InfoLink Screening Services is now part of Kroll

2007-01-03T11:36:00.000-08:00

Background Checks Are Front and Center
Few B-school applicants lie on their entry materials. But that doesn't mean someone isn't taking a close look
by Francesca Di Meglio

Potential B-school students are advised to learn from the real world of business. That includes the bad episodes as well, such as the incident last year in which RadioShack (RSH) Chief Executive David Edmonson was forced to resign over résumé inaccuracies. And while most B-school applicants are honest in the application process, the prevailing attitude at many admissions offices is a variation of the Reagan-era mantra, "Trust, but verify."
For many students, that means opening up to a background check, something that's becoming more common throughout the business world. And while few applicants out-and-out lie on their entry forms, the occasional misstep does get caught. And often, the one who has overseen the catching is Brian Lapidus, vice-president for strategic development at the background screening division of risk-consulting firm Kroll (MMC) in Nashville.

Outsourcing Fact-Checking

Lapidus was a still-wet-behind-the-ears MBA student at Vanderbilt's Owen Graduate School of Management when he interned for Kroll in the early part of this decade. After reading a BusinessWeek.com article about B-school candidates lying on their applications, he proposed that Kroll use one of its core competencies, background checks, to win over MBA admissions committees as new clients (see BusinessWeek.com, 3/12/2003, "Doctored Résumés, Poisoned Applicants").

In that first year, Kroll attracted five schools to the new market (see BusinessWeek.com, 4/7/03 "Why Kroll Is on a Roll"). Today, the sector is growing, and the company works with business, medical, nursing, dental, and pharmaceutical schools to verify that applicants are telling the truth. Prices vary, depending on the needs of the school.

"There's a need for these services because applicants aren't always honest about their capabilities, to increase their chance of getting admitted," says Lapidus. For instance, he says, there was the time that an applicant referred to himself as the director of human resources for a particular company, when he was actually the executive assistant to the director. He didn't get admitted to the school in question.

Kroll is the most-mentioned company doing background checks for B-schools, though not every school identifies who's conducting background checks and how they're doing it. One way or the other—either outsourced or in-house—most B-schools these days conduct some sort of background check on potential applicants. Students—who discuss the issue in online forums—seem to take the checks as a routine part of the application process (see BusinessWeek.com Forums, "Background Verifications by B-Schools").

Internal Policies

At Rochester's Simon Graduate School of Business the admissions committee internally conducts fact-checking on about 20% to 25% of the nearly 700 applications it receives annually. A small number, about 1% to 2%, show inconsistencies that require further investigation, says Rebekah Lewin, director of admissions at Simon.

Cases that seem to be a real problem are turned over to the school's human-resources department, which has experience conducting background checks. The only time any part of the fact-checking is outsourced is when international candidates have to prove their degree is equivalent to an American Bachelor's degree. In those instances, the applicant must pay for help from World Education Services, a credential evaluation organization.

For the eight years that Lewin has worked at Simon, there has always been some sort of protocol for confirming the validity of applications. She adds that B-school candidates should think of this part of the process as another way that the school gets to know them. "It's a good thing for graduate schools to best assess and select candidates who will have a positive impact on the world around them," says Lewin.

The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania began working with Kroll in 2004 to conduct background checks on those who matriculate. Students pay $60 to $70 for the background check, and they're aware of this charge from the start of the application process.

The Honor System

The decision to conduct checks on employment history and recommendations came about "in the spirit of fairness and integrity in the process," says Thomas Caleel, director of MBA admissions & financial aid at Wharton. Caleel says the policy allows the staff two years to revoke admission if necessary. The admissions committee has only revoked the acceptance of a few applicants who falsified information, says Caleel, who adds that those candidates still would have been admitted if they had simply told the truth.

Nevertheless, a few B-schools are continuing to take applicants at their word. The admissions staff at Babcock Graduate School of Management at Wake Forest University, for example, considered formal background checks, and even talked to other schools about their process and policies. In the end, however, the administrators decided against it. However, applicants must sign the honor code before turning in their application.

"We try to give candidates the benefit of the doubt in the admissions process," says Admissions Director Stacy Poindexter Owen. "However, at the first sign of a 'red flag,' we follow up by contacting undergraduate institutions, recommenders, and employers. Any contradictory information results in denied admission."

Liars get caught even at schools that don't enlist a company like Kroll or have a formal policy about fact-checking. Most applicants don't have to worry, as long as they abide by the rules. "Follow the school's instructions and be honest about who you are and what you've done," advises Lapidus—or risk losing your spot in the next class. "There's no such thing as a little lie on an application," says Caleel. Honesty, obviously, remains the best policy.

Di Meglio is a reporter for BusinessWeek Online in Fort Lee, N.J.

2006-12-22T11:51:00.000-08:00

Background checks to protect children - a man accused of sexually assaulting an 8-year-old boy he taught at a rec center also had been working with children at two Denver elementary schools. Read more

Man sold drugs at pizzeria- Police arrested a 31-year-old CiCi's Pizza manager who they believe may have been the main source of Ecstasy for Grapevine-Colleyville school district teens and operated out of the restaurant. Read more

Truckers often carry rap sheets - Of 953 truckers faulted in fatal crashes from 2000 through 2005, at least 1 in 4 had been convicted of a criminal offense or received deferred adjudication before the crash. More than 14 percent had committed drug or alcohol offenses prior to their accidents, and more than one in 10 were felons. Read more

Band director charged with student rape - The director of the Delaware State University band has been charged with second-degree rape, two counts of third-degree unlawful sexual contact, and providing alcohol to an underage person. Read more

2006-11-05T22:12:00.000-08:00

INFOLINK SCREENING SERVICES ROLLS OUT VASTLY EXPEDITED AND IMPROVED ELECTRONIC
FORM I-9 COMPLIANCE PROCESS

With a click, companies can easily pre-populate the Form I-9 enabling faster completion. This electronic I-9 Form virtually eliminates human error while simultaneously creating a completely paperless I-9 process.

