Sunday, March 30, 2008

Detect Falsified Resumes with Comprehensive Background Checks

Falsified resumes are common, since anyone applying for a job, especially when there could be a lot of competition, will be tempted to exaggerate their experience or qualifications. Sometimes that temptation is just too much because most jobs worth having these days get hundreds of applicants.

Employers don?t actually need to receive hundreds of applications, since it the perception or belief that this is the case that triggers someone to be less than completely truthful, and there have been some high profile cases. Kenneth Lonchar, CFO and executive vice president of Veritas Software lost his job when it was discovered that he did not hold an MBA from Stanford as claimed in his resume. Many people are guilty of lesser exaggerations.

However, there is a world of difference between exaggeration and falsification which could be used in terms of length of employment to cover a period of imprisonment, for example. Falsifies resumes can be ferreted out by means of effective employment and criminal background checks.

It is frequently possible to cover up a poor criminal record by moving from state to state, since there is no effective national criminal records system. The only way to carry out a reasonably accurate comprehensive criminal background check is to check out the individual county court records. Some counties send their records to a state database, but not all, so a particular individual can only be properly screened if the records in each county of residence are examined.

If that individual has submitted a falsified resume, it will be difficult to do this unless a full residential check is carried out. This involves verifying each address given for the period you are interested in and filling in any blanks. Once you have established a full residential history for the past seven years, you can then check the court records in the counties concerned. Seven years is recommended since there is generally a statute of limitations whereby records more than seven years old are considered lapsed.

There are companies that specifically specialize in this type of background check and the fees charged are well worth the security that a proper pre-employment background check gives you against falsified resumes. Many resumes are falsified, not only to claim a higher level of suitability for a particular position, but also to cover up past criminal activity, or behavior, that could result in negligent hiring were a company to take them on.

It is very important then, that your pre-employment screening is adequate enough to detect any falsification. A failure to detect falsified resumes could cost you dearly. Apart from adequate background checks, one way to detect falsified resumes is to have them provided to you by post prior to interview. You can then ask each candidate at the interview to complete a job application including a history of addresses and past employment.

When people lie, they frequently do so without a great deal of thought, and find it difficult later to remember the precise lie told. A comparison of the application with the resume that you have previously received could show up differences which could then be queried during interview. On the basis of better safe that sorry, any suspicious or less than satisfactory answers, could result in you opting for another candidate. There are genuine reasons sometimes, but the interview should be able give you an idea if the differences were deliberate or accidental.

Once you have spotted an anomaly, your pre-employment screening should pay special attention to it if you still decide to go ahead. Without adequate screening, you are statistically certain to employ someone who has falsified resumes to hide something in their past, frequently a criminal record or a dismissal for theft or violence. It is believed that up to 40% of applicants submit falsified resumes, and over 10% of job applicants have a criminal record.

While everybody may deserve another chance, they should not be given one if they are lying to cover up. The only way to adequately protect yourself from a negligent hiring lawsuit is to carry out sufficient background checks to demonstrate that you have done all you could reasonably be expected to do to avoid it.

Advanced Research http://www.arsbackgrounds.com is made up of a team of experts in HR, Risk Management and Legal Investigations. We provide a free consultation to assist you in mitigating your potential hiring risks

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Resume Fraud - The Case for Background Checks

If you employ staff to work for you, particularly for sensitive positions such as child minding or bookkeeping, you should conduct background checks. It is amazing the extent that some applicants go to with lies about their qualifications, skills and employment history, or even having a criminal record. The practice of ?massaging? your credentials on your resume may seem to be harmless and an accepted practice but the simple truth is that exaggeration, omission or fabrication of important details on a resume is fraud. Some untruths can be small and appear somewhat minor, but others can cripple you.

Statistics show that as many as 1 in 3 resumes are fraudulent and that 82% of all business fraud crimes committed are by the employees. You may be familiar with the case of the doctor practicing without a degree, the nanny with a criminal record for theft, or an accountant that faked their credentials. These examples are not uncommon. The case of the nanny was one real example that Home Buddies uncovered during a recent Police Check of an applicant.

Standards Australia has released a recommendation for all employers, large and small, for undertaking background checking of potential employees. The Australian Standard AS8001-2003 Fraud & Corruption Control recommends employers:

  1. Verify the identity of the applicant
  2. Conduct a Police Check
  3. Screen referees
  4. Verify formal qualifications
  5. Interview previous employers

The time and cost of conducting a background check is minimal compared to the potentially devastating cost to your family or your business if you employ the wrong person for the job. Employing someone who lacks the appropriate qualifications, skills or experience, or who may have a criminal record, can heavily impact on productivity. Consider the cost of having to repeat the recruitment process, retraining, loss of capital or even court and compensation costs.-

By Kelly Honeybrook - Director - Home Buddies - Find local services for parents & homeowners. Find a Nanny, Landscaper, Handyman, Cleaner, Plumber, Electrician and more - Authorised background checking service.

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Friday, March 28, 2008

The Importance of Education Verification in Employee Background Checks

Education verification is an important part of your general employee background check. If you believe that this has lesser importance than a criminal background check, consider the case of Laura Callahan who resigned as Director of the Department of Homeland Security in 2004.

It was established that Laura Callahan?s doctorate was obtained from Hamilton University, a known ?diploma mill?. That is a so-called educational establishment that offers diplomas and doctorates to students after little or no study. Subsequent investigation discovered that a minimum of 28 other senior employees had obtained their qualifications from diploma mills. In other words, they were not suitably qualified for the jobs they were holding.

Diploma mills are commonplace, and Columbia State University, for example was shut down in 1998 after an advertising campaign offering degrees within 27 days! That was another diploma mill, and that is one of the reasons for education verification being so important.

The requirement for qualification has become very widespread, and it is little wonder that so many job applicants are tempted to at least overstate their qualifications if not downright lie. Most company positions now require an education qualification of some form or another, and if you search for ?fake degrees? on Google you will find several pages offering them. It?s a problem.

The temptation to provide false educational credentials is overwhelming since the rewards for success in fooling your potential employer can be high. The General Accounting Office reported in 2004 that up to 200,000 federal employees had falsified their resumes. These are the ones that were detected. How many more are there that were not detected, and how many in all occupations are involved, not just federal employees? So do not think that you are immune to this; you probably already have employees on your payroll that have falsified their resumes.

This is a serious problem, and a breach of faith on the part of the employees who do this, especially where the knowledge provided in studying for a degree is necessary in the job, and its absence could affect all of the other employees in the company. It is also a serious error on the part of the employers who offer them employment without carrying out suitable education verification.

As more and more qualifications, diplomas and degrees are requested for more and more jobs where previously they were not required, education verification becomes increasingly important. Candidates are highly motivated to provide degrees, obtained by whatever means they can, and up to 20% of employers in the USA now require verification of diplomas and degrees from the college or university that awarded them.

Some universities offer an online verification service that involves providing the student with a password that they can pass on to a prospective employer. This provides the employer with a portal into the student?s records that confirm the qualification awarded. Although this does not address the problem of diploma mills, it at least provides some security. A list of accredited educational facilities would help reduce the need for full education verification and the issue of not knowing what is and is not a diploma mill.

Diploma mills may be breaking the law if they offer these diplomas to students in the knowledge that are being used for job applications, and the applicant is committing a criminal offense in many jurisdictions by presenting them. A federal law is required on this issue, and that would possibly help employers with this problem.

In the meantime, employers must not overlook education verification when carrying out employment background checks. It is easy to omit this essential factor of employee screening, but the employment of an unqualified nurse or doctor can be just as damaging as that of a shop floor employee with a record of violence. The cost to the employer could ultimately be considerably higher.

It should not be assumed that any qualification is genuine, and if a specific diploma or degree is required for a job, it should be verified that the candidate does indeed possess that, and that it has been awarded from a recognized educational or training establishment.

Education verification should be included in the employee screening that all companies should carry out, preferably by hiring a professional investigator to carry it out. It is too important and skilled a job to try yourself unless you have employees trained in how to carry out background checks, and the penalties for failure can be very high.

Advanced Research http://www.arsbackgrounds.com is made up of a team of experts in HR, Risk Management and Legal Investigations. We provide a free consultation to assist you in mitigating your potential hiring risks.

