals this may not necessarily be so. Sometimes there is confusion as to whether casuals and part-time employees are one and the same. The essential difference between the two is that with part-time employees there is the pre-arranged regularity of the hours of work. In other words, part-time employees work on a regular and systematic basis whereas with casuals there is a certain informality, uncertainty and irregularity of engagement. It should be pointed out that where casual employment is becoming regular and systematic it may be deemed that the person has become a permanent part-time employee, particularly where they have the expectation of ongoing employment.

One of the most telling differences is that a part-time employee is generally entitled to exactly the same benefits and entitlements as a full time employee except on a pro-rata basis. Their pay includes sick leave and annual leave and their pay rates are not as high as casual employees. One of the best ways to distinguish a casual employee from a permanent part-time employee is to look at the appropriate award or industrial instrument to determine whether they fall within the definition of casual employee. In some cases the employer may have mistakenly described their type of employment as they may not be fully conversant with the legal distinctions between these two classes of employee.

It is always worthwhile to check the award or industrial instrument governing the type of employment and this applies equally to other categories of employee. It is extremely important to remember that normally casual employees have no guarantee of work beyond their current hiring which could be for one hour, several hours, one or more days or a week. Note that with casual employees there is usually a loading built into the rate of pay for casuals to compensate for the lack of permanent employment benefits. The services of a casual employee can be terminated at any time without notice by either party.

Under the NSW Industrial Relations Act and the Federal Workplace Relations Act there is no protection given to casual employees as they belong to one of the classes which is expressly excluded from the unfair dismissal regime set out in those acts. Casual rates of pay are normally 20% higher than standard rates. Remember with casual employees the work is normally irregular, may involve working on different days of the week, is on an on-call basis, wages are paid following each engagement, loadings are paid to compensate for not being a permanent employee and they may refuse to work for the period specified.

Where the work of a casual employee becomes regular and systematic such that they work the same numbers of hours per week prescribed for permanent employees, then, under many awards where they work for at least one month or in the case of metal industry workers, where they work for at least 6 months in this way, then they may become permanent employees. Irrespective if they have been employed by the same employer on this basis for an extended period of time they will have a right to long service leave.

Employee or Independent Contractor

Not all people who perform work are employees as some are independent contractors frequently called independent sub-contractors. The major difference between an employee and an independent contractor is that the former receives a salary or wages for services rendered whilst an independent contractor is a person who carries on trade or business themselves. The employee provides services under a contract of service and the independent contractor under a contract for services. The concept of control is essential to determining when a person falls into one category or the other. In some cases the law construes a person as being a deemed employee which has certain consequences for such individuals e.g. in the areas of workers compensation and taxation. Graphic design and advertising agencies are cases in point as much of the work that they have is subcontracted to other persons to undertake. These subcontracting or independent contracting relationships may arise because the principal contractor who is servicing the client needs to access independent expertise and thereafter manage the outcome.

Frank Egan – LAC Lawyers
http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/employment-law-what-type-of-employee-am-i-114855.html

7 tips for large to small businesses that are looking to hire an Employment Law Solicitor or to simply check that you are getting a good service from your existing advisor.

Nobody needs to be reminded that due to the economic recession we are currently experiencing, times are hard for all businesses, whatever their size. Although it may not the first thing that comes to your mind if you are involved in running a business, clear, concise employment law advice should be strongly considered no matter what the economic climate, especially if you are looking to reduce the size of your workforce or review contractual terms and conditions. Consequently, here are seven tips on what to look for if you need employment law advice:

1. Ensure it is affordable
2. Risk Management Service
3. Regular Employment Meetings
4. Ask for a Risk Management Report
5. An Employment Manual
6. Insurance Cover
7. Online Consultant Service

Ensure it is Affordable

It is obvious to most people that you want to ensure you get value for money from the advice you receive. However, there are inherent dangers in seeking the cheapest option. There is usually a reason you are given a low estimate of costs and it may be that the person concerned lacks the experience that you require. Many firms of solicitors with employment specialists now offer HR and employment protection schemes that were previously the territory of non legal firms. The advantage of selecting a firm of solicitors who operate such a scheme is not only their levels of expertise but that they will be fully insured with a well established complaints procedure if things go wrong. Unlike most of the non legal companies, you should also be able to find a solicitor’s employment law protection scheme that only lasts for one year, which allows you to evaluate the service over that period before you decide whether to renew the service or not.