E-Sign Act compliant click-to-sign solution
Chatsworth, Calif., October 17, 2006 – InfoLink Screening Services, a subsidiary of Kroll Inc., working closely with Form I-9 Compliance, LLC, today announced that it has rolled out a new version of InfoLink's 'Form I-9 eSolutions' process which greatly expedites compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) – the government mandated employment eligibility program designed to identify unauthorized illegal workers. Highlights include the ability to pre-populate the Form I-9 with one click, an electronic signature using an E-Sign Act compliant click-to-sign solution, and verifying the employment eligibility of each new hire.

The Form I-9 eSolutions service substantially fills gaps in earlier processes via sophisticated error detection and 'smart form' technology. The process not only enables employers to confidently hire new employees in full compliance with the law, but also complies with existing and pending comprehensive immigration reform legislation. The negative consequences to businesses in violation of these laws are increasing.

Key highlights of InfoLink's new process include:

Error-detecing electronic Form I-9 which virtually eliminates processing errors;
Fast processing – InfoLink's e-Form includes automatic pre-population of sections, allowing completion, electronic signature, and electronic submission within seconds;
Secure, paperless Form I-9 storage allowing for anytime, anywhere access for updating or government inspection;
Automated Management alerts for expiring work authorizations enabling employees to renew and legally continue working without interruption;
An 'Add eDocuments' feature which allows employers to attach related I-9 documents to stored I-9 Forms;
Extensive Multi-level Management reports including pending and archived I-9 Forms, pending and archived right to work verifications, expiring work authorizations, and re-verifications;
Optional features which instantly transmits employee data to the Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security to verify if that employee has a right to work in the United States.

"Aside from the important legal compliance aspects of the new electronic process, employers will find a number of benefits including less time demands on human resources staff, improved accuracy of payroll and tax reporting, and the ability to form a more stable workforce," says Barry Nadell, President of InfoLink Screening. "Additionally, this system protects jobs for individuals who have a legal right to work in the U.S."

About InfoLink Screening Services: InfoLink Screening Services is a leading provider of employment background checks, drug testing, physical exams and Form I-9 eSolutions. Thousands of companies nationwide rely on InfoLink before they finalize their hiring decisions. InfoLink's exceptional service, fast turnaround, legal compliance and accuracy enable companies to Hire with Confidence®. InfoLink operates as part of the Background Screening division of Kroll, the global risk consulting company. For more information, visit www.infolinkscreening.com or call 800-990-HIRE (4473).

About Kroll: Kroll, the world’s leading risk consulting company, provides a wide range of investigative, intelligence, financial, security and technology services through offices in more than 65 cities in over 25 countries. Kroll’s Background Screening division is comprised of InfoLink Screening Services, based in Chatsworth, Calif., Kroll Background America, Inc., based in Nashville, Tenn., and other Kroll subsidiaries in Canada, the United Kingdom, Poland, India and South Africa. In the United States, the Background Screening division provides employee and vendor background investigations and identity theft services. It serves a wide range of corporate, government and non-profit clientele, most notably those in financial services and highly regulated industries such as health care and transportation. For more information, visit www.kroll.com.

2006-07-27T14:27:00.000-07:00

Bush signs law for national sex offender registry - President George W. Bush on Thursday signed legislation that will establish a national sex offender registry and try to make it harder for sexual predators to reach children on the Internet. Read more

More elderly residents fall victim to caregivers - The case of a former home health care worker sentenced to prison for theft last week represents a trend in which elderly residents are falling prey to trusted caregivers, prosecutors said. Read more

1,000 felons live in Illinois nursing homes - Background checks required by a new state law have found 1,000 convicted felons—including 60 sex offenders—living at Illinois nursing homes. Read more

School contractors in the spotlight - Danville Public Schools weighs implementation of a new law requiring school contractors to verify workers' backgrounds. Read more

Coach has criminal convictions in his past - A Black Hills, VA Junior Football League coach charged with child rape has prior criminal convictions for possession of marijuana for sale and fourth-degree assault, court records show. Read more

Keeping workers in check - More and more, ever-cautious employers probe backgrounds Read more. Provisions of federal and California laws govern screening

2006-06-21T10:57:00.000-07:00

Nursing home worker checks can be lacking - Employee screenings get renewed attention after the case of a woman sentenced to jail for stealing elderly patients’ morphine. Read more

Background check could have foiled embezzler - Man had three convictions when the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality put him in charge of handling payments for water permits. He later pled guilty to embezzling more than $180,000. Read more

Cable Installers & Criminal Backgrounds - Charter Communications hired a contractor with a manslaughter conviction and an installer with a suspended driver's license and two orders of protection in his past. Read more

Suspect in sex crime coached in youth event in Chesapeake - Despite a conviction four years ago and another arrest recently on charges of inappropriate conduct with a child, the 38-year-old was able to coach boys and girls at the Mayor's Cup T-Ball Classic. Read more

