Background Check company-3 WC Blog 133
Pre-employment screening-4
NOT Hiring Someone Can Have Legal Ramifications; Let A Background Check Company Guide You Through The Process
As an employer, you want to know as much as you can about the people who will be working for you. What is their work history, education, certifications, things that might give you an idea of whether they have the training or skills necessary to perform the job. If you own a furniture store, you may need someone with a clean driving record to drive your delivery trucks. If you own a hair salon, you may require state certification. You may be looking for someone who has already compiled a significant amount of work experience. Some jobs are looking for people with specific backgrounds such as military or police experience. Pre-employment screening can help to identify those people who are who they say they are and those who are pretenders.
A background check company can do all these things for you and more. Retailers handle cash transactions, credit card information, checks and often personal information when completing applications for in-store credit or “reward” cards. For owners and managers of these stores it only makes sense to have a credit history check completed for potential job candidates. Pre-employment screening can include a credit check, show payment history and bankruptcy, liens and judgements against a candidate. Criminal history can also be checked on a local, state (where allowed) and federal level. It makes sense to know who will be handling payments and your customers’ information.
You do need to be aware that while you are able to run pre-employment screenings of job applicants, there are legal obligations on you the employer. According to the government website consumer.ftc.gov “Before getting the (background) report, the employer must tell you that they might use the information to make a decision related to your employment, and must ask for your written permission.” As an employer you must be sure to let candidates know you intend to run the background check and how you will use that information. A professional background check company will be familiar with government regulations on checks and can ensure you have the proper documentation you need to avoid legal issues.
In addition, the federal trade commission website goes on to warn its readers that, “If the employer thinks they might not hire, keep, or promote you because of something in the report, they must give you a copy of the report and a “Summary of Rights” that tells you how to contact the company that provided the report.” Additionally, should you as the employer decide not to hire someone based on financial information in a credit report, criminal history, or other public records you must notify the applicant “orally, in writing or electronically.” It is not a given that negative information can be enough to not hire an individual for a job. The website warns that, “Even if the employer treats you the same as everyone else, using background information still can be illegal discrimination…In legal terms, the policy or practice has a “disparate impact” and is not “job related and consistent with business necessity.”
Before you start worrying about whether you will be in compliance with laws, understand that a reputable pre-employment screening company will follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) rules. These professionals understand what documents and approvals must be given before conducting a check. They will act in accord with federal regulations, as well as state laws governing criminal background check information that may or may not be permissible to release to potential employers.
Hiring someone to work for you can be a tricky business. The wrong person can hurt your company image and reputation, or even be a danger to your staff and customers. Using a background check company allows you to be confident in the hiring choices you make. You can also be confident that your checks are legal and ethical.
Pre-employment screening is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
As an employer, you want to know as much as you can about the people who will be working for you. What is their work history, education, certifications, things that might give you an idea of whether they have the training or skills necessary to perform the job. If you own a furniture store, you may need someone with a clean driving record to drive your delivery trucks. If you own a hair salon, you may require state certification. You may be looking for someone who has already compiled a significant amount of work experience. Some jobs are looking for people with specific backgrounds such as military or police experience. Pre-employment screening can help to identify those people who are who they say they are and those who are pretenders.
A background check company can do all these things for you and more. Retailers handle cash transactions, credit card information, checks and often personal information when completing applications for in-store credit or “reward” cards. For owners and managers of these stores it only makes sense to have a credit history check completed for potential job candidates. Pre-employment screening can include a credit check, show payment history and bankruptcy, liens and judgements against a candidate. Criminal history can also be checked on a local, state (where allowed) and federal level. It makes sense to know who will be handling payments and your customers’ information.
You do need to be aware that while you are able to run pre-employment screenings of job applicants, there are legal obligations on you the employer. According to the government website consumer.ftc.gov “Before getting the (background) report, the employer must tell you that they might use the information to make a decision related to your employment, and must ask for your written permission.” As an employer you must be sure to let candidates know you intend to run the background check and how you will use that information. A professional background check company will be familiar with government regulations on checks and can ensure you have the proper documentation you need to avoid legal issues.
In addition, the federal trade commission website goes on to warn its readers that, “If the employer thinks they might not hire, keep, or promote you because of something in the report, they must give you a copy of the report and a “Summary of Rights” that tells you how to contact the company that provided the report.” Additionally, should you as the employer decide not to hire someone based on financial information in a credit report, criminal history, or other public records you must notify the applicant “orally, in writing or electronically.” It is not a given that negative information can be enough to not hire an individual for a job. The website warns that, “Even if the employer treats you the same as everyone else, using background information still can be illegal discrimination…In legal terms, the policy or practice has a “disparate impact” and is not “job related and consistent with business necessity.”