Risk Management Service

A good employment law advisor will first of all carry out a free risk management audit, which is basically a health check of your employment practices. A specialist employment solicitor will visit you to look at your personnel records, review procedures, uncover any weaknesses, and assess what needs to be done to improve any problem areas.

Regular Employment Meetings

You should also ensure that the scheme offers regular employment meetings, where the company you have hired will meet and talk with you or your HR department, management team and other key members of your team. This will enable them to understand and review your terms and conditions of employment, disciplinary and grievance procedures, absenteeism, flexibility, equal opportunities and redundancy arrangements and to make appropriate amendments.

A Risk Management Report

Following your health check, you should ask for a comprehensive risk management report. This will review your current policies, practices and compliance with legislation. It will also include an action plan for any improvements that could reduce the risk of disputes with your staff.

An Employment Manual

If you have made the right choice in hiring an employment law advisor, they will also supply you with an employment manual – an invaluable source of reference for good employment practice. This includes information on fair procedures for recruitment and absenteeism, guidance on how to draft employment contracts, a selection of over 100 specimen letters and forms, and many other aspects of good HR practice.

Insurance Cover

Insurance cover is also important. When you’re protected by insurance cover, you’ll no longer have to worry about the costs of defending an action brought against you by an employee as a high-quality policy will cover legal costs and expenses to defend employment disputes of up to £100,000 per claim. In certain circumstances, compensation awards that you’re ordered to pay by an employment tribunal and out of court settlements agreed by insurers will also be covered.

Online Consultant Service

In this age of modern technology, it may seem like a given but some Employment Law Advisor do not necessarily offer online consultant services. By using an external consultant service you have control over exactly what HR services are delivered to you and how it is implemented.

This article is free to republish provided the authors resource box below remains intact.

John Mehtam
http://www.articlesbase.com/law-articles/employment-law-solicitors-7-essential-qualities-to-look-for-753142.html

It is hard to believe that the storage employment opportunities has become so popular as a part time employment job. A large majority of people are engaging themselves in the self storage employment as a onsite staff or as caretaker. Given the fact that garages and self lockers are so popular with the consumers it is not a wonder that they feel that something different than a lock is required to keep the valuables sound and safe and also keep the premises tidy and in good condition.

Though the advertisements for the self storage employment requires the couples to stay but truly speaking the self storage employment only requires a few hours of work per week. These are very much like the caretakers position in an apartment. But one thing is sure that it require very less of plumbing problems.

This self storage employment also require some kind of service like truck service which is on a rental basis. This includes services like Ryder trucks or U-haul and is very often used across the United States. It is used for moving the household things for long and short distances. Thus the part time duties of yours will include the rentals,inspection of the outgoing and incoming trucks for the national chain the storage facility is linked with and of course,the clean up forms the important part of the job.

It is also possible that you may be looking up to set up your own self storage employment position. Those people who have some extra land can actually make good second income source by making the storage facility in their area. There are a lists of regulation which will have to be adhered to, like they will have to be up to code and secure. It is not a worry as in many parts of US there are very few self storage governing laws. One law forbids the living in the storage area.But this is quite prevalent and is a common place in the southern part of the US.

Though it is a case of buyer beware in such a project but if you are the proprietor of such a facility and if you are able to convince that your is safe and secure place then you can land up with very good deals. This is possible without you making any sorts of guarantee.

If you are about to start the self storage employment project then you should loan as less of the required start up cost as possible. It is always prudent to the self storage employment business on a small scale and then as the business grows then you can slowly pump your profit into it needed for the expansion. When initially a big loan is taken then you end up going under forcing you to eventually sell to someone. If you finance the operation yourself as much as possible, you pay less in interest and are much more likely to repay even if you have trouble for one or two month.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/self-storage-employment-opportunities-a-part-time-job-that-is-steadily-gaining-popularity-703298.html

Recent studies have shown that up to 80% of applicants furnish misleading information in one form or another. Educational background, length of employment, previous employer(s), and position(s) held are some common areas that applicants tend to falsify. Employment screening is used as a litmus test for companies looking to hire new employees. It helps judge the credibility of data provided by the applicant. The application for employment (including resume) is an important document and holds vital information. It forms the basis of the screening process and also plays a crucial role in choosing the right candidate. But if the information provided therein is skewed, the decision that is based on it would automatically qualify to be incorrect.

