We wanted to let you know that we will be closed in observance of the Memorial Day holiday. AccuScreen will resume normal business hours on Tuesday May 31st.

Enjoy the holiday!

Thanks from
The AccuScreen.com Team

What’s the difference between an Administrative Assistant and a Personal Secretary? Not a lot. Because of the fine line between many job titles, job applicants may feel justified by creatively changing their past job titles to better mesh with a prospective employer’s needs. After all, they had the same job responsibilities, right?
Not exactly.

There is a big difference between tailoring a resume to reflect how one’s experience highlights the responsibilities of the anticipated position and outright lying about the duties one performed at a prior job. Hiring managers and employers need to be aware of how potential employees often fail to recognize that difference and protect their own interests when hiring.

Repercussions
Most hiring managers have come to expect a certain amount of resume embellishment. But, there’s no excuse for accepting the practice. Anyone willing to lie on their resume is not likely to perform their responsibilities in an ethical manner. Lying, fabrications, and self-interest are not traits that magically end once a job offer has been extended. Employers should never accept anyone into the company that enters the door as the result of a lie. Employees that lack integrity eventually degrade the integrity of the company.

Due Diligence
As long as resume fraud is prevalent – and it doesn’t show signs of abating – employers have to ensure that they protect their own interests by performing stringent resume checks. In addition to contacting previous employers, references, and managers, HR departments must develop a sound policy of background screening. All of these aspects combine to portray an accurate picture of each job candidate, thereby allowing hiring managers to make the most informed decision possible.

So, what’s the best advice employers can heed? Verify! Do your homework. You’ll be pleased with the results.

AccuScreen creates an annual Top 7 Resume Lies Report. This year we have decided to go one step further and break each resume lie down for you. Over the next few weeks we will be featuring one of the top resume lies for the week.

This weeks lie is “Dates of Employment”

It is somewhat common for people extend the from/to employment dates on their resume to cover up gaps in their employment history, even small ones. After all, hiring managers want to know why a job candidate has such a gap. No applicant wants to be put in the hot seat, trying to adequately explain themselves.

There are many reasons for such gaps. Could be that the applicant took time off from work to raise a family. Maybe a parent was ill and needed round-the-clock care. Perhaps the candidate was fired from one position, and the next position was a long time in the works. Whatever the reason, job applicants will go out of their way to avoid having to explain why.

But, from a hiring manager’s standpoint, that “why” can be a big deal. In the worst case scenario, a potential employee that lies to cover up gaps in employment may be hiding a far more sinister reason than a much needed mental health break. Some reasons for doing so may even be criminal.

The job search process for convicted criminals is a tough one; far harder than for the average citizen. This is obviously because many employers won’t even consider a convicted criminal for employment, regardless of the crime. For this reason, many convicted criminals, especially those who were incarcerated, will cover up their incarceration by fudging the dates on their resume. Although the applicant may believe this is the only way he or she can level the employment playing field, employers may open themselves up for any number of liabilities after hiring such an individual.

The right to make an informed decision aside, hiring managers need to know the legal status of the people they hire. People who lie about the dates of their employment:

• Waste the time and money of potential employers

• Put employers and fellow employees at risk if they have a criminal background

• Clearly display a lack of ethics

• Rob hiring managers of the right to make an informed decision

In an ideal world, all job applicants would be completely honest on their resumes. However, since this is not the case, employers must implement a hiring policy that includes thorough vetting of a candidate’s resume as well as a criminal background check before an offer of employment is extended.

In A Tough Job Market, Resume Lies Reach New Levels Of Absurdity, Reports AccuScreen.

As job seekers have become more desperate, the number of people lying on resumes and job applications has spiked to 46% according to

AccuScreen’s 16th annual ‘Top 7 Resume Lies’ report.

TAMPA, FL — Resume lies, falsification rings, diploma mills, and a host of other outrageous tactics have reached record levels as the job market tightens. For 16 years, AccuScreen, a leader in employment background screening, has recorded trends in resume falsification. According to internal data, 46% of people present false information on their resume or job application — a 3 point increase over 2008.