School hired murderer; state cancels license - The license of a private alternative school in Gresham, OR has been suspended after a teacher's aide was accused of rape and turned out to be convicted murderer. The Oregon Department of Education also has instructed the Academy of Alternatives to complete background checks on four of its staff members. Read more

Bill to track sex offenders in care homes - The Suffolk (New York) Legislature is expected to adopt a bill that will require nursing home operators to determine whether their employees, residents, volunteers and student interns are listed on the state's sex offender registry. Read more

2006-05-11T14:26:00.000-07:00

Hill Impasse Spurs States to Tackle Illegal Immigration - State legislatures around the nation are considering hundreds of proposals dealing with illegal immigration, reflecting the exasperation of many local officials with Congress's failure to contend with the millions of undocumented workers who have entered the nation in recent years. Read more

Teen who says art teacher abused him sues board -
A Miramar teenager who told police his middle school teacher molested him is suing the Broward School Board for negligence. Read more

Food-stamp workers had criminal backgrounds - In a rush to find workers after Hurricane Wilma, Florida's Department of Children and Families hired dozens of temporary workers with criminal backgrounds to handle food-stamp applications that contained Social Security numbers and other personal information. Read more

2006-04-17T15:35:00.000-07:00

Senate OKs bill on ex-cons in nursing homes - The proposed law calls for nursing homes to pay for criminal background checks on all adult residents and requires registered sex offenders to be segregated in their own bedrooms. Read more

More states consider guns-at-work legislation - Legislation being proposed in Georgia and Virginia that would allow licensed gun owners to legally store weapons in vehicles parked on company property may heighten fears of increased workplace violence incidents among area security directors. Read more

City jailer resigns in wake of investigation - A A Zanesville, Ohio corrections officer has resigned after an internal investigation revealed he has a history of sexual harassment and lied on his job application. Read more

Knowing is half the battle, especially for new hires - Workplace assaults total 2 million each year. Employee theft costs $40 billion annually and causes 30 percent of business failures. Lawsuits for negligent hiring are on the rise and can cost a company millions. Read more

RESUMES: JUST THE FACTS, PLEASE - A report released in 2005 by InfoLink Screening Services said that 14 percent of employees lied about education on their resumes. Read more

In Wake of Student's Murder, Lawmakers Press To Allow Officers To Work as Bouncers - Read more

2006-03-14T14:16:00.000-08:00

Barkeeps rely on bouncers’ reps - NYPD investigators are focusing their probe into the slaying of Imette St. Guillen of Mission Hill on Darryl Littlejohn, a 41-year-old violent ex-con with a lengthy criminal record who worked as a bouncer at The Falls bar in Soho. Read more

InfoLink Screening Services Joins Kroll's Background Screening Division
Kroll Inc., the global risk consulting company, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of InfoLink Screening Services, Inc., a leading, privately-held background screening company headquartered in Chatsworth, Calif., a Los Angeles suburb. InfoLink will operate as the West Coast hub office for Kroll’s Background Screening division, which is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. Read more

Seeking out criminal pasts - A report last month in the Detroit News showed the result of conducting criminal background checks on 200,000 current school employees in Michigan, as mandated by a school safety law that went into effect Jan. 1. More than 4,600 of the employees had committed criminal offenses, of which 2,200 were felonies. More than 100 of the crimes were sex offenses. Among current employees, 23 were convicted of homicide, 21 of armed robbery, 11 of child abuse, 10 of escaping jail or prison and 355 of drug felonies. Read more

Oh, what a tangled résumé - People who write résumés are trying to market themselves. So like businesses advertising products, perhaps it's not surprising that they sometimes polish the truth. Companies that perform background checks on job seekers say perhaps 20 percent either make a false claim on their applications, or neglect to mention problems. Read more

Prep-school loss: Trusted friend and $1 million - Rex Stephen "Mr. Steve" Clark was like a son to William and Pouneh Alcott, someone they thought they could always count on. The relationship started when Clark enrolled his two children in the private school they founded, Lake Mary Prep. Soon, Clark was doing volunteer work. The Alcotts liked him so much, they added him to the payroll. Then they put him in charge. That's when things went terribly wrong. Authorities say he began stealing from the school, siphoning cash in small and large amounts during a 2 1/2-year period. He eventually took more than $1 million, police say. Read more

Ice cream peddlers could face checks - Mr. Softee, beware. To sell your frozen treats, you and the Good Humor Man would have to undergo a background check under a measure that passed the House on Friday. Also under the dessert bill, sex offenders and certain convicted criminals would not be allowed to peddle treats if the bill becomes law. Read more

Charter school principal is fired - The new principal of Buffalo United Charter School, who was arrested twice in four months in 2003 for allegedly threatening his estranged wife, was fired Friday. Charter school officials apparently had been unaware of Michael P. Carr's criminal background until it was brought to their attention by a Buffalo News reporter earlier in the day. Read more

Rejection raises doubt about credit - The law requires companies to disclose the source of adverse actions against employees or potential employees, but only if the information came from an outside consumer-reporting agency. Read more

40 known felons employed by the University of Wisconsin System Read more

The Rules Have Changed for Corporate Criminals - Have You Ever Been Convicted of a Felony? Read more

2006-03-13T12:09:00.000-08:00

Firms' search for truth leads to new questions - Analysis of background checks shows employers how workers in their industry compare with others

Monday, March 13, 2006
Peter Krouse, Plain Dealer Reporter

Who's more likely to fail an employment-related drug test: People applying for jobs as construction workers or as teachers?