The level of applicant falsification varies but is certainly prevalent and cannot be ignored. While most applicants are unlikely to add jobs to their resumes that they have not had, many fabricate the dates of their employment to create an illusion of reliability. The main motive is to make their resumes look more impressive than they really are. Therefore, the importance of employment screening used by employers to separate fact from fiction is compelling and undeniable. However, the ease and the speed at which this information can be accessed is equally important. In the wake of this, online employment screening is quickly gaining precedence over traditional employment screening methods.

Online employment screening is provided via browser based applications and/or email accounts. This web based employment screening solution can be used to perform real time searches and features the fastest turnaround times. Online employment screening gives employers a range of valuable tools and options along with speed and flexibility to screen applicants. This easy access to screening data facilitates faster and reliable personnel decisions. Time is often of the essence, for both the employers and the applicants when making a hiring decision. Most companies offering online employment screening provide a secure and reliable web based submittal and retrieval system. Some of the key benefits of online employment screening are:

Eliminates time consuming manual processing.
Information is available round-the-clock.
Information provided is accurate and reliable.
Provides user friendly and easy to read reports.

Online employment screening services generally include different features and are available in different packages. Organizations can choose a particular package depending on their needs. Almost all companies providing online employment screening service furnish FCRA certified data. However, it would be a good idea to check this before signing with any employment screening company.
Access to web based employment screening is an advantage for people associated with the hiring process. It is an effective and efficient way to conduct employment screening.

Firoj Khan
http://www.articlesbase.com/recruitment-articles/online-employment-screening-527210.html

A Single window to Unlimited Employment Opportunities
Searching for a job or any other employment opportunity often requires lot of research. The outcome of these efforts often leads to confusion, resulting in frustration. Nobody cares for the plight of the employment seeker on whom the whole lucrative recruitment industry thrives. Therefore in order to create a single window to address the urgent needs of the employment seeker Chartergain Management Services (CMS) has come up with a novel initiative called the Multi Segment Employment Initiative (MSEI).
At CMS they call the Job seeker as Employment seeker, as a mere traditional job cannot be the sole answer to his or her livelihood. The motto is to take a holistic view of the ways and means of earning one’s bread and butter in this cut throat competitive world. To ensure perennial employment, all segments of employment must be accessed in harmony simultaneously. The Employment seeker too should be ready to position himself for all types of employment commensurate to his qualification and experience in order to keep his income steady and flowing throughout the year. This concept seems to be just appropriate in the current recessionary times.
Under the MSEI concept CMS undertakes archival of the profiles and resumes of every registered member. And throughout the calendar session endeavours to find suitable employment and earning avenues. The Employment segments range from the traditional job to unconventional employment means like:
(a)Independent Self Employed Professionals (b) Full-Time/Part-Time Advisory assignments on fixed fee basis (c) Providing Professional or Knowledge/Expertise based services to outsourcers (d)Full-Time/Part-Time Mentorship/Associate in Technology & Knowledge Sector Start ups (e)Full-Time/Part-Time Position of faculty or Training Guide in Research based Training Programs (f) Interim Employment (g)Undertaking Consultancy assignments on Retainership basis (h) Contract based Employment (i) Project based Employment
Employment seekers can take up one of these options as a self chosen alternative for a regular livelihood or take up as an interim one during a job holiday period. They may also take up one of these options as a part-time assignment to enhance their earnings.
CMS has introduced a host of online and offline services to its registered and paid subscribers in order to provide seamless access to the various employment segments for ensuring perennial employment. There are also tools available for branding the professional image of professional and proactive marketing tools to market the professional skill and expertise of every professionally skilled individual.

Professionals who want to find out more about these opportunities may log on to http://www.chartergain.com & register their Profiles for free or mail in their Resumes to ceo@chartergain.com for free listing & registration

Palcomweb
http://www.articlesbase.com/recruitment-articles/a-single-window-to-unlimited-employment-opportunities-1005056.html

Employers have to do many types of tests of their employees to get right employees for right positions. There are many types of tests are done by the employers, among those Employment Testing and Performance Testing are very important. All these tests are done to know employees better. Employment Testing helps to know about physical, mental and historical background of employees. Many kinds of other tests are done in Employment Testing according to the requirement of the jobs. Getting Employees through Employment Testing satisfies Employers need. And by Performance Testing the Employers knows about a employee performance, dedication to job, interest for job and the ability of the employee.