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California Background Check Procedures

A California background check is carried out by an employer for a number of reasons, though the major reason is probably the increase in the number of negligent hiring lawsuits being brought before the courts. However, employee screening in California has specific restrictions that all employers should be aware of.

If an employee harms anybody in some way as result of their employment, and it can be shown that the employer could reasonably have been expected to have foreseen the problem, then the employer can be held legally responsible for the act that caused the harm.

Examples of such harm are assault in the workplace by someone with a history of violent conduct, injury through negligence or poor training by somebody that falsified their resumes to lead an employer to believe that they were suitably qualified for a job, and even injury to shareholders of a company brought to its knees due to the unacceptable decisions or actions of an improperly qualified accountant.

The employment of an accountant with a previous conviction for embezzlement and a poor employment history, that was not picked up through employee screening, could amount to negligent hiring should the company subsequently fail due to embezzlement of company funds and poor accountancy standards.

The increased exposure of terrorism and child abductions and abuse has also prompted employers to carry out suitable background screening of potential employees. It has also been shown that up to 40% of all job applications, resumes and CVs are falsified or contain some element of false information, or downright lies. It is to the employers benefit to carry out background checks on all job applicants that have reached the short list.

It would not be economical to screen all job applicants, but it is certainly justifiable to do so with those from whom the final selection will be made. Moreover, California state law requires a background check to be carried out before employing somebody or work involving the disabled, children, or the elderly.

There are a number of records that may be searched by employers in California. Among these are criminal and court records, education records, certain medical records and workers? compensation claims. Credit records can be checked, as can residential records and even neighbor interviews can be carried out. This is by no means a comprehensive list, and there are many other personal records that employers can have access to, with and without your permission.

California applicants do have some privacy, however, and there are some records that cannot be included in your screening. California?s Investigative Consumer Reporting Agencies Act and the California Credit Reporting Agency Act place specific controls on employers and their agents in making personal checks.

After seven years, civil judgments, lawsuits and convictions, accounts placed for collection and any other negative personal information can not be reported to employers. In California, arrest records cannot be accessed at all unless these resulted in a conviction, or the applicant is awaiting trial. Rap sheets created by law enforcement agencies are not accessible unless the applicant has applied for a job in child care, or n law enforcement, security or public utilities departments.

Also in California, an employer can ask questions about job-related convictions, but not on convictions in general. Potential employers in California should be aware of the requirements of the state Acts which, though they cannot counteract the federal requirements, can add to them and restrict the records that a potential employer is allowed to collect about job applicants. Much of this starts with the job application itself.

In general terms, a Californian job application cannot ask for your date of birth, sex or race, nor about your maiden name and any other personal record that is not relevant to the job being offered. It can however ask questions to determine if you are legally able to work, and can only carry out health screening of the disabled to ensure that they are able to carry out the job on offer.

A California background check must be carried out by an investigator who is well aware of California?s state legislation regarding what can and what cannot be investigated. California law offers more protection to the job applicant than straight federal law, and employee screening in California is a specialized job.

Advanced Research http://www.arsbackgrounds.com is made up of a team of experts in HR, Risk Management and Legal Investigations. We provide a free consultation to assist you in mitigating your potential hiring risks.

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Thursday, March 27, 2008

The Costs Of Pre-Employment Background Checks

In years past, it used to be true that doing background checks was relatively difficult and they weren't often done. Often, in this case, pre-employment screening service software was used. However, this was expensive to obtain and often not up-to-date. In short, if you wanted to, you could probably keep skeletons in the closet for years or perhaps even forever. In some cases, companies still use pre-employment screening service software.

However, now, these days, the Internet makes background checks easy and these are generally more useful than using pre-employment screening software. Many sites offer background checks, usually done for a small fee. In these cases, you have the applicant disclose personal information to you, so that you can do a search for them using their Social Security Number or other sensitive information. These types of things will typically reveal everything from financial status to criminal record, bad debts, and the like. In most cases, legitimate candidates will have no trouble revealing their personal information to you. In fact, if a candidate should not wish to disclose his or her personal information to you, that may, in fact, be a red flag that he or she has something to hide.

In addition, should you so choose, even a simple search engines search will reveal interesting information about your prospective candidate. For instance, simply typing in a candidate's name and perhaps university affiliation from student days may bring up personal information, such as personal profile pages on several popular web sites. In this case, sometimes, these profile pages can reveal information that, while something the candidate obviously doesn't care "casual" acquaintances know about, since he or she posted it, it's obviously something the candidate wouldn't want a prospective employer to know about. For instance, you might type in your candidate's name and college affiliation, hit ?enter? and find that they have a personal profile page where they list their favorite activity as "drinking and passing out," for example. Of course, this may very make you rethink wanting to hire this candidate, since they've shown they can be irresponsible in their personal lives.

Again, although pre-employment screening service software is also an option, a background check is usually both quicker and more efficient. It may cost you some money, but the process itself is quick and easy and again, it will disclose information about your candidates that you may wish to know that may make them less than desirable as employees. In addition, if a candidate has a clean background check, this, of course, makes him or her a more desirable candidate.

In sum, background checks are wonderful ways to screen prospective employees for any past behaviors that may warrant them unemployable in your business. Any criminal behavior would likely set off warnings about risks you may be taking to hire him or her for employment.

Jack Lan's Specialize in helping big companies HR departments to cut cost by doing the cheapest and yet most accurate public records through internet. He also help many detectives and special agents to retrieve database of any kinds around the world.

Visit his website at http://www.government-public-records.com/

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Background Check FAQs

A background check provides a person with an opportunity to authenticate information provided by their candidate. It reveals a lot of information that was either mistakenly or deliberately omitted -- such as residency in other regions where a criminal record might be located. Background checks also help verify dates of attendance and degrees or certifications earned. It can also provide precise information about prior employment. An applicant's history will go a long way in predicting their future and a meticulous employee background check during the pre employment screening process helps save undesired consequences.

A number of questions are generally asked when it comes to background checks. The questions frequently asked relate to the need and importance of conducting a background check and the likely costs to be incurred. Questions relating to the method of screening candidates and use of database search to help enhance the in-person search of a background check package may also be asked. Since there are many different types of background searches, information regarding the same can also be asked. People may have queries regarding federal background checks, criminal background checks, nanny background checks and public background checks to name a few. The questions asked vary from one background check to another.

While hiring a company to conduct a background check the questions, which people tend to ask, relate to the period from which the company has been in business and details of their location. People may also want to know the source from where such companies get information on applicants. Information regarding the laws governing the collection and use of such information may also be asked. Since labor laws are strict in the US people may also want to know that even though it may be legal to get this information on a job applicant, is it legal to use it to make a hiring decision. Queries relating to the fees charged and procedure for billing may also be questioned. Information relating to the same can be obtained online or through the agency providing the service.

Background Checks provides detailed information on Background Checks, Criminal Background Checks, Employment Background Checks, Online Background Checks and more. Background Checks is affiliated with Criminal Background Search

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Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Cheap Background Checks

Increased crime, terrorism and employee liabilities have forced employers to avail of services offered by agencies providing background checks. Getting a detailed, in-depth background check by a reputed agency may be a costly affair. There do exist a number of companies providing cheap background check. However, they may not provide adequate and up to the mark information. Another source of obtaining cheap services for a background check is the Internet. A number of web sites offer free and instant online services for selecting job candidates, but these low-budget background checks may not always work.

Thus employers are advised to be extra careful while dealing with offers for cheap background investigations. The Internet provides a plethora of information relating to agencies that provide cheap background searches. However, upon a closer detailed examination of these 'cheap' offers, it is apparent that information that a person needs is not really cheap at all. The Internet provides a number of public records, which are searchable online. Apart from this, another method is to contact the local police or sheriff's department. These two methods form the cheapest methods of obtaining background checks.

Often the information provided by such cheap websites and agencies tend to be old, outdated or just plain wrong. Availing of such cheap information depends on the laws of a particular state and the employer's needs. Agencies offering the cheapest services usually fail to identify criminals, performing such shallow reviews that serious offenders can get absolutely clean reports. Even when these services reveal criminal records, the information obtained is often deficient and untrustworthy. With instant checks costing as little as $10 each, the flattening of privacy rights and fair-hiring laws have become as simple as a point and a click. While the private background-check business has a few big players, numerous upstarts have mushroomed in recent years to cash in on the nation's sensitive security concerns.

