AccuScreen CEO Hosts August 25 Webinar Defining Employee Screening Rights

Kevin Connell, AccuScreen CEO and proponent of employer hiring rights, will unravel misleading quotes in a recent Associated Press article and clarify employers’ hiring rights in regard to pre-employment background checks.

TAMPA FL / August 23 2010 — Alarmed by the widely published Associated Press article from August 11th with the headline, “Some Job-Screening Tactics Challenged as Illegal,” AccuScreen has mounted a public response to counter statements that company leaders believe could misinform employers about their hiring rights.

In a webinar to be held Wednesday August 25 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST, Connell will unravel misleading facts in the article and explain employers’ hiring rights in regard to conducting a criminal background check and verifying the truthfulness of an applicant’s resume or job application.

Connell, the CEO of employment screening services company AccuScreen and outspoken proponent of employer hiring rights, believes the article is misleading and may have the effect of needlessly scaring employers about taking necessary steps to protect their companies.

“The article says that ‘companies using criminal records or bad credit reports to screen out job applicants might run afoul of anti-discrimination laws as the government steps up scrutiny of hiring policies that can hurt blacks and Hispanics’ — that is just ridiculous,” said Connell. “Employers have the right to ensure that they are hiring employees that will not jeopardize their company.”

The one-hour webinar, “Employee Screening Rights: 3 Must-Know Rules to Avoid the Wrath of the EEOC”, hosted by Connell, will explain:

· Employer’s rights in regard to running background checks on employees or job candidates
· The top 7 resume lies and how to spot them

Those interested in attending the free webinar can register online at: Webinar

“Employers cannot be made afraid to run a background check on applicants in order to protect their company, their employees, and their customers. In fact, laws have been passed making it mandatory to do criminal background checks in such industries as healthcare and daycare,” Connell said.

Those who cannot attend the webinar are encouraged to register for the event; a complimentary white paper, ‘Screening Job Applicants Without Discriminating,’ will be made available to all webinar registrants.

According to Connell, background checks can actually protect employers from being sued if an employee states he or she was fired or not hired because of illegal discrimination. “If the selection procedure has a disparate impact based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, can the employer show that the selection procedure is job-related and consistent with business necessity? An employer can meet this standard by showing that it is necessary to the safe and efficient performance of the job.” These guidelines, says Connell, comes directly from the EEOC.

Kevin Connell is available for comment on this subject. For interview inquiries, contact Sue Marriott at 1.800.689.2228 ext # 1100 or SueMarriott@AccuScreen.com.

About Kevin Connell:
Kevin G. Connell is a renowned professional background screening expert. He is recognized for his expertise on employment background screening, criminal record checks, workplace fraud, embezzlement, employee theft, resume fraud and negligent hiring in the workplace. Connell has spoken at numerous business, security & human resources conferences, including twice providing testimony before the Florida Supreme Court. He is widely quoted, has had several articles published in magazines, has been featured on television, including ABC-TV “Money Matters,” the Fox News Channel and has been interviewed on more than 126 live talk radio programs. Connell is a former founding Director of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS); he served on the board from 2003-2005.

About AccuScreen:
Since 1994, AccuScreen.com has been an industry pioneer, leader and expert in employment background screening, specializing in criminal background checks. Its reports are delivered to companies across the world in 2-72 hours.

Media Contact
Sue Marriott
SueMarriott@AccuScreen.com
410 S. Ware Blvd. Suite 607
Tampa, FL 33619
1.800.689.2228 ext # 1100

5 Quick Tips to Taking a Vacation without Worrying about Your Job Security

This week I was in the DC Washington area and did a remote live interview with Fox News Tampa Bay. I wanted to share with you the 5 tips that I shared in the interview. These are tips to keep in mind when taking a vacation to help you prevent worrying about your job security.

1. Team up with a trusted “Buddy” at work. You delegate what needs to be done, key contacts to be made, duties and deadlines that need to be completed while you are on vacation. Make sure this is a competent co-worker who is someone that is a team player, and most of all, someone that you trust. Then you return the favor when your “Buddy” goes on vacation.