“The unemployment rate has risen to historically new levels. As people have become more desperate, the lies have become more creative, harder to trace, and ultimately, more detrimental for employers,” said Kevin Connell, CEO of AccuScreen.

AccuScreen publishes an annual ‘Top 7 Resume Lies’ report and offers it free of charge to employers. From buying credentials from diploma mills to exaggerating past experience and pay, the report reveals the red flags hiring teams need to be aware of when screening applicants.

The recently released ‘Top 7 Resume Lies’ report is now available free to download.

According to Kevin Connell, the most common resume lies involve:

• Falsified employment dates to cover up gaps or jobs from which the applicant was fired
• Exaggerated job titles and responsibilities
• Fake experience at ‘ghost’ companies
• Covering up criminal records
• Inflated salaries
• Falsification of education credentials
• Falsification of professional credentials

Connell says that these lies can severely chip away at the integrity of an organization. At best, employers can overpay for unqualified people that erode the position of a company in its industry. At worst, frauds can con their way into companies and gain access to trade secrets and financial information.

“Employers must be vigilant about screening who they allow into their company. Job seekers too must be aware that employers are scrutinizing their applications and resumes more than ever — embellishing doesn’t impress, it’s a sure way to quickly lose your candidacy for the position,” said Connell.

To download the ‘Top 7 Resume Lies’ report, visit AccuScreen at http://www.accuscreen.com/.

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 (http://www.accuscreen.com/about/our-president-ceo/) 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 check services, education verification, license verification, and other essential pre-employment screening services. 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

http://www.accuscreen.com

The 2008 article From the Editor-in-Chief’s Desk: The “Workplace-During-Recession” Reminding Us of Employee Rights and Responsibilities, published by Margaret H. Vickers in the Employee Responsibilities and Rights Journal states that “many workplaces take on a subtle but definite shift in identity when the R-word (recession) is on the horizon.  However, the outcome of this identity additive is less than subtle.  For workers who are marginalized for any reason… it’s a time to be nervous.”  Workers at the margins, those most likely to be affected by recession, are also the most likely to “snap” a work.

There are three primary pressures that may increase anxiety for workers during a recession:

• Job losses
• Job uncertainty
• Slashed budgets

These factors are often in addition to personal issues employees often face such as financial or relationship worries.

Reason to Worry
Experts indicate that there is reason to worry.  Most perpetrators of workplace violence seem completely “normal” before an incident.  But, fear can be a powerful persuader – fear of losing a job, not being able to make financial ends meet, and the intense pressure that can be put on personal and work relationships when so many worries pile up – make recessions a contributing factor for workplace violence.

The Catch-22
Because recession often forces an organization to cut costs, many elect to forgo thorough pre-employment screening and/or continued employment screening.  Right when the need is most pressing, many companies remove one of the most important barriers to workplace violence.  Although it’s not entirely necessary to step up screening during a recession, it’s never advisable to reduce or eliminate the practice.

According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, “pre-employment screening is an important part of workplace violence prevention.”  Recession, which promotes an environment of increased worker stress, is a major contributing factor to workplace violence.  Companies that have a sound pre-employment screening plan in place, in addition to education and response policies, may experience less violence than workplaces that don’t screen workers.

FOUR STEPS TO BETTER DISCIPLINE

Question : I have a long-term employee who ties up the telephone with personal calls. Nothing I say seems to discourage her from continuing to waste her time and my money. How can I handle this? Does the fact that she has worked here for 17 years make termination a poor choice?

Answer : Termination is sometimes the only solution for an employee who will not conform to an employer’s rules and guidelines. Her tenure does not automatically protect her from termination. But it does add to the list of precautions you will want to take in a situation of this nature. For example:

* The employee is a woman and therefore protected from possible sex discrimination.
* If she is 40 years of age or over, she is protected from possible age discrimination.
* The fact that you have allowed her to “get by” with telephone abuse for a long time and now consider terminating her may allow her to argue that you’re looking for an excuse to fire her because of her sex or age.

Your worst possible action would be to suddenly terminate this employee. Instead, consider a progressive discipline approach. Progressive discipline gives the employee a clear explanation of the problem and allows time for the employee to correct her behavior.