In spite of the numerous drawbacks displayed by free background-checking agencies and websites there also exists a few plus points. Casual and less complicated data can be easily obtained by these agencies. Often, the database existing with such agencies tend to be pretty informative.

Background Checks provides detailed information on Background Checks, Criminal Background Checks, Employment Background Checks, Online Background Checks and more. Background Checks is affiliated with Criminal Background Search.

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Monday, March 24, 2008

New Requirement for NSAs - Background Check

More and more, we, as a nation, are becoming ultra-concerned and extremely protective of personal data and personal information. Identity theft, depending on who you believe, is either running rampant in our country or not as prevalent as we have been led to believe. Still the ?powers that be? appear to be pushing for getting a handle on verifying the identity of all Notary Signing Agents. Some will see this as progress, while others tend to view it as a continuation of the Big Brother Syndrome.

In any event, for those who haven?t been updated, here?s what is transpiring now. Some lending institutions, banks, title companies and signing agencies are requesting that some of their ?employees? and ?service personnel? involved in the lending process undergo background screening and compliance training. Pretty much any individual that has access to the financial information of borrowers must submit to a background check. The ?kicker? here is that they also have to pay for it - more on that later! Notary Signing Agents fall right in the middle of that group. This sudden requirement is based on their loose interpretation of Gramm-Leach Bliley Financial Services Modernization Act.

While the members of CD&C Business & Legal Form Processing Services, LLC (?CD&C?) have yet to be required to provide certification, there have been such requests of some of our subcribers from various lending agencies and signing companies. However quite a few questions are emerging as to the sudden rush to have the certification done and as to whether it is necessary to do it. Also, the cost of doing this certification ranges anywhere from $9 to $150. Based on our readings, the general consensus is that there needs to be a definitive ruling on whether or not the requirement was supposed to be applied to ?contractors? such as NSAs.

When is it going to be a requirement for signing companies/title, escrow and various lenders to submit to background checks as required of the NSA to help prevent fraud? Maybe, if there was a requirement, it would reduce non-payment to signing agents. It would be harder for a ?Mr. Joe? to open shop for a few days, close shop and re-open under a different name; all the while refusing to pay NSAs. There should be a list/system where reputable companies are listed to help the NSA weed out the bad companies. The NSA will be put on a list/system where the title companies will only hire the NSA who have had the background check and are certified. No system is perfect, but it can help to reduce the NSA?s risks.

Why do NSAs have to pay for the background check? The title companies are requiring the background check, so why shouldn?t they pay for it? Can the NSA purchase the background check without certification? Are they willing to pay an increased fee for advance education now that we are certified? Another expense added and we are still being underpaid or not paid at all?

Until that can be established, we recommend that you think long and hard about forking over your money. And if it turns out that we actually do need to have our certification, then we should discuss all options so as to have the most cost efficient service available.

By CD&C Business & Legal Form Processing Services, LLC,

http://www.cdcformsprocessing.com

Leaders in business & legal forms processing and notary services.

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A Vehicle Background Check - Why You Need To Run One On Yourself

Have you ever thought of pulling a vehicle background check on yourself? Might not be as dumb as it sounds!

Even though most people don't even think about it, having a vaheicle background check done on yourself can be one of the smartest financial, legal and emotionally therapeutic things that you can do. If you plan to apply for a job where you're required to drive or you need to insure your car, you can count on other people taking out such reports on you to make sure of who you are.

- Driving records help to determine if you are a safe, responsible driver. A vehicle background check may also be a report pulled on you to determine what type of vehicle you are driving.

- Your driver's license report is another very important report to pull on yourself so you can verify how clean your driving record is. You want to know if there are any mistakes there that could potentially affect your insurance rates or even worse, your ability to obtain a job that requires you to drive.

First and foremost, forget about the "I have nothing to hide" mentality where a vehicle background check is concerned. The fact is that mistakes happen all the time on these reports. Even if you have a completely clean history, you may have a black mark on your report that could potentially cost you a job or impact your insurance premiums. Mistakes happen for no reason other than inaccurate information has been provided or information has been incorrectly entered into the system.

It is up to you to find out if there is any type of mistake on your vehicle background check and to have it removed. No one else is going to do this for you. While the process of removing errors is not as simple as you may think, it is still well worth the work that it entails. Most of the time, you can protect yourself ultimately from these potential problems by just knowing what is on your vehicle background check so that you can provide this information to an employer and therefore prove your case with them.

You can visit your local Department of Motor Vehicles to find this information out. Often there is a small fee for pulling the report, but it is well worth it to check for errors. You don't want to be suffering from someone else's mistakes!

If you have been convicted of a driving-related crime, you should know exactly what you have been convicted of and what that means for your vehicle background check. For example, a DUI and a DWI are two things that are not considered minor traffic violations, something that is commonly asked about on an application. If you make the mistake of believing that they are minor violations, then you could be falsifying an application.

In addition, if your driver's record has improved over the course of the last few years, you may have been dropping "points" as they are often called, or marks on your license. When this is the case, you may qualify for lower insurance premiums, one resaon alone that it's worth running your own vehicle background check. If something doesn't come off your record in time, you should be able to file a claim asking for it to be removed so that you can improve these insurance and driving records.

If you don't know what is on your vehicle background check you are potentially putting yourself at risk. Mistakes happen regularly but you can repair them and give yourself the best possible opportunity to secure the job or position you're after, or cut those insurance premiums.

You can run a vehicle background check on youself at: RMV Records

For more information on why you should run a background check on yourself and verify that the information held on you is accurate, sign up for our 5-Day mini-course at: Background Checks Mini-Course

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Sunday, March 23, 2008

Pre-Employment Criminal Background Checks

Every business owes its success to the dedication and diligence of its employees. It is critical to hire candidates who are not only qualified and professionally well-equipped but have a high sense of integrity and truthfulness; individuals who have repeatedly in their past displayed commendable work ethics, honesty and constant adherence to the best principals of professionalism.

Working together in any professional environment, calls for exchange of ideas and trusting your employees with your business secrets, strategies, finances, assets and clients, thereby putting sensitive information, products and your valuable services at grave risk. Instead of focusing on the core competencies of your business you would not want to get involved in expensive lawsuits or witness irreparable damage to your reputation. Your aim must be to address, mitigate and alleviate employment issues of workplace violence, employee theft, falsified employment applications, drug use, turnover and negligent hiring liability. Negligent hiring may lead to such best-avoided catastrophes, not to mention the financial detriment incurred due to the cost of recruiting, hiring and training an employee.

The ramifications and consequences of a negligent hiring procedure can be devastating. Thus, Pre-employment criminal background checks are an integral part of a diligent hiring process. Regardless of the size of your organization, your pre-employment screening process must incorporate the best practices of confirming a prospective employee?s address history, Criminal Record Search, Employment and Education Verification. It?s your need and right to find out the truth about someone who may have the proximity, information and ability to intentionally or unintentionally inflict any damage to the business you?ve worked hard to build. It?s in your hands to safeguard the fruits of your perseverance from being hollowed from within by the people you hired yourself.

There are several record providers available online as well as otherwise that specialize in Pre-employment criminal background checks. With unlimited access to vast databases, searches may be conducted, tailor-made to suit your unique needs and particular requirements. Valid and targeted searches may be conducted on your behalf by such service providers without divulging any particulars provided by you. These background checks help you make informed decisions without threatening your sense of security and well-being, while providing you with invaluable man-power which is critical to your success.

For instance, there?s Criminaldata.com, a trusted credential and criminal background verification provider with access to the department of corrections and over 200,000,000 statewide criminal records, sex offender records and court records. Criminal Data offers descriptive, reliable, accurate and quality pre-employment criminal background checks at unrivalled speed. It?s high quality service at an affordable price!

Your business is at stake and there is no scope for errors. Be in no doubt of the character of your prospective employee. Pre-employment criminal background checks are invaluable tools for eliminating the risk and impact of taking in an unsuitable and unscrupulous employee and ensuring healthy workplace environment, teamwork and a positive level of corporate health.

For More Information Visit this site http://www.criminaldata.com

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Thursday, March 20, 2008

Criminal Background Checks For Ohio Schools? Bus Drivers In Question

Last month, Columbus, Ohio, police arrested an individual who drives bus for one of the Ohio schools in Columbus. The driver was charged with possession of cocaine and further investigation found the individual had three previous convictions for driving under the influence.

