Here’s some good tips on privacy from PC World.

Written by Christopher Null

How to Avoid Facebook and Twitter Disasters

Who knew your boss could see so much of your Facebook page–including the pics from your wild weekend? Oversharing can lead to underemployment. Take some practical steps to control what others see about you.

Read the article here.

After reading that you may want to read “Does Google Know Too Much About You?” by Ian Paul.

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On the front page of this morning’s Dispatch I read…

Rape suspect got 2nd job because of faulty vetting

Weapons charges should have disqualified caregiver

It looks like this suspect was able to get a second job with Goodwill Columbus because of two errors with his background check:

1. Goodwill ran a background check through the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI) which incorrectly showed a weapons charges against him had been dismissed.  Actually, the suspect pleaded guilty in Franklin County Common Pleas Court to reduced misdemeanor charges of carrying a concealed weapon and improper handling of a firearm in 2008 — convictions considered to be disqualifying offenses for working among people with developmental disabilities.That information was not on the BCI report, said Margie Pizzuti, president of Goodwill Columbus.
2. Goodwill ran an additional background check through an online records-search service (I don’t know which company), but that report was confusing and Goodwill staff members apparently did not see that Quintero had been convicted, Pizzuti said.”This instructs us to be even more vigilant in finding out what’s in these reports and making sure we understand them,” she said. “If we had seen that and understood clearly, it probably would have been at least a red flag.”

Read the article here.

CONCLUSION

• A manual on-site search at the county courthouse by an experienced researcher is often the most accurate, and up-to-date criminal search available.  Goodwill ran a BCI check which is the authorized central repository for all felony records for the state of Ohio.  The bureau relies on police departments, sheriff’s offices, and courts of record to submit arrest and court conviction data to the bureau for record updates.  The bureau did not have the most current information in this case.

• Your background screening provider needs to provide you with an easy to read report so there is absolutely no question about the status of the person being screened.

FYI Screening, Inc. is a leading global provider of employee screening solutions to corporations, government agencies, healthcare systems and educational institutions.

• Contact us for a 10 minute online demo of the easiest, most cost-effective and reliable solution for employee screening.

Here’s an excellent article on using social networks for employee screening.

Source: IT Business Edge

Lora Bentley spoke with Jacqueline Klosek, senior counsel and privacy law practitioner at Goodwin Procter, about the pitfalls employers want to avoid when using social networking and other Web sites to screen potential employees.

Bentley: I’ve read about the public outcry that resulted from the City of Bozeman, Montana’s decision to ask job applicants for their social networking site user names and passwords. Obviously, there are enough problems associated with that practice that the city discontinued it. Can you explain?

Klosek: It’s just, in my mind, fraught with legal dangers. For example, what you post on your own Web site, the writings and photos and such, you’re really using someone else’s service. And for the most part, if you provide your password to the sites in which you participate, you could be violating their terms of use, which could leave you as the user subject to potential claims, including termination of your account or worse.

Then, as an employer, say you ask someone for their user name and password and then give it to another employee to do the screening, you don’t know exactly what they’re going to do with that information. With the user name and password, they’re basically impersonating the person whose account it is. They can send e-mails that purport to be on that person’s behalf, they can review e-mails that were sent from other people… It could be mundane personal communications, but there could also be trade secrets being exchanged, or a host of other things behind these protected e-mails. It’s just a minefield of dangers, in my view.

Bentley: What if you are using the Internet to screen prospective employees without their user names and passwords? Aren’t there still risks in doing that?

Read the rest of the article here.

Related Posts From FYI Screening:

• The Dangers of Using Social Networks for Employee Screening

• Employee Screening Through Social Networks

• 5 Legal Reasons Why Your Company Should Have a Social Networking Policy

• Twitter and Employment Law Issues

• The Other Background Check: What Does Google Have To Say About You?

Photo Credit: AdamSelwood

The Columbus Dispatch reported:

Five years ago, Tristan J. Quintero passed the background check that enabled him to get a job caring for mentally disabled Ohioans.

The state doesn’t require post-hire background checks, so workers are trusted to self-report subsequent offenses that could disqualify them. But Quintero apparently told no one that he’d been convicted on weapons charges in 2008 and indicted again in May.

As a result, he was still on the job the night of May 28, 2009. That’s when he left the apartment of his disabled South Side client, James Monroe, and raped a neighbor, police said.

Could This Horrible Crime Have Been Prevented?

There’s a good chance Quintero’s weapon’s charge would have been discovered if periodic background checks were done after he was hired.  And this crime could have been prevented.

Most organizations understand the importance of conducting pre-employment background screening, but many companies don’t properly consider the continued risks employees present after they are hired.