According to a report by InfoLink Screening Services Inc., those seeking education jobs are far more likely to test positive.

Infolink co-founder Barry Nadell is not sure why, though he said that being around more young people could expose people in education to more drugs.

But before you canonize the building trades, know that construction industry applicants are more likely to have a criminal background or a motor vehicle violation than those in education, not to mention the 14 other job categories included in the report.

Nadell can't fully explain the percentages contained in his company's findings. But he believes they are valuable because clients can see how their industry compares with others and whether they are doing pre-employment checks for the right things.

For example, if the available data show that an industry has a high percentage of "hits" in a certain problem area, companies in the industry that don't already screen for that problem might want to start. InfoLink used the results of its own client screenings in 2005, mostly pre-employment, to produce the data.

The idea of checking someone's background has been around as long as private detection, said Nadell, who quit his job in the insurance industry to help his wife, a former human resources specialist for the American Cancer Society, start InfoLink in 1994. InfoLink, based in Chatsworth, Calif., was recently acquired by Kroll Inc.

Digging into someone's past can save a company the time, money and embarrassment of hiring a bad employee or one who is being less than honest. In February, David Edmondson stepped down as chief executive of RadioShack Corp. after it was revealed that he had misrepresented his academic history.

In some cases, people with past problems go through staffing agencies to get jobs, thinking they are less likely to be checked out, Nadell said.

But an increasing number of companies are requiring staffing agencies to perform background checks, too.

With all that checking going on, the issue becomes how much background information to seek and what to do with it. Just because you can check somebody's credit history or workers' compensation history doesn't mean you should spend the dollars doing so, say those familiar with the legal and practical aspects of background checks.

Certain kinds of testing and checking are perfectly acceptable, said Scott Cohen, national practice leader of talent management at human resources consulting firm Watson Wyatt Worldwide.

It may be logical to check the credit history of somebody who will be handling money, he said. But should, say, a movie theater do the same for a kid hired simply to take tickets?
Companies should consider relevancy when ordering checks and also be aware that drug tests can sometimes show a false positive, Cohen said.

At the United Way of Greater Cleveland, all job applicants go through criminal record checks, a drug test and past-employment verification, said United Way spokeswoman Jenna Snyder. The organization also might verify an applicant's education, depending on job requirements and other factors.

The InfoLink survey suggests that nonprofit applicants in general have a high incidence of discrepancies when it comes to verifying their employment and education, although Snyder said the United Way of Greater Cleveland's experience differs.

Among InfoLink’s nonprofit clients, discrepancies popped up more than 46 percent of the time when it came to verifying prior jobs and nearly 22 percent of the time when it came to checking out education.

But at United Way of Greater Cleveland, issues of any kind related to background checks arose only twice in the past two years, Snyder said, and that's out of 100 applicants. The hits were for criminal offenses.

Nadell could offer no explanation for the nonprofit percentages. Nor could Paul Gerhart, professor of labor and human resources at the Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University. He also struggled to explain the high incidence of positive drug tests in his own profession.

"Maybe people in education think they can get away with it for some reason," he said.
Gerhart did say, however, that the increase in background checking over the past 20 years has been a positive step.

But how a company handles that information can have legal implications. Employers need to be concerned about "negligent hiring," said Meredith Watts, an associate at the Duvin Cahn & Hutton law firm. A day-care provider obviously does not want the liability of hiring a child molester, she said, but other situations are not that obvious. It might be OK, for example, for a company to hire somebody with a five-year-old drug conviction to deliver interoffice mail.
Similar issues apply when a background check turns up a problem with a current employee. A company can be liable for "negligent retention," she said.

At Mr. Gasket, a Brooklyn manufacturer of performance auto parts, the company policy is not to hire anybody with a felony conviction in the previous five years, said Alice Bissett, director of human resources.

Bissett said background screening has turned up only three or four such problems among 162 applicants in the past 3½ years. Mr. Gasket uses InfoLink Screening for its background checks, Bissett said, but not for drug testing.

The company checks only those areas it believes are pertinent to the job, she said. While everyone gets a drug test and a criminal background check, only those going into finance will have their credit histories checked. That's because someone who has a lot of debt could be tempted to embezzle if they are around company coffers.

In the same way, only those who will be driving company vehicles will have their driving records scrutinized. "It's all got to be job-related," Bissett said.

Sometimes it doesn't pay to collect too much data, she said, because employers are required to share all derogatory information with an employee. Something that had no bearing on a company's decision not to hire someone may be interpreted by that person as the reason for being passed over.

2006-03-13T12:08:00.000-08:00

Inaccurate or Exaggerated Resumes Can Lead to a Job Rejection or Worse
Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal (KRTBN)By By Emily Le Coz, Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, Tupelo, Miss. Sunday, March 12, 2006 12:00 AM GMT

Mar. 12--Disgraced former RadioShack CEO David Edmondson isn't the only one to lie about college degrees on his resume; it seems that 14 percent of Americans have twisted the truth about educational attainment.

They've also lied about criminal history, former jobs, credit reports and just about anything else to make themselves appear more qualified than they are, according to InfoLink Screening Services, a national employment background checking firm.

The firm found that, of all its applicants last year,
-- 8.5 percent lied about criminal records
-- 41 percent lied about driving records
-- 4.8 about social security numbers
-- 3.3 about doing drugs
-- 41.2 about credit history
-- 36.5 about past employment
-- 14.1 about educational attainment
-- 7 percent about workers' compensation.

