MEDIA ALERT : Join us Tonight on FOX News Edge at 11:00pm tonight on Fox 13 Tampa Bay

November 2, 2011 ( Tampa, FL) AccuScreen.com’s CEO and Background Screening Expert Kevin Connell will be interviewed tonight on Fox News Edge about the Herman Cain dilemma & the Sexual Harassment charges made toward him.

The interview will center on the subject of Sexual Harassment and the accusations brought forth by former employees that worked under the Republican Presidential candidate when he was the CEO of the National Restaurant Association during the 1990’s.

This is an interview that you will not want to miss!

If you are not in the Tampa Bay area, no worries, we will be posting the link to the interview afterwards, the video will appear under www.AccuScreen.com/blog

Watch Fox News Edge tonight at 11:00 PM on Fox 13 Tampa Bay.

AccuScreen CEO Kevin Connell Speaking at HR Florida State Convention

Employment Background Investigations, Kevin Connell, will present a session at the HR Florida State Council Conference in Orlando, Florida on Tuesday, August 30, 2011 at 11:45 am titled “Resume Fraud in Today’s Economy & Negligent Hiring”.

Join Kevin Connell to learn the types of resume fraud most common in today’s economy, as well as, the shocking cost of Employee Theft. Kevin will also present on Negligent Hiring and how HR professionals can reduce such risks.

Are You Ready to Skyrocket Your Passion & Power in the New Economy?

In a complimentary webinar on April 20th 2011 at 3:00pm EST, Kevin Connell business coach, author, and founder of AccuScreen.com. Is inviting coaching extroadianre Kathy Eppley to help show you how to gain the clarity, confidence and certainty to help change your mindset.

TAMPA, FL — In an upcoming live webinar, speaker and coach Kathy Eppley will help you delivers results! She is a master teacher who enables her clients and audiences to quickly breakthrough limits and achieve far beyond what they ever imagined.

Some people may ask why is AccuScreen offering a webinar like this one? Kevin Connell explains, “Well, over the past 3 years, when the financial bubble burst, the economy receded, layoffs began…so did many people’s mindsets, where before people had certainty, many now have uncertainty about their future, and things have hit people financially, a spouse may have lost a job, others got behind on a mortgage payments, stress and pressure has been present like never before, but there is hope.”

“Not surprisingly, many people’s mindsets are wounded, their self esteem is low where it was once high, think of this presentation and discussion as one important step to help people’s mindset, get their heads uncluttered with all of the negative news that the media pounds us with, and this webinar is designed to help a small business owner as well as someone who may be a mid level manager at a corporation, whether you are an entrepreneur, an HR manger, an employee, etc. this is FOR YOU!”

Discover the Secrets of Astounding Results That Will Enable You to …

• Shatter the Glass Ceiling of Limitation in Your Mind Including All the Doubt, Fear, Excuses and Self Sabotage Holding You Back!

• Set and Achieve Big Goals Regardless of Circumstances & Market Conditions!

• Build Powerful New Beliefs & Gain the Clarity, Confidence & Certainty to Reach Amazing New Levels of Productivity!

• Re-Energize, Re-Ignite & Re-Vitalize Your Business

Bob Proctor, legendary transformational expert, author, speaker and featured teacher in the hit movie and bestselling book, THE SECRET said it best when he summed up the impact and results Kathy Eppley delivers to her audiences and clients… “Circumstances and conditions will melt away; put this program to work, it’s like taking money to the bank!”

To Register Click Here . The webinar hosts will provide free advice and challenge the audiences to think bigger than they ever have before, to engage their passion and to play life full-out.

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. He is widely quoted and 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.

Kathy Eppley is a law of attraction expert business transformation coach and dynamic speaker who specializes in helping entrepreneurs, solo-professionals and real estate professionals break through barriers to high six figure success.

Her passion is helping business owners and individuals raise the bar and stretch to attract the money and success they really want and deserve, and have the time and energy to live with passion, fully engaging in all aspects of their lives.

Kathy had a former career as an English Teacher and also spent over twenty years in Residential Real Estate Sales & Marketing as an Agent and Broker before founding Astound Yourself! Coaching/Consulting in 2011. Kathy resides in Texas with her two dogs, Patch and Dallas, and two cats, Sasha and Sammy.

Background Checks Demystified in Recent Webinar

In our recent webinar on February 23rd Kevin Connell CEO of AccuScreen and Mike Sankey discuss Google and Employment Background Checks.

Can Facebook get you fired?

Tampa Bay Fox News invited Kevin Connell CEO and Founder of AccuScreen, to discuss the latest settlement involving Facebook. This settlement that was reached on Monday involving Facebook is expected to set an important precedent for future fights between employers and employees.

Watch the interview below and tell us what you think about companies firing over Facebook posts?

Can Facebook get you fired?: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

Webinar – January 18th at 1:00PM EST

Top Seven Resume Lies – Job Rank/Title

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.

Top 7 Resume Lies – Dates of Employment

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.

AccuScreen CEO’s Interview on Fox News 13

If you were not able to catch the latest interview of AccuScreen’s CEO Kevin Connell on Fox News 13 here it is.

Accu-Screen CEO Will Discuss Workplace Texting on Fox 13 News Tampa Bay Tonight

 
In a segment to appear during the Fox 13 Late News, Kevin Connell of Accu-Screen addresses the increased incidence of texting in the workplace.
 
Tampa, FL / October 14, 2010 – Accu-Screen Founder and CEO Kevin Connell will appear today on the 10 p.m. edition of the Fox 13 News in a segment focusing on texting in the work place. Following its broadcast the segment will be available for archived viewing on the Fox 13 website.

Accu-Screen is a leader and expert in employment background screening, specializing in criminal background checks. Connell will speak on the increase trend of texting in the workplace and how it will only continue to increase. This is a must see if you are an HR Manager, Employee, or Employer.

Connell will be covering stories about employees being fired via text.

“Abusing personal phone calls in the workplace use to be the issue, then email, and now it is texting.” says Connell. “In this segment I am going to give my take and advice on what employers and employees need to watch out for.”

Those who wish to view the Fox News Segment during the on-air broadcast should tune in at 10 p.m. The segment will be available for viewing online. Accu-Screen will provide a link to the recorded broadcast on their website.
 
About Accu-Screen, Inc.
 
Since 1994, Accu-Screen, Inc. 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. 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 also serves as a national speaker and expert in negligent hiring, resume fraud, employee theft, and embezzlement.
 
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Media Contact:
Sue Marriott
Accu-Screen, Inc.
800/689-2228 ext 1100
SueMarriott@accuscreen.com

Workplace Violence in a Recession

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.

How Can An Employer Discipline a Time-Waster?

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.]

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