Employment Testing strategies are that allow employers to use pre and post-hiring testing to place the right employees in the right positions. Although employment testing creates some risks, it can often provide employers with information that could otherwise only be gained the hard way – after failure of the employment relationship.
The following issues that pertain to testing in the employment context: general federal standards applicable to employment testing under the Civil Rights Act, medical tests under the Americans with Disabilities Act, psychological, personality, or character tests, drug and alcohol testing, and polygraph testing. Employment testing includes many other testing according to the job.

Types of Employment Testing

There are two types of employment testing:

1- Pre Employment Testing
2- Post Employment Testing

In total, Employment Testing includes: Pre Employment & Post Employment Testing, Training, Assessments and Appraisal.

Pre employment Testing includes the measurement of job matching, aptitude, abilities, interest, personality, sales skills, soft skills, integrity, work ethic, customer service and evaluation of competencies during the employee selection process.

Post employment assessments includes employee evaluations / performance reviews, team building, team analysis, customer service, succession planning, coaching, training, and 360 multi rater feedback used for management and leadership development.

Tests in Employment Testing

An employer cannot inquire or test as to whether an individual has a disability at the pre-offer stage of the selection process. The reference to “entrance examinations” allows employers to administer medical exams or physicals once an offer of employment is made but prior to actual work. Employers may make an offer of employment contingent on the results of a physical and mental examination, but only if all employees in the same job category are required to take the examination.

There are many types of tests are done in an Employment Testing. The tests are in Employment Testing includes:

1- Medical examinations and inquiries

Post-offer, pre-employment medical tests may be very extensive in scope and are not limited to job-related items consistent with business necessity; however, if an employer screens out an applicant based on information obtained in the medical tests, that particular factor must be job-related and consistent with business necessity. We do a medical test to know whether such applicant is an individual with a disability or as to the nature or severity of such disability. This medical test includes: health test, blood test, urine test, breath test and vision test etc.

2- Physical Testing

Physical Tests are done to know whether the employee is physically challenged or not.

3- Acceptable inquiry.

A covered entity may make pre-employment inquiries into the ability of an applicant to perform job-related functions.

4- Psychological or Mental Testing

A psychological test is designed to reveal mental illness, but a particular employer says it does not give the test to disclose mental illness (for example, the employer says it uses the test to disclose just tastes and habits). But, the test also is interpreted by a psychologist, and is routinely used in a clinical setting to provide evidence that would lead to a diagnosis of a mental disorder or impairment (for example, whether an applicant has paranoid tendencies, or is depressed). Under these facts, this test is a medical examination.

5- Personality, Character, Integrity, and other Qualities

Employers are increasingly relying on tests that attempt to measure an applicant’s psychological makeup, personality, character, integrity, or other qualities that may be relevant to a particular position. Collectively, we will refer to such tests as “character tests” for purposes of this paper. Character test, like all employment selection procedures, are subject to the general requirements; that is, they should be job-related and consistent with business necessity. Beyond that initial hurdle, character tests also raise other issues: whether they are medical in nature such that pre-offer testing is impermissible and whether they violate applicants’ privacy interests.

6- Psychscreen tests

In this test we asked about the applicants’ religious, sexual, and political beliefs to produce a psychological profile of the applicants. This employment testing is very personal and private of applicant’s.

7- Employee Drug and Alcohol Testing.

Drug and alcohol testing are increasingly popular means for employers to increase the safety and efficiency of their workforce, reduce workers’ compensation claims, and reduce losses. While the benefits of drug testing can be great, the risks posed by implementing a drug-testing program can be significant and daunting. Individuals who are currently using illegal drugs are specifically precluded from “disability” on that basis. It appears that drug use within two months of the test will be considered current. Therefore, it is permissible to conduct a drug test even before a job offer. The safer (and cheaper) course, however, would be to conduct a drug test after a job is offered but before employment begins, because the same test that can reveal the existence of illegal drugs may also reveal the existence of prescription drugs that indicate a disability. Since a test for the current use of illegal drugs is not a medical examination, employers may also drug test their existing employees without violating the ADA.
In contrast, an alcohol test will probably be considered a medical test. Alcoholism is a protected disability under the ADA and the EEOC takes the position that pre-offer alcohol testing is prohibited under the ADA.

8- Applicant Testing

Some employers require a drug screen of every applicant for employment. A test for current use of illegal drugs may be conducted before an offer is given, but an alcohol test may only be given to an applicant post-offer (though it may be given pre-employment). So applicant testing is considered the safest drug-testing alternative.