First Student, Inc., is the private company, who employs the driver and provides bus drivers for many of the Ohio schools. They employ 22,000 drivers to over 500 school districts in 38 states across the country, transporting nearly two million children each school day. Of the 20,000 bus drivers within the Ohio schools, 3,000-to-5,000 work for private contractors. State law requires that bus drivers for the Ohio schools have a commercial driver?s license and a criminal background check through Ohio?s Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation.

After the driver?s arrest, First Student discovered it had not done complete criminal background checks on all of its drivers. Service to the Columbus Ohio schools was suspended and the district cancelled classes for the day to allow the company to review their background check records for other such omissions.

Spokeswoman Jennifer Robinson assured the public that First Student has submitted hundreds of the required background checks and fingerprints to the Bureau since 2004, though Alex Goepfert, spokesman for the state?s attorney general?s office, stated that the firm had not submitted anything since that year. Additionally, she stated that First Student runs all background checks through a private company and believes the arrested driver is an isolated case of omission.

Ed Simpson, chief of policy and administration for the state attorney general?s office, is searching for a better way to improve enforcement of the background check for Ohio schools? bus drivers law and to ensure such oversight does not occur again.

State attorney general Marc Dann met with Columbus area legislators to discuss ways that the statute can be strengthened. Failure to conduct these criminal background checks is a misdemeanor under the law. According to Simpson, Dann also is investigating if a criminal case or administrative action can be brought against First Student.

First Student?s oversight has other school districts within the Ohio schools asking about their drivers. Robinson stated that First Student is conducting a comprehensive review of all Ohio schools? bus drivers.

Ohio schools? Columbus district is evaluating its procedures and whether to cancel their contract with First Student. Ohio schools? Cincinnati district has asked First Student and their two other private bus driver providers to resubmit their criminal background screenings for further review; they review background checks through the state every two years and locally through a private company every six months. Ohio schools? Dayton district hires their own drivers and review background checks monthly. According to spokesmen, Ohio schools? Lorain and Elyria districts were assured by First Student that appropriate checks had been completed on all of their drivers.

Patrica Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit Ohio Schools

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All Employees In The Texas Schools To Submit To Criminal Background Check

Since 2003, the Texas schools have required background checks for all newly hired teachers and certified employees. Anyone not falling into these two categories or hired before 2003 were not included in the background checks, though some school districts included them on a local basis.

In the fall of 2006, several newspapers investigated the quality of these background checks and found that the information was often incomplete or received weeks or even months after educators were hired. Here are some of the problems with the previous Texas schools system, according to an article on March 27 by the Dallas Morning News:

? The Dallas school district conducts checks, but they did not report the criminal histories of educators to a state agency within the required seven days. One teacher had received a deferred adjudication probation in 2002 for indecent exposure. A teacher?s aide had received probation in 2002 for endangering a child.

? Since 2003, more than 200 people, who sought to be certified as educators within the Texas schools, were found to have serious offenses in their pasts. These included sexual misconduct and crimes against children.

? As recently as the 2004-2005 school year, 66 certified Texas schools teachers were found to be registered sex offenders by the State Board for Educator Certification.

Senator Florence Shapiro (R-Plano) was appalled by the fall news articles that cited some Texas schools teachers had been arrested on sex charges and others with criminal records. Knowing that nothing is more important than the safety of Texas schools? children, she decided to do something about the situation.

Shapiro introduced a bill that the legislature passed at the end of March. Now, all employees of the Texas schools must pass a national criminal background check. They all must submit to being fingerprinted for this procedure ? new hires, all current employees, teachers to bus drivers, and administrators to janitors. Any employee with a sexual offense or felony against a child on their record will lose their job. New applicants with such records will not be considered. Anyone with a history of crimes against children will be barred from employment within the Texas schools.

The new law also establishes a new statewide clearinghouse for criminal background information. All state agencies and all districts within the Texas schools will have access to the database, which must be current within three years. The database will be housed in the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The new criminal background checks for all employees of the Texas schools and the creation of the clearinghouse is estimated to cost about $34 million. The state will pick up the tab for this one.

The Texas schools join 43 other states that require national criminal background checks for all educators.

Click here for more information on Texas schools.

Patrica Hawke is a staff writer for Schools K-12, providing free, in-depth reports on all U.S. public and private K-12 schools. For more information please visit Texas Schools

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Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Background Check Service Software - What Do You Get?

Criminals are everywhere but how can you identify them and keep them away from your family, friend and co-workers? Background check service software can assist you in weeding out the bad.

Whether you are looking for a nanny to look after your children or a reliable professional to work in a team with others, it is of paramount importance to vet those who you need to trust or delegate work to.

Background check service software is widely available these days. With the advent of the internet, public records can be easily searched. In actual fact, referring to such information retrieval tools as software is incorrect as they are in the form of website databases. Semantics aside, these are powerful tools containing pertinent information on millions of individuals.

The background check service software market is a very mature one and all sort of information can be found. No matter what your application, you can find the required information, and the United States can boast the most transparent public records information.

Typical background search criteria that you can find from public records include criminal files, correctional files, credit reports, arrest records, DUI reports and felony arrests.

Background check service software can also provide other useful information not directly related to criminal activity but that can help build an overall picture of the target person's character. Such searches include marriage records, property records, small claims records, unclaimed money and family history.

As you can see, background check service software can assist you in determining if someone is honest, trustworthy and of good character.

Want to know if there are any skeletons in your potential new worker's closet? Dare you risk someone dangerous getting close to your children? Click here for access to background check service software

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The Importance of background check in hiring a Nanny

Most of the parents nowadays hire nannies in order for them to go to work. But, can they really trust a person they're going to hire to be staying home with their precious children. Background check is the best recommendation in knowing the person's history. You especially want to know if this particular person you are going to hire has criminal records like domestic violence or a sex offender. These are the most common problems that may occur with nanny applicants trying to get in and take advantage of small helpless children once they are hired. You don't want to put your children in danger. Background check will help you prevent things that may happen to you and your children and the effects that will hurt you when bad circumstances happen.

Background check is easily accessible on the internet and you can receive instant reports including, access to criminal records, the person's relatives and acquaintances and also a 30 year history past and present addresses of the person you want to search. Background check will give you the right decisions in hiring a nanny. Conducting a background check is a small price to pay, considering we are talking about your children's physiological and psychological well being or even endangering their lives.

You can never go wrong doing a background check on a person's history because one can never be sure that the nanny hired be a perfect for your children. Relying solely on your better judgment is not the wisest choice. People can deceive you in many ways. Conducting a background check will give you that peace of mind knowing you made the best choice. For more info visit: http://www.backgroundcheckunlimited.com

Becky Harrison
beckyh@backgroundcheckunlimited.com

www.Backgroundcheckunlimited.com

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How to Do a Background Check - Employees, Nanny, Friend, Anyone!

Many people are asking the exact same question - How To Do A Background Check? And Why?

There are many reasons why this is so. First of all, frauds and sexual offenses have increased over time to a level that is appalling and just goes on to show human depravity. This makes it very important for people looking to hire new employees, especially in financial institutions, and for a nanny, to look at the background of the person they are considering. This makes it important to do a background check on just about everyone you come in contact with anymore.

Second, a complete background check may be able to tell you what to look out for in other prospects as well. To do a background check is essential when considering marriage, a business contact, and new doctors as well.

So now comes the question - how to do a background check?

Typically, it takes many phone calls, repeated visits, and occasionally a bit of money as well to perform a background check on each individual. Generally, the cost to do a complete background check is somewhere around $100 per person. You will have to get in touch with the local police if needed, but generally, calling up all the former employers will be a good indication of the person's competence. You should also call up a lawyer to check up on some stuff, and they can generally do a pretty good job without much problem as well. Of course, their fee is higher too.

You have to call on the local police, the necessary government officials and potentially a lot more people to uncover just a section of a person's background. Some of the information may never be revealed, such as some information from the FBI, and certain privileged information.

The other options when trying to do a background check include two options:

Use an internet service to do a background check. The best services are provided by Instant Background Checks. It's much faster, cheaper, and easier to use a service such as this. Please note that you need someone's permission or a good enough reason to look up someone's background, don't just plug in and check up on every person that you can just because you can with this.