2. Communicate and approach your manager ahead of time, schedule your vacation during a non-peak period for your particular business or industry, your manager will appreciate the fact that you planned ahead and came up with this system, you’ve made it easy for your manager to approve your vacation request. This also shows that you care about your job and the company.

3. If you can “disconnect” from work completely, that is what a vacation is for after all, to relax, decompress and re-charge those batteries. However, if you must stay connected, have rules and parameters as to when you will be available to take calls or emails. On a 1 week vacation, it might work like this, I will be available for “emergencies only” and you can reach me at this number, but make sure that everyone knows what defines an emergency. Besides this exception, you could make yourself available on certain days and times, such as between 9:00 and 10:00 am on Tuesday, and then 7:00 and 8:00 PM on Thursday.
Make sure to communicate, set the parameters and stick to them.

4. Know the company culture from the start and this means at the job interview, or after a job offer has been extended, ask about the topic of vacations, and are we “unplugged” during vacations? Then you will know from the very beginning what you can expect and make the decision as to whether this company is the “right fit” for you. The very first vacation that you take with any company will in all likelihood dictate how vacations will work in subsequent years, keep this is mind, because how you treat a vacation and whether you stay “plugged in” sets expectations.

5. This is very important, if you don’t take a vacation, you will feel cheated, and you’ll probably feel some resentment, anger, stress and the likely result is that you will burn yourself out. So what good are you now? Make sure you take time off, if you don’t, you will likely regret it later.

Sincerely,
Kevin Connell
Founder & CEO of AccuScreen.com

To see the full interview with Kevin Connell on Fox News Tampa Bay you can go here.

Webinar: Friday August 13, 2010 – Workplace Violence in the 21st Century

Webinar: Workplace Violence in the 21st Century – 2:00 PM Eastern 11:00 Pacific

Tampa, Fl., August 11, 2010—In the wake of the beer distributorship shooting and tragic loss of life in Manchester, CT on August 3rd, many Human Resource professionals and business leaders are taking a fresh look at their policies and procedures that address workplace violence. A new webinar, “Workplace Violence in the 21st Century: Top 10 Lessons Learned,” offers employers and HR professionals an opportunity to learn from and ask questions of two experts who have worked on the prevention of workplace violence for decades. The webinar will take place on Friday, August 13, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. EDT.

Individuals can register for this free webinar at: http://www.accuscreen.com/media/webinars

Hosted by AccuScreen Inc., an industry pioneer, leader and expert in employment background screening, the webinar will feature founder and CEO Kevin Connell interviewing Barry Nixon, the executive director of the National Institute for Prevention of Workplace Violence, Inc., a company focused on assisting organizations to effectively implement programs to prevent workplace violence. Connell, also an expert on the subject of workplace violence and on background checks, promises a content-packed discussion.

The webinar will address the issue of workplace violence, the warning signs to look out for, and why no company no matter how large or small is immune. Most importantly, Connell and Nixon will speak about ways to prevent workplace violence from happening in the first place.

Adds CEO Connell of AccuScreen, “we will address not only why workplace violence has been on the rise, but also dispel the different myths that are out there such as the ‘disgruntled worker just snapped.’”

Connell and Nixon will reserve time on the webinar for questions. They encourage participants to bring questions that they may have about workplace violence.

About Accu-Screen Inc.
Since 1994, Accu-Screen, Inc. has been an industry pioneer, leader and expert in employment background screening, tenant screening, nanny screening and date screening, specializing in criminal background checks. Its reports are delivered to companies across the world with turnaround times from Instant to no more than 72 hours. CEO Kevin G. Connell founded the company with a burning desire that companies hire the right people from the start, resulting in greater cost control and better safety in the workplace. Mr. Connell served as a Founding Director of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), and he is a frequent Radio and Television Guest, appearing on ABC and Fox. Kevin also serves as a national speaker and expert in negligent hiring, resume fraud, employee theft, and embezzlement. Accu-Screen, Inc. is a C.A.U.S.E. Certified Background Screening Company.