9- Reasonable Suspicion or For-Cause Testing

Some employers test current employees based on erratic performance or other indications that an employee may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Reasonable suspicion testing can be risky, since an employer will frequently have to base the suspicion on a supervisor or co-worker’s subjective impressions of an employee’s behavior or performance.
Employees often argue that the employer did not have sufficient cause to test the employee for drug or alcohol use and that the employer tested the employee for drugs in violation of contract or based on some discriminatory basis, such as race, sex, or disability. Therefore, before conducting reasonable suspicion testing, an employer should ensure that the “cause” includes specific behavior or performance, preferably documented by more than one source.

10- Random Testing

Some employers test randomly across their entire workforce. Random testing raises the possibility of invasion of privacy concerns most acutely, because it tests current employees, but is unrelated to behavior or performance. With random testing, it is therefore particularly important to place employees on notice that they are subject to random drug testing and may be disciplined if they fail or refuse to take a random drug test. Such notice reduces employee’s reasonable expectations of privacy and hence reduces the risk of an invasion of privacy claim. Random testing is preferred by many employers because the existence of a random selection process is easier to show than “reasonable suspicion” to conduct a drug test.

11- Post-Accident Testing

Some employers require an automatic drug test after any accident of at least a minimum level of severity. This approach can be effectively used in combination with other testing methods. Post-accident testing provides some of the benefits of reasonable suspicion testing because it tests employees after a mistake has been made, but also provides some of the benefits of random testing because the testing is based on an objective event, rather than a supervisor’s subjective belief. The key in implementing post-accident testing is to clearly define the types of workplace accidents that require a drug test and obtain employees’ consent to drug tests in such circumstances.

12- Polygraph Examinations

The Employee Polygraph Protection Act of 1988 (EPPA) restricts the use of polygraphs by employers. An employer may request a current employee to submit to polygraph testing as part of an “ongoing investigation” only if the test is conducted in connection with an investigation of economic loss or injury to the employer’s business, if the employee had access to the property in question, and if the employer has a reasonable suspicion that the employee was involved in the incident.
Federal regulations provide that reasonable suspicion for seeking a polygraph test may be based on information from a co-worker, the employee’s conduct, behavior, or demeanor, and inconsistent statements made during an investigation.

Performance Testing

Post-employment Testing include Performance Testing. After being a employee of a employer, a employer use to do a regular Performance Testing of the employee. These Performance Testing are done to know a employee performance better and better. By Performance Testing we get to know about a employee performance, dedication, interest for job and the ability of the employee. Performance Testing is also good for the employee, because the probability of success of the employee depends on the performance of the employee. The better performance of the employee tends to success.

“Probability of Success” in Selecting A Top Performer: – Interview – 14% – Reference Checking – 26% – Personality Testing – 38% – Abilities Testing – 54% – Interest Testing – 66% – Job Matching – 75%

Conclusion

We do all these tests to get right employees for right positions. All these tests are done to know employees better. And many other kinds of tests are done in employment testing and performance testing according to the requirement of the jobs. And the main thing is getting Employees through Employment Testing and Performance Testing satisfies Employers.

Smruti Ranjan Sarangi
http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/what-is-pre-and-post-employment-testing-53966.html

Copyright (c) 2008 Ianson Internet Marketing

The impact of the economic downturn on employment in the Food Industry today is worldwide. The US processed food sector had steady growth in the ten year period after 1997, with slight decline near the end. Many employed in the food manufacturing industry are multinationals. Growth in processed food goods can be attributed to several factors, including two income families, less time at home for food preparation, and more take home and restaurant food purchases. Over that ten year period, the value of food shipments increased about 27 percent.

Many smaller food manufacturing companies are hit harder by economic downturns. They employ fewer people in food jobs; pay more for food products, deliveries, and for manufacturing costs than large companies. The few large companies hire more multinationals, who account for about a third of all food industry jobs. About 89 percent of the smaller companies have less than 100 workers. Many smaller companies are swallowed up in acquisitions by large companies.

The impact of the economic downturn on employment in the Food Manufacturing Industry affects automation and technology purchasing also, as these allow companies to operate at even higher output levels with fewer employees, adding to less employment in food manufacturing jobs. Employment in that ten year period declined about 5 percent. Wages and salaries showed virtually no increase when compared to the general economy (US) which had a projected growth of 11 percent.