Hire a detective - They might not be wearing a brown overcoat with a fedora, but they know how to do a background check. Again, this can be a little costly proposition, but its a good one, especially if you need an in-depth check up.

When to do a background check:

You should definitely perform background checks on:

People looking to rent your property - Ignoring to do a background check on new tenants can be a mistake you will definitely regret.

A nanny or a child-care provider - Never trust your child with someone without a very good background check on them. Personally, I think that to have someone else take care of your child is not a good idea at all, but if you do need to at some point, it is important that you know how to do a background check.

A new employee/business contact - With the growing population of scammers running rampant, it is better to be safe than sorry. Make sure that you do a background check on new employees and business contacts, especially if they're from out of state.

Well, now that you know how to do a background check, it is essential that you start on it right away. I recommend using internet services, such as Instant Background Checks that provide background checks as the fastest and the cheapest way to get it done.

Having lived in this world long enough, the author is aware of the need to check up on more and more people following the sinful desires of their heart instead of righteousness. Having been scammed before, the author understands the necessity of background checks. The best recommendation for background checks is Instant Background Checks

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Monday, March 17, 2008

What is a Criminal Background Check?

Sadly, in the world that we live in, there are some people that will lie and cheat in order to get something that they want. In order to find out the truth about a person's history, their background and whether they have a criminal history, many people use a background check.

A criminal background check is a complete search of a person's history. Many employers use a criminal background check on their employees to make sure that they know who it is they are hiring, as well as gauge how truthful, and trust worthy a person is, before hiring them.

According to studies, up to 40% of people applying for jobs put misleading information on their resumes or lie about their qualifications to secure a job. By using a background check on short listed employees, the employer knows the truth about an employee. Many jobs in government agencies make it a policy that candidates for a job must have a background check, and in some instances a thorough investigation of an application is needed.

Criminal background checks are also useful for people other than employers. For example, if you are hiring a nanny, or baby sitter for your children, it would be in your best interest to know the truth about the person who you will be entrusting with your children.

In today's world, there are many people who are not what they seem. Many people who are dating or taking on a business partner, also like to know who it is that they are getting involved with, and if this person is trustworthy. A background check can help ease the concerns of being harmed by an unsavory person.

What To Look Out For While background checks are a great way to find out the truth about people, there are some rules that must be followed, especially by employers. Employers wanting to use a background check on possible applicants, must tell the people that they are investigating first, and they must give permission for the background check to take place.

In order to get an accurate account of an applicant, or employee, the employer will need to know the applicant's movements, such as where they have previously lived. This is because records are kept in separate counties.

Other things that an employer must verify are the reasons for not choosing an employee, especially if this information has been requested. If the employer has not hired an applicant because of their background, a fair reasonable explanation must be given to the applicant. It is also important to note that it is illegal to discriminate against an applicant who has been bankrupt before.

While background checks are useful to find out information about people that you are putting in a position of trust, you must also make sure to follow the rules of using a background check, and use the information that you obtain with discreetness and sensitivity.

Kelvin Ho runs his own business at http://www.littleriches.com. Do you need instant access to investigate anyone in the world? Check this out at http://www.littleriches.com/checks.html

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Conducting Pre-employment Background Checks

With the infinite amounts of information being passed on the Internet today, credit card frauds are happening in the information superhighway at an alarming rate. Though a lot of financial information attained for the use of credit card fraud are from the Internet through means of phishing, a common and overlooked area of obtaining critical financial information is from within a company. Most businesses handle sensitive information. This may range from social security numbers, credit card information, drivers license information and other types of personal information. In order to safeguard and assure clients and customers that their information is being handled properly, it is the responsibility of the business owner to take the necessary steps in getting a thorough background checks on all their employees. Obtaining personal or professional references alone is not to be depended on solely. It is only obvious that the prospective candidate for employment to only give references to which they will be given positive feedbacks. Conducting a background check or an FCRA credited employee check will find things about the employee where the reference check cannot. Background checks will give you accurate and in-depth information regarding the candidate.

Background checks cover a wide variety of information regarding your candidate. It encompasses, drivers license, character reference, personal acquaintances, criminal records, education records, court records, credit records and many more.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), some background check information after a certain length of time cannot be used against the candidate. This includes but not limited bankruptcy, and other consumer information records. Criminal background checks, credit reporting, worker's compensation claims and personal character reference are just a few available reports amongst the long list of types of background checks that are available. It is important for the business owner to know the laws in their specific state regarding what information is available for these specific needs.

To maximize a business owner's profitability and minimize its liability, conducting pre-employment background checks is a small price to pay, considering all that is at stake. By conducting employee background checks, you reduce occurrences of employee theft, protect your customers or clients and foremost, as a business owner, you have a piece of mind knowing you hired the right person.

Under most circumstances, conducting background checks are time consuming and therefore sometimes ignored as part of the conditions in the hiring process. In order to gain that piece of mind, it is necessary to hire a background check investigation firm.

http://www.backgroundcheckunlimited.com

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Sunday, March 16, 2008

Conducting a Background Check on Tenants!

If you are like thousands who own rental properties, it is important in having the right kinds of tenants. The mere fact that an individual has a first rate impression with you, is not the means of judging ones character. A well-mannered, well-dressed individual, who presents him or herself impressively, can still be a problem tenant. On the flipside to this, an individual who may not seem to have your qualifications in appearances and manners, maybe the most perfect candidate as a tenant. Conducting a background check for applicants is always in the best interest of the landlord.

It is important to have the tenant sign a consent form to conduct a background check. A Prospective Tenant who declines the consent form to authorize the landlord to conduct background check, usually have something to hide. Some prospective clients think that criminal backgrounds are all that will show up on their reports. So with confidence, they do sign the background check consent form. Little do they know that tenant records are actually included on these type Reports.

It is advisable not to take deposit money from a candidate before conducting a background check on the individual(s). Conducting your own reference checking can save you money; but keep in mind that most prospective tenants will only provide good reference. For most landlords, they charge prospective clients 50-$80 non-refundable application fee, which normally covers the full Background check report.

Taking the right steps now will insure that later down the road, you will be certain you made the right choice in choosing a tenant. By conducting a professional background check, landlords do not only protect their rights as property owners, they protect the rights of the potential tenants.

Background Checks provides detailed information on Criminal Background Check, Employment Back Ground Check, it includes, bankruptcies, sexual offenses, character references, police reports and many more.

For more information please visit http://www.backgroundcheckunlimited.com

Richard S. Clark

Richard S. Clark entrepreneur for 3 years now. Author of different background check articles. http://www.backgroundcheckunlimited.com

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Friday, March 14, 2008

Find Court Records With Fast Background Checks

Checking a person's background for criminal history with fast background checks has always been important and more so in this day and age. Criminals are becoming more expert at hiding their tracks, however modern technology affords the individual or organization the opportunity to use heavily cross linked and indexed databases to retrieve information on an individual in a matter of seconds.

Fast background checks can be performed on several agency websites and will allow retrieval of many public records. For instance, you can determine if someone has a criminal record in the state, and for a further fee you can find out the specific criminal convictions that a person has. Again, for an additional fee you can extend this search nationwide. Only law enforcement agencies have access to a true national database, however you will have the facility of a countywide or statewide search for the entire USA which is effectively the same thing.

We recommend to not forget to find court records. These are often overlooked by many people, however remember that someone may not have a criminal conviction but may have a history of court appearances. Whilst a hotshot lawyer and a lot of money can prevent convictions, court appearances are part of public records and cannot be denied.

In summary, we can see that fast background checks and to find court records in particular, are an important part of the vetting procedure for any new employee whether between individuals or on behalf of an organisation. Only via thorough and accurate research can the appropriate and correct hiring decisions be made.

You can learn more about fast background checks at FindRecords, a dedicated public records site

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Use Of A Driving Record For A Background Check

There are two schools of thought on this one. Some say "The job does not require driving, what connection does a persons driving record have with conducting a thorough background check for the position?" Others (myself included) say, " A MVR report contains much valuable information giving additional insight to a person?s character". Multiple offenses for speeding or failure to carry insurance for example shows lack of good judgment and a questionable level of personal responsibility at best, and may indicate a personality trait of recklessness.

Also, although most serious driving infractions should show up on the criminal records check as well as the MVR, such is not always the case. Many times it is possible to detect a pattern of drug and/or alcohol abuse here first. Since substance abuse is the leading cause of professional license revocation for RNs and LPNs, the ability to detect this behavior pattern in its early stages (as it tends to be progressive) is significantly enhanced by inclusion of the MVR.