In an informal survey by the Daily Journal this month, one out of 10 people interviewed admitted to having lied on a resume.
Many fabricators get sniffed out before landing a job, thanks to rigorous background checks performed by most big companies. Others, like Edmondson, slip through the cracks until much later.

Sooner or later, though, most of them get caught, said Michelle Daniels, staffing director at The CPI Group, a staffing and human resources firm based in Columbus.

"Don't exaggerate" on a resume, Daniels said, "because it will catch up with you."
In Edmondson's case, his past caught up with him in February after a Texas newspaper discovered false information on his resume. The former RadioShack executive claimed to have two degrees from Pacific Coast Baptist College, which later changed its name to Heartland Baptist College. The school had no records of Edmondson, who before resigning later admitted the information was wrong.

Most people don't make as flagrant an exaggeration as Edmondson, said Daniels, who more frequently catches minor fibs -- like stretching the dates of previous employment positions or stating proficiency in languages or computer programs when knowledge of them is only marginal.

"We're encouraged to look our best on resumes," she said, "and a lot of times it looks good on paper, but it serves you much better in the long term to be honest."

While the bulk of the lies appear harmless in nature, a few big ones have hit the radar at The PACE Group, a Tupelo-based executive search firm that specializes in health care and economic development businesses.

"We have only had a few instances where something did not check out the way the person presented it to us," said John Lovorn, the firm's president and CEO. "Most of the issues have been in credit card debt. We had one person who had over $200,000 on his credit card bill. We have had one person who said he graduated from the University of Oklahoma, and we found out he never enrolled at the university."

A more recent case involved a woman who failed to mention a prior drug conviction. Lovorn discovered it during a background check and dropped the candidate from consideration.
Still, Lovorn is convinced that most people tell the truth. He estimated that only about 2 percent of his job applicants have lied -- far below the national average.

Who checks what?

But that doesn't stop him from doing background checks on everybody. How far and to what extent he searches, however, depends on the company for which his firm is hiring. Some want everything -- criminal, financial, educational, motor vehicle, professional. Others pick and choose from the list according to what meets their needs.

At BancorpSouth, screeners tailor their investigations depending on the position for which they are hiring. Upper-level management applicants get a thorough examination, while tellers and secretaries face less scrutiny, said W.O. Jones, human resources director.

But the financial giant doesn't do its own checks. It uses the WIN Job Center to screen non-management positions and has an executive search firm select candidates for the higher ranks.
WIN does not do any investigative searches, said office manager Bill Mims. That, he said, is up to the company to do once they accept a candidate screened by the job center.

BancorpSouth gives all new hires -- regardless of their position -- criminal and financial background checks.

"They want to make sure you don't have personal financial problems before you get around a lot of money or help people with their money," Jones said. "You can tell a lot about people by criminal and credit checks."

2006-03-07T09:40:00.000-08:00

InfoLink Screening Services Joins Kroll's Background Screening Division

NEW YORK, March 6, 2006 -- Kroll Inc. (www.kroll.com), the global risk consulting company, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of InfoLink Screening Services, Inc. (www.infolinkscreening.com), a leading, privately-held background screening company headquartered in Chatsworth, Calif., a Los Angeles suburb. InfoLink will operate as the West Coast hub office for Kroll’s Background Screening division, which is headquartered in Nashville, Tenn. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

"Today, demand for employee background screening services continues to rise due to new legislation and concerns about workplace security," said Simon Freakley, chief executive officer of Kroll Inc. "The acquisition of InfoLink reflects Kroll’s strategy of acquiring successful, best-of-breed companies that provide a competitive advantage and secure Kroll’s leadership in key markets."

InfoLink, which employs a staff of 114 at its Chatsworth facility, was founded in 1994 by Barry and Leslie Nadell. Its president, Barry Nadell, is a recognized leader in the employee screening industry. One of the top background screening companies in California, InfoLink provides employee background checks and related services such as drug testing, Form I-9 employment eligibility verifications, and pre-employment physical examinations. Its clients consist of a diverse mix of West Coast-based companies, including those in the hospitality, retail, health care, and employment sectors.

"The addition of InfoLink greatly enhances our West Coast client base and sales channels. It is an outstanding company with expert management and first-rate staff who share Kroll’s commitment to quality customer service," said A. Michael Rosen, president of Kroll’s Background Screening division. "We are delighted that the members of the management team will continue in their current roles and lead InfoLink’s integration with Kroll."

"This union with Kroll is an exciting opportunity for our customers and employees alike," said InfoLink’s Barry Nadell. "Clients will be able to benefit from Kroll’s broad range of complementary risk mitigation services, while continuing to receive the same competitive pricing and level of customer support that has distinguished our business. InfoLink employees can look forward to the many benefits and opportunities presented by being part of a much larger, global organization."

About Kroll:

Kroll Inc., the world's leading risk consulting company, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc. (NYSE: MMC), the global professional services firm. Headquartered in New York, Kroll provides a wide range of investigative, intelligence, financial, security and technology services through offices in more than 65 cities in over 25 countries. Kroll’s Background Screening division is comprised of Kroll Background America, Inc., based in Nashville, Tenn., and other Kroll subsidiaries in Canada, the United Kingdom, Poland, India and South Africa. In the United States, the Background Screening division provides employee and vendor background investigations and identity theft services. It serves a wide range of corporate, government and non-profit clientele, most notably those in financial services and highly regulated industries such as health care and transportation. For more information, visit www.kroll.com.