About Kevin Connell
Kevin Connell has over 15 years experience as CEO & Founder of AccuScreen.com, a Global Background Screening Company, specializing in Criminal Background Checks. Mr. Connell was one of the founding Directors of the National Association of Background Screeners (www.napbs.com); he is an internationally-known expert on Background Checks, Occupational Fraud and Embezzlement, as well as a speaker, published author who has appeared on over 73 Television and Radio shows including Fox News and ABC’s Money Matters.

About Barry Nixon
W. Barry Nixon is the Executive Director of the National Institute for Prevention of Workplace Violence, Inc., a company focused on assisting organizations to effectively implement programs to prevent workplace violence. Having spent over twenty years in Human Resources and Organization Development in Fortune 500 companies. Mr. Nixon is well grounded in the real issues companies face and develops practical solutions based on having been there. Mr. Nixon is a frequently requested speaker both in the US and internationally on the subject of Workplace Violence and Background Screening.

Felons Who Cross State Lines Pose Hiring Threat

According to a recent investigative series in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, between 1.9 and 2.7 million felony fugitives (including rapists and murderers) have eluded capture by crossing state lines.

Companies that unknowingly hire felons or fugitives put themselves at increased risk of embezzlement, fraud, lawsuits and workplace violence. Employers should be alert to the possibility that a fugitive criminal may be hiding in their workplace.

Corporations and hiring managers that engage employment screening experts can dramatically reduce their risk of hiring an employee with a hidden criminal record. Accu-Screen’s in-depth criminal background screening services can give employers that additional peace of mind.

Post-Dispatch reporters found a persistent problem with outstanding warrants across the country. If local or county police departments don’t enter all their warrants in the FBI database, fugitives not listed in the database can escape detection for their prior crimes.

“It’s alarming that so many criminals get away with their crimes and go on to victimize new people in another state,” says Kevin Connell, chief executive officer and founder of Accu-Screen. “Our on-the-ground criminal background searches result in a more accurate ‘criminal hit ratio,’ which prevents these law-breakers from endangering companies.”

Key facts about this national crisis include:

A statewide dragnet across Florida last month dubbed “Operation Orange Crush” led to the arrest of 2,497 fugitives, including those of 113 homicide suspects, 255 sex offenders and 55 gang members. The U.S. Marshalls led a sweep targeted towards the “worst of the worst” offenders. According to the Post Dispatch report, 35% of Felony Warrants in Florida are not entered into the FBI Database.

Organizers of Philadelphia’s “Fugitive Safe Surrender” program were astonished when 1,248 felons turned themselves in at a local church in mid-September. Out of the 1,248 participants, 424 of them were wanted on felony matters. The program was designed to encourage non-violent fugitives to settle their outstanding warrants.

More than one third of all felony warrants are not entered into the FBI’s National Crime Information Center database checked by police across the country.

Local police often refuse to pick up fugitives from other states, even when they’re wanted for violent crimes.

“Corporations and hiring managers that engage employment screening experts can dramatically reduce their risk of hiring an employee with a hidden criminal record,” said Connell. “Accu-Screen’s in-depth criminal background screening services can give employers that additional peace of mind.”

Accu-Screen has created a complimentary white paper, “Felons Who Cross State Lines Pose A Hiring Threat,” so that hiring professionals may get additional information on this important topic.

Social Media Background Checks Explained in AccuScreen Webinar

Should Employers Use Facebook, MySpace, or LinkedIn to Screen Candidates and Make Hiring Decisions? Background Screening Expert Explains the Dangers to Avoid

Tampa, FL /  October 7, 2009 — AccuScreen Inc. (http://www.accuscreen.com), an employment background screening firm, will host a free Webinar presentation at 3PM Eastern, Thursday, October 8, 2009 titled “Social Media Background Checks: Facebook and Beyond” featuring ceo and founder Kevin Connell.

Social and professional networking sites have become enormously popular ways to connect with friends and colleagues. MySpace™ has 125 million American users, Facebook™ has 300 million U.S. members and LinkedIn™ has 47 million members.