Supermarkets have added more prepared meals to their shelves, and people want ready to serve snacks and frozen entrees. This demand is caused by two parent or single parent working families who have possibly more income yet less time for food preparation. It is not uncommon for families to eat out several times a week on a regular basis instead of just on special occasions. An aging population and a dieting population has also contributed to the demand for convenience foods, ready to eat, and restaurant foods. As ethnic populations of countries change with immigration, so do demands on the food manufacturing industry. A green trend towards eating locally produced food, organic foods, and medical allergy problems also affect food product demands and manufacturing costs.

Rising cost of fuel such as gasoline has also caused the impact of the economic downturn on employment in the Food Manufacturing Industry. A worldwide jump in costs for grains and vegetables has caused shortages of certain products and high prices everywhere. Some industries, like milk in the UK, are cutting back products and employment as costs rise. The fight over corn and grains for food or fuel has costs skyrocketing, with a boomerang effect on items like beef, which not only has encountered rising costs for feed, but transportation and processing. The plumping of humans causes another increase in vegetable prices, as people want more products; it is a supply and demand plus costs situation there.

Rising cost of ingredients has put the hammer down on small companies, like mom and pop bakeries or bagel companies, because they are unable to absorb high prices of ingredients like flour or wheat. They raise prices, and may lay off employees to combat costs, where the larger producers can find ways to absorb increases in commodity prices. Combine the stress of food product demands with rising energy costs and any adverse weather conditions, and the industry cannot help but feel the pinch and react by lowering employment overall.

During the past few years, there have been several catastrophic weather events, such as hurricanes, tsunamis, and earthquakes, which have wreaked havoc in people’s normal living conditions. The ability to obtain food, and to grow food is impacted by this, and with higher energy costs and higher food demands worldwide, the cost of all food products has risen. Competition between animals and humans is another factor, and so is competition between animal food stocks and fuel demands. Alternative energy sources, like solar and wind, and hybrid engines are one answer. To use food for fuel seems to go against basic human sensibilities and interest. Using corn and wheat to power machines instead of humans will only increase food prices and lessen employment in the industry.

For the future, there is widespread demand to get away from high costs of oil fuels, and to develop “free” fuels for powering machinery and electricity. Food production technology is an ongoing science that does increase output per acre, a major benefit to the world food supply. The weather, however, is beyond control. All that can be done in that area is better long term forecasting, and crop science improvements in output and planting techniques. There should be some increases in worldwide employment in those areas. The Food Manufacturing Industry, like many others in this modern age, must adjust and revise plans and make improvements to maintain its lifeblood.

Louise G
http://www.articlesbase.com/business-articles/the-impact-of-the-economic-downturn-on-employment-in-the-food-manufacturing-industry-2008-593574.html

It is said that if you engage yourself in the job you love then you will never work a single day of your life. If you find your dream jobs then it will not only provide bread on your table but it will also give you emotional stability. It is important that you design the proper job category for you to get your dream job. Although there are employment agencies to help you get work opportunities, it still lies on you to obtain the career that suits you and that you will love.

Without a category you are lost in the sea of employment. When you register with a popular employment agency, they will be just as lost. They will just send you out any available job there is. On your part, you will be choosing the job just on a capricious whim. If this job you choose failed your expectations, you will only consider ending the job again and you will be once again in square one. You will find this vicious cycle of seeking and finding jobs frustrating especially if your aim is to find a stable permanent career. The employment agency is not at fault when you fail in your career decision because you also failed to give them a proper job category.

You may also look for a job online. However, without proper job category, you will truly have a hard time. Some large-scale employment agencies accept resumes through the Internet. Then, they match the resumes with the right employer. The applicant will then receive an invitation for an interview. However, before it comes to that, you will need to fill out the important category fields in the Internet application such as salary requirement and location before your resume can be accepted. If you do not fill out a single category, then employment agencies will not be able to help you. They will fail to keep you posted on the jobs best for you because they do not know what kind of career you really want.

Some people do not like going online to search for a profession. Instead they head towards the employment agency near their area. This is also good as long as you know what job you want. Knowing what you want will help you plan a category and will aid you in choosing an agency that specialize in the job that you want. One good example is when you look for a temporary employment. There are temporary employment agencies that you could go to. Since they specialize in temporary employment, they will not venture towards giving you a referral to an employer wanting a permanent employee. It all depends on you if you wish to jump to another category. Remember that employment agencies are there to aid you in finding the job of your dreams.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/proper-career-planning-job-categories-and-employment-agencies-702992.html