And that's just the begining. Although the applicant may posses an apparently legitimate SSN Card (which has been verified), comparing physical identifiers, date of issue, and previous state of issue will many times bring to light irregularities in applicant supplied information.

A driver's license in America today has evolved into the primary form of identification. It is in fact used for all manner of I.D. purposes having no connection with the operation of a motor vehicle (renting a hotel room, cashing a check, opening a bank account, using a credit card etc.) Most of us have had a license for so long that we are unaware of, or have forgotten exactly what is required in order to obtain this document today.

Typically issuance of a driver's license requires;

1) Presentation of a valid Social Security card, which in and of itself requires the additional level of Federal scrutiny and documentation, including proper I.N.S. documentation and/or original raised seal birth certificate etc.

2) A second primary identifier such as passport or drivers license from another state, which again requires the subject to have previously gone through an additional level of either State or Federal identification verification. Can false I.D. be acquired and used? Yes. Is it reliable 99.8 % of the time? The answer again is Yes. Is it worth the extra few dollars to acquire this additional level of scrutiny? I believe a reasonable and prudent person would have to say "YES".

Advanced Research http://www.arsbackgrounds.com offers MVRs is most states instantly

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Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Background Check With Credit Reports For Human Resources

If you are an employer using credit reports for background checks or hiring services from third party agencies that use these procedures, you should make sure that the federal credit report act is being complied fully as otherwise you may face serious legal consequences that may cost you a lot of money on the long run.

Many new concerns have appeared after the sad events of our recent history. Security has become a serious matter and thus most employers want to cover themselves from future difficulties. However, the thin line that separates security from privacy should not be crossed or else, the employer can be liable for violating the mentioned act.

Criminal Background Checks

The numbers are amazing, 80% of companies human resource management confess that they run criminal background checks on their candidates due to the security concerns, 10 years ago, that number was only around 50%. Thus, it is not crazy to think that credit checks have risen similarly or even more.

The candidate credit standing, credit capacity, and personal characteristics are usually included in investigative consumer reports that can be ordered by employers for the purposes of hiring personnel, promoting personnel, reassigning or retaining personnel. It is always necessary, however, to protect people?s privacy or else, the legal consequences may be disastrous.

Proper Procedure

In order to access and order a consumer report including background criminal, credit and personal checks an employer must make it very clear to the applicant that these investigations will take place. There must be a written authorization signed by the applicant in order to pursue with such research programs. This disclosure must be a separate document stating only this information as clearly as possible.

Only then the employer may request a report on the candidate attaching the signed disclosure to the report requirement. However, even with the disclosure, if the information is used in violation of any equal employment opportunity legislation, the consequences of that violation will apply. Thus consulting with a legal advisor about the dos and don?ts is always suggested.

If an employer rejects a job application based on a report, then the employer must, before actually doing so, provide the candidate with a copy of the report, and a description in writing of the individual's rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Credit bureaus are obliged to provide all this information on requirement to any individual that wishes to know what information is included on their databases that may affect job or credit opportunities.

Any employer wishing to know the background of their employee?s candidates should be extremely careful with the tools used for doing so as this can have serious legal and thus economic consequences. Lawyers are preying on those who fall into the temptation of choosing personnel in violation of equal employment opportunity legislation.

Mary Wise, a professional consultant with twenty years in the financial field, helps people in the process of securing personal loans, mortgage, refinance or consolidation loans and preventing consumers from falling into the hands of fraudulent lenders. At Badcreditloanservices.com you will find more useful tips and interesting financial articles on this and many other related topics.

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Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Hit or Miss? How to Perform a Background Check on a Potential Online Date

Time passes and you are ready to finally meet Mr. Right. However, as much of a hopeless romantic as you are, you do realize that there may be some risks involved with meeting someone in person that you found online.

Therefore, you decide to run a background check on your date. When executed properly, a background check can tell you tons of valuable information about your potential date including whether he or she is married, his or her real age and even if your date has a criminal past. However, you may be new to the world of people searching and may not know which information is necessary to perform an accurate background check. In addition, if you were missing some of this required information and needed to obtain it from your date, you would want to do it in a smooth and comfortable manner without your date finding out. Relax, both of these goals can easily be accomplished if you keep the following tips in mind:

First off, before you go and try to probe your date for specific information such as his social security number or date of birth, you should realize that this type of information may not even be needed to perform an effective online background check. Thus, you may not need to ask a strange or awkward question to your date like, "If I were you, what city would I have been born in?", because this information may not even be required.

Due to the technical sophistication of sites like PeopleFinders.com, you only need basic information about your date to perform a background check. Simple information such as Mr. Right's first name, last name, city of residence and age is really all the information that you will probably need. Therefore, before you try to do some detective work on your own, check with the people search web site that you will be using to perform your background check to determine exactly which type of information you need to obtain accurate people search results.

If you do need to obtain some additional or basic information from your date to perform your background check, there is no need to panic. Casually asking questions like, "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" or "Where are you from again...were your born there too?" are not too difficult for most people to ask. Remember to relax and ask your questions in a calm and friendly manner. Additionally, most of the required information needed to perform a background check is very basic and really doesn't delve too deep into one's past. Therefore, it shouldn't be too tough to obtain from your date. If your date is hesitant to give you this type of information, you probably should look elsewhere for Mr. Right.

Finally, you can rest assured that you made the right choice by looking into the past of your date. Not only are online background checks affordable, these checks are also completely anonymous. Therefore, your date will never know that you performed a background check on them.

Founded in 2006, People Search News is a Sacramento, California based non-commercial online source for people search and people finder related news and information.

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Background Check: Be Prepared for What Future Employers Might Find

Do you know what to expect when applying for a new job? Most job seekers are under the impression that employers only check the references listed on your resume or application. This is an inherently false assumption. A recent People Search News article reported that more than 80% of all business now performs comprehensive background checks on all potential employees, compared to less than half that number 10 years ago. Also, the size of the business does not necessarily determine if a pre-employment background check will be performed.

"Many companies, regardless of size, now use online data brokers to perform background checks on employees. Employers can get a comprehensive background report in less than a minute for under $40. This is not only cost-effective, but extremely convenient," said People Search News.com editor Guy Dubleche.

Employers can also not rely wholly on the interview process or references listed on a resume or job application to gauge a prospective employee. Therefore, a majority of employers are using online background checks to gauge a prospective employee's character and work ethic before making the decision to hire them.

What is in a Background Check?

First off, many people like to associate the term "background check" with criminal records. True, if a person does have a criminal background that information is likely to show up on a background check, but a comprehensive background check contains much more information than that.

According to the Web site PeopleFinders.com employers can obtain the following information when performing a background check:

? Age

? Addresses and phone numbers (20 year history)

? Real property ownership

? Aliases and maiden names

? Known associates

? Possible relatives

? Neighbors

? Marriage and divorces

? Bankruptcies and liens (judgments)

? National criminal records

? Employment history

How do Employers use this Information?

Employers use the information in background reports to get a picture of your character and trustworthiness. Besides the basics like past salary verification, work history and address history, employers can make general assumptions about your character based on information found in a background check. For instance, bad credit or late payments may lead some employers to believe that you are un-reliable. Also, employers may look at your address history and work history to determine if you are stable individual.

Before performing a comprehensive background check on a prospective employee, employers must get the written consent of the candidate. Also, by law, anyone using information from these reports as a reason for denying you employment must tell you and give you the contact information for the agency from which the report was obtained. You can use this information to dispute any inaccurate information.

You also have the right to request a copy of your background report from the company performing the check. It is a good idea to hold onto these reports for future reference whether you were hired or not.

It is also good practice to obtain a copy of both your credit report and background report before interviewing for a job. Knowing exactly what appears on both your background and credit reports will ensure you are fully prepared to answer any questions that may arise from a prospective employer.

So, what can you do?

Though no one has a crystal ball, you can increase your chances of getting a great job and rewarding career by keeping up-to-date on the information in your credit and background report. This way, you can dispute any unnecessary items before your interview with the background check company. In addition, if you know you may have had some credit or background troubles in the past, it is best to be up front with a potential employee about it.

Founded in 2006, People Search News is a Sacramento, California based non-commercial online source for people search and people finder related news and information.