Before you start worrying about whether you will be in compliance with laws, understand that a reputable pre-employment screening company will follow the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) rules. These professionals understand what documents and approvals must be given before conducting a check. They will act in accord with federal regulations, as well as state laws governing criminal background check information that may or may not be permissible to release to potential employers.
Hiring someone to work for you can be a tricky business. The wrong person can hurt your company image and reputation, or even be a danger to your staff and customers. Using a background check company allows you to be confident in the hiring choices you make. You can also be confident that your checks are legal and ethical.
Pre-employment screening is important and we can help you with it. Call 1.770.426.0547 and let’s talk.
Checkpoint Classic N10-3 WC Blog 160
Alpha Thunder Tags-3
i-pad theft-3
i-pads Fill A Need In Pediatric Intensive Care Units; Protect Those Devices With Alpha Thunder Tags Part 2
In part I of this article I discussed the impact one hospital found when mothers who had just given birth were unable to visit their newborn babies who may be in a Pediatric or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for one reason or another. Sometimes it is the mother who is incapable of being able to move to the baby’s location due to surgery or it may be the baby is isolated for one reason or another. One particular hospital began using i-pads to give moms the ability to see and hear their child, thereby easing some of their concern and anxiousness. Another program developed on a similar premise, provides a parent who has to work and can’t be with their child the ability to see the infant through the benefit of hospital i-pads. I will discuss this unique program in a moment, but I want to first mention my concerns about the possibility of i-pad theft from hospitals that use the technology. While the benefits associated with using mobile medical devices such as i-pads and tablets are enormous, I am also aware of the strong possibility of these devices being targeted by thieves. By setting up Checkpoint Classic N10 electronic article surveillance antennas at building entrances and exits and placing Alpha Thunder Tags on all devices, medical centers can minimize the risk of i-pad theft and the impact that would have on such programs.
When placed at building entrances and exits and even access points to public places which would include restrooms, Checkpoint Classic N10 antennas can pick up the radio frequency emitted from Alpha Thunder Tags. Tags that have been placed on tablets, i-pads or any mobile medical device will cause an antenna to sound an alarm and lights built into the antenna to flash when the tag is carried too close to the antenna. Thieves with stolen merchandise frequently drop the stolen item(s) when an EAS alarm sounds. Even if they don’t drop the item or attempt to run, staff can answer the alarm and get back items that would have been stolen otherwise.
Earlier I alluded to another program that hospitals are using i-pads to connect parents who have to work and cannot see their baby in Pediatric Intensive Care. “In MGH’s (Massachusetts General Hospital) Pediatric Intensive Care Unit there are mobile computer stations that parents can connect to via an i-pad provided by the hospital. If a parent must work or is unable to be at the hospital at the time rounds are being conducted, a physician can connect with them using the tools…” This article is posted in fiercehealthcare.com by Katie Dvorak, Nov 5, 2015.
Why is this an important topic to me? My wife and I have twins who are now healthy, young adults, but when they were born they were premature and were in pediatric Intensive Care. My wife was allowed to briefly be taken down to their room to view them through the window. Neither of us could hold the children for the first week or two. Had the technology been available to us at that time, it would have helped to ease our concerns by being able to view our children through the camera on an i-pad. Even once we could hold them it was only briefly then they were back in their incubators. Bills still had to be paid and I had to work so I spent hours at work worrying about the babies when it would have eased my mind to have had the ability to view them every so often. When my wife was released from the hospital our twins stayed in for nearly five additional weeks and so one of us was regularly at the hospital visiting the babies. Mobile medical technology in a tablet or i-pad would have made our days somewhat easier.
It is from this perspective that I say Great Job to those hospitals that are using technology to make life easier on families separated from their babies for assorted reasons. I would ask that these hospitals take care to prevent i-pad theft by using Alpha Thunder Tags and Checkpoint Classic N10 antennas to prevent scoundrels from getting away with hospital i-pads and ruining what could be a perfect family connection.