Here are 4 Tips On Setting Up A Post-Hire Screening Program

• Establish a written policy for post employment screening. Candidates and employees should have a full understanding of the company’s screening policies and procedures, especially when conducting post-hire screenings.

• Make sure you have a signed release form authorizing the right to conduct a background check throughout employment. Here is an example of the language that could be used on the Disclosure and Authorization form:

“I have carefully read and understand this Disclosure and Authorization form and the attached summary of rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. By my signature below, I consent to the release of consumer reports and investigative consumer reports prepared by a consumer reporting agency, such as FYI Screening, Inc., to the Company and its designated representatives and agents. I understand that if the Company hires me, my consent will apply, and the Company may obtain reports, throughout my employment.”

• Be consistent with your post employment screening. Your online screening system should have a feature built-in which makes it easy to rescreen current employees.

• We recommend companies re-screen employees annually or biannually.

Conclusion

Implementing a post-hire screening program can help reduce workplace loss, retain the best employees and mitigate a company’s risk.

Contact FYI Screening, Inc. if you need help with implementing your company’s post-hire screening program.

Photo Credit:  i_yudai

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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Find and manage applicants and reports with ease

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• System tracks applicants in progress, completed applicants, those with missing information and those with hits or discrepancies

• Quickly search for individual applicants by name; system auto-matches first and last names and presents them for quick selection

• Advanced search - find applicants by SSN, DOB, searches ordered, date of order and more

• Icons quickly identify applicants with unread searches and status updates, those that need additional information and applicants with discrepancies

• Applicants and status updates are auto-marked as read - no need for an inbox or manual completion

• Easy-to-read report details allow you to quickly find detailed information, notes, documents and full reports

Request a Free Online Demo

Ordering background screens is faster and more powerful than ever - for new and seasoned users alike.

Simplicity meets flexibility in a revolutionary ordering process.

We put convenience and ease into the ordering process with innovative web technology.

• Order a complete background check on one page, with simple controls to add, remove and edit search details, all on the same page.

• Intuitive workflow makes ordering easy

• Choose from convenient pre-built packages or save your own search groups for easy re-ordering

• Dynamically add and remove searches throughout the entire ordering process

• Strong data validation helps ensure accuracy

• System tracks your search price in real time as you add and change search requests

• Upload release forms and other documents at order time to greatly speed up processing

• Order additional searches for an applicant at any time after the fact

Request a Free Online Demo

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We’re pleased to announce the release of our newest background screening technology.  It’s the most attractive, most intuitive and most user-friendly interface available in the industry.

Revolutionize the way you approach background screening with our visually stunning client portal

From the first moment you see it, you will be blown away by our easy-to-use and powerful client portal for ordering and managing background checks.

• Smart, effective layout and design

• Quickly review common report queues, including the Discrepancy queue for possible hits

• Quick search feature allows real-time applicant name searching without leaving home page

• Locate in-progress and completed applicants with ease, using visual guides and status icons

• Order searches from our list of pre-built packages, or customize your own for convenience

• Manage your account settings, add and remove users, and access statistics, past invoices and documents all from your secure portal

Request a Free Online Demo

This site is easy to use and an excellent resource for small businesses. The Employment & Labor Law section covers the following areas:

• Employment Law Resources

• Forms for Employers

• Hiring & Managing Employees

• Hiring Steps

• Pre-Employment Checks

• Employee Handbooks

• New Hires Reporting

• Independent Contractors

• Immigration and Employee Eligibility

• Child Labor

• Foreign Workers

• Household Employees

• People with Disabilities

• Veterans

Read How To Stay Compliant With Pre-Employment Background Checks.

Smart Business Decisions Made Easy

FYI Screening, Inc. is a leading global provider of employee screening solutions to corporations, government agencies, healthcare systems and educational institutions.

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An E-Alert from Ogletree Deakins, one of America’s three largest labor and employment law firms:

• Starting July 1, 2009, South Carolina employers with 100 or more employees must perform a special verification for newly-hired employees. These employers will be required either to use E-Verify or review a qualifying driver’s license. State contractors with 500 or more employees became subject to the same requirements on January 1, 2009 (see Ogletree Deakins’ June 4, 2008 E-Alert for more information on the law).

• The Mississippi Employment Protection Act (S.B. 2988) phases in a requirement on employers to participate in E-Verify. On July 1, 2008, all Mississippi agencies and political subdivisions, all public contractors, and private employers with 250 or more employees became subject to the E-Verify requirement. On July 1, 2009, private employers with 100 or more employees will also become subject to the requirement (see Ogletree Deakins’ April 4, 2008 E-Alert for a complete review of the Mississippi law).

Read more tips on E-Verify.

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