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Monday, March 10, 2008

Find Background Checks, Public Records

Want to find out if you are being scammed by someone, some business, some unclaimed property? You can search a background check on almost anything. Here are some of the things you can do:

Instantly lookup professional Investigative databases & resources

Search criminal records and inmates

Get background checks on nearly anyone

Research all convictions, court records, and court cases

Find birth records of your family tree

Lookup marriage and divorce records

Find Unlisted home & cell phone numbers

Search for DMV, DUI driving records

Find birth parents and Adoption Records

Carefully screen nannies, childcare workers & contractors

Easy to do-it-yourself Skip tracing

Complete family history research & reports

Access important Small Claims & Judgment Files

Search Real property, deeds & titles

Protect yourself from Identity theft, find fraud & alias records too

Research court case/docket numbers, criminal convictions

Lookup vital records and reports

Locate an Inmate, lookup incarceration, prisoner, sentencing files

Search lost loves, family, friends, relatives

Click Here To Learn More

Investigate anyone in the next 2 minutes! Find the truth about anyone you want to know about!

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Sunday, March 9, 2008

Background Checks

If you have ever been employed, chances are good that you've had a background check run on you. Employers looking for reliable, trustworthy individuals will often use these reports to confirm that information given on a resume is true and ensure that they are hiring persons of high standards. But what is included in a background check? Do you have control over who can access your report? How can you find out what is on your record?

What is included in a background check? Specific details of an individual's past are revealed in a background check for purposes of employment. Depending on the company providing the background check, your report may include a range of information, including: criminal records, litigation records, driving and vehicle records, education records, licensing records, military records, social security number, property ownership, credit records, employment history, worker's compensation, medical records, sex offenders list, and interpersonal interviews (with neighbors and other character references). Some services offer nothing more than the information given in a phone book, while others employ private investigators that offer the whole gamut of information. Most employers hire an outside company to give them the type of information that is pertinent to the job you are being considered for.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act bankruptcies more than ten years old; civil suits, judgments, and records of arrest more than seven years old; paid tax liens after seven years; accounts placed for collection after seven years; and any other negative information (other than criminal convictions) after seven years cannot be reported in a background check.

Do you have control over who can access your report? While some feel they have nothing to hide in a background check, concerns over submitting to one are certainly valid. Some applicants fear that employers can dig into the past in ways that are unrelated to their jobs. In addition, a background check may include information that is illegal to use for hiring, or comes from questionable sources.

When you complete an application for employment you must give your consent for a background check to be run. This is one reason why it is so important to be open and honest if there is anything in your past that may show up on your record. In some fields a clean background check is required by law for employment or to even qualify to give volunteer work, such as jobs where individuals interact with children and youth, elderly, or disabled people. Jobs that require an individual to cross the nation's borders or involve transporting goods or people will also require successful background checks. It is easy to understand why background checks would be required in such cases. In some states it is also mandatory to pass a background check in order to purchase a handgun or other restricted firearms.

Some recent controversy has risen over whether dating services should be allowed to process background checks. Services contend that they want to supply their clients with peace of mind that the people they meet within the system are upstanding citizens, while others contend that personal information should be volunteered by clients at their own discretion, just as it is in the "real world."

How can you find out what is on your record? It is in your best interest to check and update all aspects of your background check, regardless of the type of employment you are looking for. For instance, an employer may review your credit history as a means of judging your reliability, regardless of whether you will be working with money or not. It is also important to note that if you have been arrested for DUI or DWI, this is not considered a minor traffic infraction, and the failure to report it can result in being denied employment based on falsifying a form.

If you are entering the job market, and you have any concern about your record, you can hire a company to run a background check for you. Companies are listed in the yellow pages, and there are several services on-line. Most of the information is a matter of public records created by government agencies. You can certainly search out your own information.

Francesca Black develops educational material for http://www.security-port.com and http://www.security-protection.net a top resource for locating security related RSS feeds

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Legal Aspects Of Background Checking

Whenever we hear the term 'background checking' it automatically gives us the impression of a background of past criminal activities. But the truth of the matter is, performing a background check on a certain person may be necessary for a number of reasons. A background check does not necessarily involve an in depth check; it may be done for the simple purpose of clearing any doubts before entering into a business venture or hiring a new employee.

Background checking is even popular among certain communities where parents may check the background of their child's future spouse and family. In addition to searching for criminal records, background checks also help you find general information on, for example, a business company's legal status and reputation, and also its business competitors and how its products or services fare in the market.

Thus the term background checking encompasses a broad spectrum, and covers wide range of investigative researches on individuals, companies and small business. Now the question of a background check arises because there may be certain doubts or problems with a certain individual or business entity that need to be cleared. So it is important for the lawyer or the investigator to understand the context in which the checking has to be done and the nature of the problem that has to be addressed. It is the responsibility of the investigator to ask the client about the objective behind such a background check. It is important from both an ethical as well as a legal point of view.

If you are going to perform such a background check on some person or some business entity, you must be aware of several federal laws that control the access to public records and personal information. So far as the financial records are concerned, the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB) governs the procedures through which personal financial information are disclosed to a third party. Then there is the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) that protects the privacy of a person's consumer reports. Similarly, The Drivers Privacy Protection Act protects the past driving records of individuals.

Additional federal laws contain privacy provisions that restrict access to public school and medical records, as well as other records maintained by government agencies. There are many more Federal laws that regulate the disclosure of the medical reports and school days information.

However the provisions of laws dealing with the access to several public and personal information may vary with each state. Even for the governmental information that are accessible to public, there are certain restriction as to how you can use those information.

Checking the background of an individual? Go to CompleteBackgroundCheck.info for tips on Background Checks.

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Friday, March 7, 2008

Free Criminal Records and Background Checks

Important parts of any business are its employees. Without the employee there would be no business. Employees are the force that keeps a company working. Because employees are such an important part of a company, hiring new personnel is a serious matter. Each new employee must meet a high set of standards set by the business.

Do you need to conduct free criminal records and background checks? It?s a reasonable question, especially with the prices charged by some criminal records research firms. However if the hiring is the key to acquiring a company?s major resource, then free criminal records and background checks are what make the hiring complete.

Managers can make informed hiring decisions by using free criminal records and background checks. The data received in these checks is critical in discovering a person?s character. Free criminal records and background checks are needed to protect a company?s best interest. There are far too many cases of managers hiring people without a background check. Later while on the job, the employee commits a crime and the company is held liable.

Neglect on issues of hiring supervision, security, training, and retention can cause a loss in company productivity but in extreme cases can result in serious injury or loss of employee life. The company must conduct free criminal records and background checks to protect all its assets.

More and more states are passing laws that require free criminal records and background checks during the employee screening. Florida is particular about free criminal records and background checks, especially in areas where care is provided as a service. This includes checking volunteers, as well as new hires. Any volunteer or person seeking employment in a company caring for the elderly, children, and people with disabilities are required by state and federal law to undergo free criminal records and background checks.

Currently, twenty-nine states keep central databases for those conducting free criminal records and background checks. There are no national databases thus one must search each state individually. Today you can do these kinds of searches directly online from your computer.

If you want to read more about find free criminal records and background checks Visit our site at www.find-criminal-recordsonline.com

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Are You Subject to a Pre Employment Background Check

You probably went through a pre employment background check before you landed your current job. Anybody who wants to find a job often goes through a pre employment background check before being hired for any position. These checks are being done because the employers need to learn about the ilk of individuals they're hiring. This means that your past may come back to haunt you when a pre employment background check is done when you apply for a job.

My father always told his children, friends and anyone else who will listen that the past truly matters. You may not agree with this, but my dad was just being realistic. I agree with my father and I also believe that we mold our characters via our actions. You are what you do in a way. Now, remember that I'm not necessarily addressing careers, but rather routine choices and actions. The past can always come back to bite a person in the butt in my experience.

The pre employment background check routines are a good example of how your past can affect you in the future. If you have been fired before, or accused of stealing at your past places of employment, then your potential employers will think twice about hiring you. The same goes if you have been convicted of a crime. These are just some of the factors that may influence the task of finding new work.

However, the effects of your past is not only limited to pre employment background check routines. The past can also be a factor in your relationships. All that garbage about the past not being relevant that cheesy musicians rant over and over in their songs is bogus. The past will always matter and have some bearing on the present and future. The important think is that you realize that it?s important to think about what you're doing before you do it.