Here’s how a progressive discipline plan might work using a four-step system:

1. Give the employee a verbal warning. Be specific about what she is doing that is unacceptable, and tell her exactly what behavior you expect. Also tell her the consequences if her behavior does not change.

2. Prepare a written account of the inappropriate behavior and the correct behavior that you expect. Have the employee read and sign. Include language that explains that failure to correct the inappropriate behavior will result in suspension from work or possible termination.

3. Suspend the employee from work for one to three days without pay. Make it clear to the employee that further inappropriate behavior will mean termination.

4. Terminate.”Progressive discipline” gives an employee the chance to improve job performance before you are forced to dismiss them.

Such a policy often prompts employees to feel they have a right to advance through each stage of progressive discipline before dismissal occurs. This employee expectation conflicts with the employer’s need — on rare occasions — to immediately fire an employee.

Here’s how to resolve this potential conflict:

State that your “Progressive Discipline Policy” will be implemented solely at the discretion of management.

Avoid promises such as “XYZ Company will never dismiss an employee without first applying progressive discipline.”

Include a disclaimer stating that your Progressive Discipline Policy is not meant to create contractual employment rights.

If you list in your policy examples of misconduct, explain that the list is not a complete inventory of offenses for which employees can be disciplined. Example: “This list describes various offenses that merit discipline. It is not all-inclusive. XYZ Company reserves the right to discipline employees for any offense — including those not detailed in this list — that interferes with work performance or endangers the safety or health of the employee, the public or a coworker.”

[NOTE: Information and guidance in this story is intended to provide accurate and helpful information on the subjects covered. It is not intended to provide a legal service for readers' individual needs. For legal guidance in your specific situations, always consult with an attorney who is familiar with employment law and labor issues.]

I would like to know how other organizations conduct background checks. We use an agency and only check on Felonies for administrative staff. We rely on the applicant to disclose where they may have lived and then we search those counties or states as appropriate.  This process is dependent on the applicant disclosing all places lived which may not always happen. Is there a central database that could be searched? 

First, you state that you are only checking for Felonies. That’s a problem because there are many Misdemeanors that you are missing. As a general guideline, the only difference between a Felony and a Misdemeanor, is the amount of drugs, merchandise or money stolen, or what type of weapon was used in the criminal act. Misdemeanors can be violent, such as Simple Assault, Sex Offenses, Weapons Violations, Child Abuse or Domestic Violence. Or Misdemeanors can be classified as non-violent, such as charges of Fraud, Theft, Gambling, Drug Possession, DUI, and Prostitution. Additionally, many defendants are arrested on a Felony charge, but if they have a half-decent public defender or attorney, the Felony can be pleaded down to a Misdemeanor. Again, if you are searching for Felonies only, you are missing out on a lot of important criminal case information.

Secondly, you are relying on the applicant to be truthful as to where he lived or worked in the past, that would be sufficient, if all applicants told the truth, but we know that that is not the case, conservatively 1/3 of all job applications and resumes are falsified. I sense that you already know that, and you would like to verify that the applicant is being truthful on where he lived in the past, so you can search all applicable jurisdictions. My recommendation would be to do a social security number and previous address verification. This SSN screening inquiry serves as a good locator tool and is helpful in pointing out all jurisdictions to search for Criminal records.

Finally, you ask is there a central database that you can search. I would need to know a little bit more about the type of organization that you represent, but I will make the assumption that you are a private employer and you, like most companies, cannot access the central database of the FBI or National Criminal Information Center (NCIC), which are only available to law enforcement, or other industries regulated by the Federal Government, such as banks. The only database that you could search, is what is called a National Criminal File, which is a database complied by private companies into a private database, which is a good search to supplement your current criminal record search, but not as a stand alone search. The database is good when primarily used as a locator tool, similar to the SSN Inquiry, because it may point out to you other jurisdictions that the applicant has been arrested or convicted of a crime in the past. Whether you add this service or not is up to you, but at a bare minimum, you would want to do a Criminal Records check either on a county by county basis, or state by state, or a combination of the two, going back the past 7 years, and searching those jurisdictions that the applicant has lived or worked.

Kevin Connell
CEO of AccuScreen.com

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

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: 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.

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.

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.