Need more information on i-pad theft? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
In part I of this article I discussed the impact one hospital found when mothers who had just given birth were unable to visit their newborn babies who may be in a Pediatric or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for one reason or another. Sometimes it is the mother who is incapable of being able to move to the baby’s location due to surgery or it may be the baby is isolated for one reason or another. One particular hospital began using i-pads to give moms the ability to see and hear their child, thereby easing some of their concern and anxiousness. Another program developed on a similar premise, provides a parent who has to work and can’t be with their child the ability to see the infant through the benefit of hospital i-pads. I will discuss this unique program in a moment, but I want to first mention my concerns about the possibility of i-pad theft from hospitals that use the technology. While the benefits associated with using mobile medical devices such as i-pads and tablets are enormous, I am also aware of the strong possibility of these devices being targeted by thieves. By setting up Checkpoint Classic N10 electronic article surveillance antenns at building entrances and exits and placing Alpha Thunder Tags on all devices, medical centers can minimize the risk of i-pad theft and the impact that would have on such programs.
When placed at building entrances and exits and even access points to public places which would include restrooms, Checkpoint Classic N10 antennas can pick up the radio frequency emitted from Alpha Thunder Tags. Tags that have been placed on tablets, i-pads or any mobile medical device will cause an antenna to sound an alarm and lights built into the antenna to flash when the tag is carried too close to the antenna. Thieves with stolen merchandise frequently drop the stolen item(s) when an EAS alarm sounds. Even if they don’t drop the item or attempt to run, staff can answer the alarm and get back items that would have been stolen otherwise.
Earlier I alluded to another program that hospitals are using i-pads to connect parents who have to work and cannot see their baby in Pediatric Intensive Care. “In MGH’s (Massachusetts General Hospital) Pediatric Intensive Care Unit there are mobile computer stations that parents can connect to via an i-pad provided by the hospital. If a parent must work or is unable to be at the hospital at the time rounds are being conducted, a physician can connect with them using the tools…” This article is posted in fiercehealthcare.com by Katie Dvorak, Nov 5, 2015.
Why is this an important topic to me? My wife and I have twins who are now healthy, young adults, but when they were born they were premature and were in pediatric Intensive Care. My wife was allowed to briefly be taken down to their room to view them through the window. Neither of us could hold the children for the first week or two. Had the technology been available to us at that time, it would have helped to ease our concerns by being able to view our children through the camera on an i-pad. Even once we could hold them it was only briefly then they were back in their incubators. Bills still had to be paid and I had to work so I spent hours at work worrying about the babies when it would have eased my mind to have had the ability to view them every so often. When my wife was released from the hospital our twins stayed in for nearly five additional weeks and so one of us was regularly at the hospital visiting the babies. Mobile medical technology in a tablet or i-pad would have made our days somewhat easier.
It is from this perspective that I say Great Job to those hospitals that are using technology to make life easier on families separated from their babies for assorted reasons. I would ask that these hospitals take care to prevent i-pad theft by using Alpha Thunder Tags and Checkpoint Classic N10 antennas to prevent scoundrels from getting away with hospital i-pads and ruining what could be a perfect family connection.
Need more information on i-pad theft? Give us a call at 1.770.426.0547 now.
Prevent Shoplifting-3 WC blog 147
Retail Anti-theft devices-5
Alpha Hang Tag-5
An Alpha Hang Tag Can Offer Big Protection For Small Products
I love it when I have opportunity to prevent shoplifting at my current retail job because it often fits so neatly into an article about retail anti-theft devices. I no longer work in retail Loss Prevention, but even as a part time sales associate I still find I can use those skills I developed after almost 20 years in the Loss Prevention Field. The other night as we were about ten minutes from closing, a “customer” came into the store to “look at” some art supplies. The customer was wearing an oversized t-shirt, rather loose fitting jeans and a ball cap. I walked over to the customer and greeted him and began talking to him about the three boxes of art pencils and pens in his hands, as well as a clipboard. The boxes were about $17.99, $38.99 and $29.99 in value. The customer was very talkative and seemed to be all over the place in his conversation with me. After about five minutes of my “chatting” with him and offering to hold and ring up his purchase, my customer decided he would “think about” coming back to buy the items. He left the store as closing time was announced by part of the building lights going out. Why did I think he was going to steal the items? The customer was in a known high theft area and clip boards are often used to hide merchandise held in a hand until an opportunity to conceal it arises. Also, there was no retail anti-theft device on these items. For these particular items it is a missed opportunity for the store to not be utilizing an Alpha Hang Tag to protect them from theft.
The Alpha Hang Tag is a heavy duty, plastic, retail anti-theft device that is attached to the hang tag of peg hook merchandise. Because clamshell packaging comes in different thicknesses, The Alpha Hang tag is available with a short or long pin that clamps into the main housing of the device. The tags are designed to activate electronic article surveillance antennas if they enter into the detection field of the antenna. Even when merchandise protected with the hang tag is concealed under clothing, like an oversized t-shirt and loose fitting jeans, the EAS radio frequency can penetrate the clothing and read the tag. Because they have a snug fit to cover the peg hook tab, hang tags are extremely difficult to remove from merchandise.