About InfoLink Screening Services:

InfoLink Screening Services is a leading provider of employment background checks, drug testing, physical exams and Form I-9 eSolutions. Thousands of companies nationwide rely on InfoLink before they finalize their hiring decisions. InfoLink's exceptional service, fast turnaround, legal compliance and accuracy enable companies to Hire with Confidence®. For more information, visit http://www.infolinkscreening.com/ or call 800-990-HIRE (4473).

2006-02-27T16:13:00.000-08:00

Meth Taking Toll on Businesses, State
Meth use has increased among U.S. workers by 86 percent over the past five years. It also jumped 13 percent in the first half of 2005 among workers in jobs and industries required by the federal government to test employees in high-risk and safety-related positions.
Read more

Background check nabs robbery suspectLouisville police get break in Georgia. A man wanted in two armed robberies in Louisville was arrested yesterday after applying for a job at a charitable organization in Macon, Ga. Read more

Spherion temps indicted in fraud
Temporary workers who were assigned to Red Cross call centers by Spherion have been accused of giving away thousands of dollars intended for Hurricane Katrina. At least 17 workers placed at a Red Cross call center by Fort Lauderdale-based Spherion have been indicted on fraud charges, raising the issue of screening checks done by staffing agencies that supply temporary workers. Read more

Background checks get more important
Companies are relying more on pre-employment background checks to ease security concerns and protect against costly lawsuits. “It’s getting more important,” said privacy lawyer Robert Belair, editor of the Privacy and American Business newsletter. “The incidence of negligent hiring lawsuits is way up.” Read more

2005-12-27T14:09:00.000-08:00

Meth Madness. Methamphetamine drug use is soaring throughout the country, to the detriment of users and employers. Here’s what to do about it.By Susan Ladika, HR Magazine, December Issue
What’s unique about methamphetamine is the broad appeal to white-collar professionals—especially first-time drug users over the age of 30, according to law enforcement officials. What would make a highly educated, highly paid professional try such a dangerous drug? Meth initially makes users more productive, and its use is, at first, easy to disguise. That also makes it more alarming to employers. Read article

2005-12-27T11:57:00.000-08:00

Security personnel rely on background screening for new hires
Without a national database from which to retrieve information, and with no such system likely to be put in place any time soon, security and human resources personnel are relying on background screeners and their network of researchers to comb court documents and determine whether potential employees meet a company's hiring criteria. Read more

Day Care Background Checks in Backlog
After pre-schools and daycares hire teachers, they have to pass a background check if they're going to stay on the job. The process is supposed to be quick so that teachers with trouble in their past can be fired before they do any more damage. But the state agency handling the background checks is badly backlogged. The result is long delays. Read more

Church requiring background check for all personnel
When the New Year arrives, every member of the staff at the United Methodist Church of La Mirada and every Sunday School teacher, counselor and volunteer will have undergone a background check. It's just one of the policies instituted by the La Mirada church and all of the United Methodist churches in Southern California, Guam, Hawaii and Saipan as part of an effort to stem any sex abuse scandals that have rocked the Catholic Church from occurring in United Methodist churches. Read more

Football camps didn't check most workers
Six employees of the University of Colorado's youth football camp had criminal records that weren't discovered until after the camps had occurred - including one convicted of misdemeanor child abuse, according to a state audit released Monday.Read more

2005-11-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

Who is checking the background checkers?

November 28, 2005
By Matt Bradley Contributor to The Christian Science Monitor

John McDonald used to spend hours perfecting his résumé and cover letters before applying for information-technology jobs in his native Boston. But after one potential employer hired a screening agency to investigate his background two years ago, the results have stifled his ambition.

After two weeks of silence from his potential employer, Mr. McDonald pressed the company to let him see his background check report. It stated that he'd failed to disclose an arrest, had used two aliases, and had reported two false employers. McDonald was dumbfounded by all three claims, which he maintains are erroneous.

"I didn't know what to do - still don't," says McDonald about his predicament. "It wasn't a matter of 'I know I'm not going to get [a job],' it was a matter of 'I'm probably not going to get it,' so I have this halfhearted effort."

Over the past several years, background screening has become a boom industry, fueled by increasing concerns about security and legal liability. Some 80 percent of employers now require background checks for all potential employees, according to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse (PRC), a consumer rights advocacy group in San Diego.

But what if a background check is in error? With little money for legal help, McDonald went to the PRC, whose website provides some assistance free of charge.

"There are many low-level, day-to-day problems that people experience where a lawyer's advice could come in handy," says Tena Friery, the PRC's research director. "Generally, people who have these sorts of problems don't have a lot of money to pay for an attorney."

Industry insiders credit the 9/11 attacks and several high-profile court cases for the growing demand for screeners. One such case involved Boston-based Trusted Health Resources Inc., which went bankrupt after one of its home health aides murdered a patient and his grandmother. In 1998, a jury awarded the patient's family $26.5 million after records showed the caretaker had a criminal record. Today, background screening is a $3 billion industry in the United States.

"There is a much higher level of awareness that doing a background screen is of benefit to the company, clients, its employees, and the person being screened," says Mary Poquette, the cochair of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners. "That's a different view from what we saw even as recently as four years ago."

For many clients, says Ms. Poquette, the numbers speak for themselves. For the first half of this year, 8.3 percent of job applications examined by InfoLink Screening Services in Chatsworth, Calif., revealed some kind of criminal record. (InfoLink merely reports its findings; it does not compare its findings with what someone stated on an application.)