There?s no reason to fret, now that I've got you thinking about the choices you make and pre employment background check routines. It?s still possible to get a decent job, even if you have a turbulent past because employers know that everyone deserves a second chance.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Pre Employment Background Check. Visit our site for more helpful information about Employment Screening Background Checks and other similar topics.

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Wednesday, March 5, 2008

How To Perform A Background Check

There are various reasons why background checking of certain individuals or companies has become necessary. The reason may be as simple as a verification of the credentials of a newly appointed executive in the office. It may be as complicated as digging out the criminal past of a dishonest businessman. A background check helps in affirming the credibility of certain person or confirms the certainty of some rumors relating to the performance of certain business house. Thus when you are looking for the source of information for your investigation, you should be guided by the context and circumstances of the investigation, and not by convenience or cost factors.

Background check is a form of investigative research and there is a wide range of databases to help you find the necessary information. There are a variety of databases such as specialized databases, and regional and government databases that may be helpful in searching for different types of personal as well as public information. Then there are several research agencies that will supply you with the necessary information for a price. The most renowned among them are LexisNexis, Westlaw, ChoicePoint Online, AutoTrackXP and Accurint, which specialize, in various kinds of public records. For example, if you are tracking the address of a person over the past several years, Accurint will be able to provide you the most comprehensive information about address histories. But if you want to look up some incident in the recent past, then try AutoTrackXP's database.

In a democratic country such as the United States, the public theoretically has the right to access the government records that may seem relevant to their business. However there are restrictions on how you are allowed to use this information. The investigators who perform the background checks, therefore are required to be familiar with the various laws governing the accessibility to various public information and their permissible uses. The provisions dealing with the permissible uses of different information change with each state. However, most of the laws generally allow access to the information intended to be used for litigation-related purposes.

Up to this point so far, you have identified the context of the research, and you have identified the possible sources of information and the permissible uses of those sources. The next step involves obtaining personal identification information including name, date of birth and Social Security number. Your client may have already provided this information; even so it is your responsibility to verify them. You should also investigate the places where the person had lived and done business previously.

After you have obtained and verified the personal identification of the person in question, you can now proceed to other aspects of the investigation. For example, if you are checking the credentials of an executive, you should then look into his educational background and past employment history. Or if you are verifying rumors about the shady past of a certain person, you should start by checking for any criminal record.

Run a Background Check at Background-Check-Pro.info to check someone's background.

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Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Performing a Background Check on Your Local Ice Cream Man is a Sound Decision

Last week, I watched a movie called ?The Ice Cream Man? starring Clint Howard in which an ice cream man kills young boys, chops them up and places them inside his frozen treats. Although this movie was extremely far-fetched, ridiculous and a bit macabre, it does raise a very important question; do you really know your children?s ice cream man?

Let?s face facts, we don?t really know anything about our local ice cream man. True, we may be able to recognize him if we saw him on the street. However, other than his physical appearance, he remains a complete stranger. Though it may be dreadful to think about, he may have a criminal past and may even be a registered sex offender. The fact that most companies, let alone ice cream vendor organizations, do not perform a background check before hiring an employee makes it even more likely that your ice cream man may have a criminal history.

Even if the local ice cream man has a criminal past, should you even care? If you are a responsible parent or neighbor, your answer should be ?yes? for two reasons. First off, it is common knowledge that children love the ice cream man and don?t really have a reason to be afraid of or not trust him. Secondly, the best indicator of future behavior is to look to the past. Therefore, a convicted criminal may again commit a crime. Even more devastating to consider is that if an ice cream man wanted to harm a child, he probably would have an opportunity to do so as most parents don?t event watch their kids when they are buying ice cream or talking to the ice cream man.

So what can be done? Besides increased supervision on children when they interact with the ice cream man, the best defense against potentially dangerous ice cream men is to perform an online background check. Even if he seems nice, approachable or friendly, appearances can be deceiving, so it is best to get the facts. A standard background check from a reputable online company like www.peoplefinders.com can provide you with a complete picture of someone?s past including their criminal history and sex offender status. Most background checks can also be performed inexpensively and anonymously in less than a few minutes!

To perform a background check on your local ice cream man, you only need basic information such as his name, address, phone number or where he works. From there, a people search organization can tell you all the information that you need to know to keep your children and your neighborhood safe.

Isn?t your child worth it?

People Search News

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John Mark Karr and the JonBenet Ramsey Case: The Ripple Effect on the World of Background Checks

The arrest of former teacher Jon Mark Karr for the murder of JonBenet Ramsey will have a major impact on parents throughout the world. Parents who never once questioned the character of their children?s teachers will now have to think twice as to who they are leaving their kids with each day. Teachers, often thought of as selfless individuals who give of themselves to enlighten our youth, now will scrutinized by many due to Karr?s arrest. More importantly, the pasts of teachers will be analyzed by more school boards and parents through online background checks than ever before. Just as 9/11 brought attention to the need for protection against terrorism and Janet Jackson brought attention to the need for increased censorship, Karr?s arrest will bring attention to the need to screen teachers more carefully.

Considered by many to be the most effective way to screen potential employees, background checks are used in various capacities by school boards throughout the United States. However, just as the O.J. Simpson case led to the acknowledgment of the need for tougher domestic violence laws, the John Mark Karr arrest will lead to a tougher screening process for potential teachers. This new process will certainly be centralized around online background checks due to their inexpensiveness and unbiased information.

Hiring decisions based on impressions or gut feelings will not fly with parents who don?t want someone like Karr around their children. Online background checks also provide a sort of legal safety net for hiring officials as their decisions can be justified by the stone cold facts presented on the background check report.

It has been said that those who don?t learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Upon hearing that the alleged killer of little JonBenet was a teacher, many parents immediately questioned Karr?s school board for hiring him. However, parents who want to be a little tougher on teachers in the wake of Karr?s arrest have very limited options when it comes to checking up on who is currently teaching at their children?s schools. Looking for a way to delve deeper into the character of their children?s teachers, people search experts believe the use of online background checks by concerned parents will increase significantly in the coming years. With online background check report data, parents who also have suspicions or reservations against a particular teacher will have such data as a teacher?s criminal past to justify to the school board that teacher?s need for dismissal.

People Search News

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Monday, March 3, 2008

Employment Background Checks To Filter Out Bad From Good Applicants

Post 9/11 the world as we knew it changed forever. With the ever-present threat of terrorist attacks, the world has become filled with distrust and suspicion. With the increased emphasis on security issues today, it has become commonplace in almost all sectors, for companies and employers to take extra caution by running employment background checks into the credentials and records of potential employees. Background checks are not limited to just new applicants; even current employees may undergo background screening to help employers in their decision making such as the promotion of employees.

While companies cannot be blamed for being extra vigilant in the face of such threat, employees are generally not comfortable with the idea of having some stranger run a personal background check. It can feel very intrusive when employers dig out episodes from the employees' past, which should have no bearing or relevance to their qualification and suitability for the job at hand. If you are a potential candidate faced with a similar situation, you have every right to question the necessity of such personal background checks, and to have a say about what information can be covered in the background report and what cannot. Of course, if you have not broken any law or have any blemish on your record, you have nothing to fear from these routine background screenings.

Below are further reasons why there is a marked rise in the use of background checks:

* Following the terrorist acts of September 11, 2001, Federal Law and in some cases the State Laws have made background checks mandatory for certain kinds of employment in order to enforce tougher and more thorough screenings of new job applicants and even current employees.

* On the heels of major corporate scandals such as Enron, even top management and CEOS of corporations are no longer exempt from scrutiny and also subject to screening and checks into their background.

* In professions dealing with children, the rise in incidents such as child kidnapping and child abuse have necessitated criminal background checks of applicants in order to protect the innocent children from such predators. Some laws also facilitate this screening, such as the Federal Law of National Child Protection Act, which authorizes state officials to access the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database to perform background checks on job applicants. The same is true of professions dealing with elderly or disabled persons.

* In certain sectors, the use of falsified documents to get a job is on the rise. According to estimates, some 30% to 40% of the applicants' resumes are forged in some way or another. In such cases, background checks can help weed out the unqualified from the qualified candidates.

Ensure corporate security with Background Checks by visiting personal-background-check.info

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