Recently, the Florida Bar Associate Board of Examiners updated its policy to include a review of social networking sites for certain categories of its state bar applicants.

Social networking sites also present a tempting source of information for employers. Surveys by the National Association of Employees and Colleges cited in July 2006 that 26.9 percent of hiring managers are currently doing online checks of prospective candidates’ social networking profiles, often before they contact them for an initial interview. Other surveys by CareerBuilder and the National Association of Law Placement support these findings.

According to experts at AccuScreen, screening candidates by reading their online profiles presents numerous legal and ethical challenges for businesses, recruiters and hiring managers.

Employers who choose to use these and other social networking sites, such as Twitter™, must use care to avoid attaining and using information in a discriminatory way. They need to ensure that they are in compliance and do not break privacy laws, as well as be sure that the information obtained is accurate.

This Webinar is part of the ‘Paying It Forward’ series. In celebration of their 15^th anniversary AccuScreen created this free-to-attend series to provide objective, actionable, and important information about the proper role and practice of background screening in the hiring and employment process.

This one-hour event qualifies for HRCI Continuing Education credits.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at: http://www.accuscreen.com/webinars.html. Or call 800-689-2228 to register by phone.

AccuScreen Webinar Confronts Misinformation about National Criminal Database Search

Complimentary presentation tackles misleading information surrounding the National Criminal Database Search and provides employers the truth about databases searches in the background screening process

Tampa, FL (PRWEB) September 23, 2009 — AccuScreen Inc. (http://www.accuscreen.com), an employment background screening firm, will host a free Webinar presentation at 3PM Eastern, Friday, September 25, 2009 titled ‘The Truth about the National Criminal Database Search’ featuring ceo and founder Kevin Connell.

The National Criminal Database Search is also known as the National Criminal Index, the National Criminal File, a Multi-Jurisdictional Criminal Search, a Criminal Super Search and a host of other names. According to the experts at AccuScreen, many background screening companies improperly market this database search to business and consumers.

“People are selling this database as if it’s the only thing you need to be doing, and it’s wrong” says Kevin Connell of AccuScreen.

Friday’s Webinar will answer questions about the National Criminal Database Search, including:

• What does this search do and what does it not do?
• Why do certain well-known background screening companies who sell this search to businesses and consumers not want the truth of this search to be known?
• What are the sources of information that make up these national records?

“This practice has gone by too many names and confused too many people,” adds Connell.

This Webinar is part of a continuing series created to provide objective, actionable, and important information about the proper role and practice of background screening in the hiring and employment process.

In celebration of their 15th anniversary, AccuScreen will provide this educational Webinar free of charge. This one-hour event qualifies for HRCI Continuing Education credits.

Reserve your Webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/982790923. Or call 800-689-2228 to register by phone.

About AccuScreen Inc.
Since 1994, AccuScreen, Inc. has been an industry pioneer, leader and expert in employment background screening, tenant screening, nanny screening and date screening, specializing in criminal background checks. Its reports are delivered to companies across the world with turnaround times from Instant to no more than 72 hours. CEO Kevin G. Connell founded the company with a burning desire that companies hire the right people from the start, resulting in greater cost control and better safety in the workplace. Mr. Connell served as a Founding Director of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), and he is a frequent Radio and Television Guest, appearing on ABC and Fox. Kevin also serves as a national speaker and expert in negligent hiring, resume fraud, employee theft, and embezzlement. AccuScreen, Inc. is a C.A.U.S.E. Certified Background Screening Company.

About Kevin Connell
Kevin Connell has over 15 years experience as CEO & Founder of AccuScreen.com, a Global Background Screening Company, specializing in Criminal Background Checks. Mr. Connell was one of the founding Directors of the National Association of Background Screeners (www.napbs.com); he is an internationally-known expert on Background Checks, Occupational Fraud and Embezzlement, as well as a speaker, published author who has appeared on over 73 Television and Radio shows including Fox News and ABC’s Money Matters.