"This is a really amazing figure when you consider that people knew they were going to have a background check," says InfoLink president Barry Nadell. Routine screening of 1,600 volunteers for the Los Angeles County Fair turned up at least three registered sex offenders.

InfoLink's recommended search is four-pronged. First, it checks court records in each county where the job applicant lived, going back at least seven years. Next, the company runs a motor vehicle report, which can uncover convictions the applicant may not have reported. A Social Security number check helps verify the subject's identity, past residences, and possible aliases. The applicant's name may also be run through other records, including incarceration listings, sex-offender lists, and court records.

InfoLink then calls county courts at random to double-check researchers' findings. Depending on the number of applicants and the jurisdiction (court fees vary), Mr. Nadell says a single screening costs from $15 to $50. Those fees can add up, so there's a movement among employers to cut costs, Nadell says.

"Some are using strictly databases," he says, "and that's very concerning to our industry because of the inaccuracies that reside in databases. The industry's error rate [among screeners who personally verify database records] is probably less than one in thousands. It's very small."

The most common mistakes, says Nadell, come from sloppy court records and databases.

But as the background-checking industry continues to grow, who screens the screeners? While laws concerning background checks vary from state to state, the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act sets the minimum standard. Under the law, employers must seek the written consent of applicants prior to the screening. And before an employer can reject a potential employee based on his or her background check, the applicant has the right to receive, review, and dispute the findings.

Job applicants also have the right to sue a screening company if errors on a report were the result of negligence.

If the employer uses a background screening company whose disclosure and authorization form for a background check includes a waiver to indemnify the screening company, "that means the company doesn't understand the law," Nadell says. "How do you trust the screening company ... if they won't be responsible for their own negligence?"

Regardless of whether the screening findings were accurate or not, the fact that McDonald was not given the opportunity to review and dispute his background report may mean that his potential employer violated federal law.

"One of the things I didn't know was that it was illegal for them not to provide a copy of my background check," McDonald says. "They said, 'We'll get to it as soon as we can, as soon as someone's available.' And then there were no responses."

McDonald has not found formal employment since that fateful background report. He has chosen to avoid the issue by working as an independent information technology contractor for smaller firms that cannot afford background checks. But with low-paying temporary work, McDonald says clearing his own name seems like a daunting task. "The information out there is vast," he says. "It's kind of hard to come up with large sums of money to do anything."

By the numbers

A study of job applications put through a preemployment screening process reveals that many job-seekers have something they may be reluctant to put on an application. InfoLink, a provider of employment background checks, examined tens of thousands of job applications from January through June. It found that:

41.6% had a violation on record with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

39.2% had bad credit, such as an account that went to a collection agency.

26.4% had discrepancies in their résumés about past employment.

8.3% had a criminal record.

8.2% inaccurately reported their level of education.

3.3% had tested positive for illegal drugs.

Source: InfoLink Screening Services

2005-11-22T15:52:00.000-08:00

Online Screening Saves Time and Money.
User-friendly tests and carefully thought-out assessments can help you find better candidates faster. Technology can’t make your hiring decisions for you, but effective online programs can add efficiency to your screening and candidate assessment processes. Used properly, these programs are particularly good at the early step of weeding out unqualified candidates. Read more

Private Schools May Check Workers - Lawmakers are considering plan for background inquiries.
High school referees, vending machine deliverymen and plumbers have to undergo extensive criminal background checks now under a new sex offender law if they do their work on public school property. Read more

Employment Screening – Justifying the Expense
Measuring cost per denial is an effective method of calculating the ROI of a company’s employment screening program.Read more.

Technology's Impact on Background Screening
Technology advances continue to impact the way we conduct business and are having a profound effect on the background screening industry. Advances in integrating information systems are creating the capability to access business information easily through one source, which is transforming background screening systems that have historically been standalone feeds.Read more.

2005-08-26T23:12:00.000-07:00

Study Finds FBI Criminal Database Search Ineffective for Employment Background Checks
August 26, 7:45 am ET

DURHAM, N.C., Aug. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- As US employers increasingly utilize criminal background checks in their hiring process, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) has identified one source of information that employers should avoid: the FBI Criminal Database.

In reaction to recent proposed federal legislation that would allow employers direct access to the FBI's database, NAPBS commissioned a study to evaluate the accuracy and completeness of this FBI criminal search.

The results were shocking.

The study found that in a significant percentage of searches, the FBI database returned erroneous or incomplete information.

The study, conducted by Craig N. Winston, an assistant professor of criminal justice at Sonoma State University, found that the FBI data lacks proper identifiers to credibly link a criminal hit with the subject of the investigation.

Another finding was the large number of missed records and false positives generated. For example, when analyzing a sampling of 93,274 background checks in the state of Florida, Winston's search revealed that the database missed 11.7 percent of the criminal records it should have identified. Even worse - of the more than 10,000 criminal records found, 5.5 percent of them were falsely attributed to those who were not convicted of a crime.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) compels employers to use the most up- to-date and accurate information when screening applicants for employment.

NAPBS co-chair Jason B. Morris says, "If employers are granted access to the FBI's data, they can easily be lulled into the false sense of security that they are availing themselves of the most accurate and comprehensive search available. As a result, they could be opening themselves to increased risk in the workplace and litigation from wronged job applicants."

Results from this comprehensive study can be found at http://www.napbs.com.

Founded as a non-profit trade association in 2003, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) was established to promote ethical business practices, promote compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act and foster awareness of issues related to consumer protection and privacy rights within the background screening industry.