Why are these art items not protected to prevent shoplifting if the store experiences a significant amount of theft of this category of merchandise? I don’t know the answer to the question. Some of the items in the category are small and it is possible that no one has considered that retail anti-theft devices like the Alpha Hang Tag can work on the merchandise. The store does have an electronic article surveillance system and uses other types of retail anti-theft devices on merchandise to prevent shoplifting. It is important to remember that shoplifters target merchandise for several reasons. First, the item is small and easy to conceal so the thief is less likely to be caught in the act of stealing. Second, if the shoplifter is a professional they may be stealing items that can be resold and the higher the dollar value, the more money they will get for the merchandise. Frequently boosters will get in the neighborhood of twenty-five cents on the dollar for stolen goods. Third, people shoplift merchandise they don’t think is protected. Few people want to take a chance an alarm is going to activate and alert employees to their crime. I don’t know what motivations my “customer” had, but the items I believe he wanted to steal could have fit all three reasons for being targeted.
Don’t allow your store to be vulnerable to shoplifters. Deter thieves in the first place by using an Alpha Hang Tag on your peg hook merchandise. Profits increase when you invest in merchandise protection products.
Get more information on Alpha Hang Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
I love it when I have opportunity to prevent shoplifting at my current retail job because it often fits so neatly into an article about retail anti-theft devices. I no longer work in retail Loss Prevention, but even as a part time sales associate I still find I can use those skills I developed after almost 20 years in the Loss Prevention Field. The other night as we were about ten minutes from closing, a “customer” came into the store to “look at” some art supplies. The customer was wearing an oversized t-shirt, rather loose fitting jeans and a ball cap. I walked over to the customer and greeted him and began talking to him about the three boxes of art pencils and pens in his hands, as well as a clipboard. The boxes were about $17.99, $38.99 and $29.99 in value. The customer was very talkative and seemed to be all over the place in his conversation with me. After about five minutes of my “chatting” with him and offering to hold and ring up his purchase, my customer decided he would “think about” coming back to buy the items. He left the store as closing time was announced by part of the building lights going out. Why did I think he was going to steal the items? The customer was in a known high theft area and clip boards are often used to hide merchandise held in a hand until an opportunity to conceal it arises. Also, there was no retail anti-theft device on these items. For these particular items it is a missed opportunity for the store to not be utilizing an Alpha Hang Tag to protect them from theft.
The Alpha Hang Tag is a heavy duty, plastic, retail anti-theft device that is attached to the hang tag of peg hook merchandise. Because clamshell packaging comes in different thicknesses, The Alpha Hang tag is available with a short or long pin that clamps into the main housing of the device. The tags are designed to activate electronic article surveillance antennas if they enter into the detection field of the antenna. Even when merchandise protected with the hang tag is concealed under clothing, like an oversized t-shirt and loose fitting jeans, the EAS radio frequency can penetrate the clothing and read the tag. Because they have a snug fit to cover the peg hook tab, hang tags are extremely difficult to remove from merchandise.
Why are these art items not protected to prevent shoplifting if the store experiences a significant amount of theft of this category of merchandise? I don’t know the answer to the question. Some of the items in the category are small and it is possible that no one has considered that retail anti-theft devices like the Alpha Hang Tag can work on the merchandise. The store does have an electronic article surveillance system and uses other types of retail anti-theft devices on merchandise to prevent shoplifting. It is important to remember that shoplifters target merchandise for several reasons. First, the item is small and easy to conceal so the thief is less likely to be caught in the act of stealing. Second, if the shoplifter is a professional they may be stealing items that can be resold and the higher the dollar value, the more money they will get for the merchandise. Frequently boosters will get in the neighborhood of twenty-five cents on the dollar for stolen goods. Third, people shoplift merchandise they don’t think is protected. Few people want to take a chance an alarm is going to activate and alert employees to their crime. I don’t know what motivations my “customer” had, but the items I believe he wanted to steal could have fit all three reasons for being targeted.
Don’t allow your store to be vulnerable to shoplifters. Deter thieves in the first place by using an Alpha Hang Tag on your peg hook merchandise. Profits increase when you invest in merchandise protection products.
Get more information on Alpha Hang Tag, contact us or call 1.770.426.0547 today.