Media Contact: Tracy Seabrook NAPBS 919.433.0123 info@napbs.com

2005-07-21T11:05:00.000-07:00

Pre-Employment Screening A Must For Employers
What's the worst thing an employer can find out after hiring a new employee? That there should have been a good background check. It could have saved a lot of money, time and frustration and a lot more. InfoLink Screening Services performs pre-employment background checks, drug testing and employment physical exams nationwide. Read more

Background checks could have problems
More and more employers require employee background checks, which is why it's no surprise more and more private companies are popping up offering to provide them. A Target Five Investigation shows it can be risky business. A bad background check nearly cost Eric Williams a job. Read more.

Protect Your Organization Against Negligent Hiring Suits
Speaking to a packed house June 20 during his session at the SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition, Nadell said that nothing takes the place of thorough applicant background checking. However, no background checking process is foolproof, so it's crucial for companies to know how to obtain the most accurate information while remaining compliant with the myriad federal and state laws that regulate the industry. Read more.

2005-07-06T15:15:00.000-07:00

Form I-9 Compliance, LLC Launches the First Web-Based Form I-9 Employment Verification Service and Begins Executing Its Reseller Strategy
Form I-9 Compliance, LLC, the first federally-approved Designated Agent of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) for Form I-9 employment verifications, announced that it has launched the first web-based service that enables employers to easily conduct legal right to work Form I-9 employment verifications on new employees.
Read more…

Preventative Measures Background checks can help contractors save face
They also can help save lives. So why are so few in the cleaning industry actually performing them? Read more…

$10 million wrongful death lawsuit filed against employer
The family of slain Truro writer Christa Worthington has filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit against her alleged killer and the Cape Cod trash-hauling business that employed him at the time of the slaying. The lawsuit alleges that the company failed to use reasonable care in hiring McCowen, who had a history of criminal and violent behavior. Read more…

Screening Of Workers On The Rise
Employers are running background checks on long-standing employees as well as new ones. The number of checks on all workers has tripled during the past eight years, experts said, mostly because of growing security concerns, the technological ease in obtaining the information and its declining costs. Read more…

Workplace violence is on the upswing, say HR leaders
Workplace violence has increased over the past two years despite federal statistics to the contrary, a majority of senior executives responsible for human resources or security say in an April 2005 survey. In addition, more than half (58 percent) report that disgruntled employees have threatened senior managers in the past 12 months. But despite their view that workplace violence is a bigger problem today, only 15 percent of those companies have increased their spending to combat the problem, the Prince & Associates survey found. Read more…

Wal-Mart, employee sued - Retailer faulted in molestation case
A Phoenix law firm has filed a "Jane Doe" lawsuit against big-box retailer Wal-Mart for failing to check the background of an employee accused of molesting several young girls in a Scottsdale store. The suit, filed by the law offices of Gregory A. Patton in Maricopa County Superior Court, alleges that Wal-Mart either did not check Mark D. Ricchetti's criminal background or hired him knowing of previous criminal charges when he came to work as a greeter in the company's store on Northsight Boulevard in 1998.
Read more…

Screening process can have its drawbacks. Background information is only as good as its source.
Eighty percent of employers were conducting criminal background checks on potential hires in 2003, up from 51 percent in 1996, according to surveys by the Society for Human Resource Management.
Experts attribute the trend to technological advances that have eased the collection and sale of personal information; more media coverage of dishonest job applicants; employers' fears of negligent hiring litigation; and a heightened sense of insecurity after the Sept. 11 attacks. A rush of online data brokers are cashing in, offering services at a wide range of prices.

But accuracy also can vary widely, said Shawn Bushway, associate professor of criminology at the University of Maryland. "These companies are basically running unchecked and doing what they want, and we don't know how accurate they are," Bushway said.Checks vary widely
Bushway's study of the industry found 467 companies offering background searches on the Internet. The ones that claim to do national background searches for as low as $10 typically piece together data from a variety of public records sources, including correctional databases, online sex offender registries and county courts that sell their records to data companies.

Other more established firms claim to be professional background screeners and have recently formed an association that has adopted a set of standards in an effort to distinguish themselves. They charge anywhere from $30 to more than $200 for the so-called "gold standard": physically sending runners to courthouses in counties where the prospective employer knows an applicant has lived, Bushway said.Although these companies are likely more accurate than their bargain rate competitors, even they are suspect, Bushway's study found.
Read more…

2005-06-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

InfoLink Screening Services Launches New Automated Solution for Form I-9 Employment Verifications and Additional Form I-9 Services

June 14, 2005, Los Angeles, CA – InfoLink Screening Services, a nationwide provider of employment background checks, drug testing and physical exams, today announced that it has launched a new automated solution for Form I-9 compliance services, including the first web-based service for verifying employees have a legal right to work in the United States.

InfoLink's secure, web-based service enables employers to conduct Form I-9 employment eligibility verifications through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA). Employers are able to use the information on newly hired employees’ I-9 Forms to verify the accuracy of Social Security and Immigration “A” numbers and in real-time obtain employee’s legal right to work status with a DHS-issued verification number.

The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 legally mandates that U.S. employers verify the employment eligibility status of newly-hired employees and makes it unlawful for employers to knowingly hire or continue to employ unauthorized workers. Noncompliance, whether intentional or caused simply by oversight, has severe legal and financial consequences imposed by the DHS, as well as the potential of a corporate image tarnished by negative publicity.

In addition to employment eligibility verifications, InfoLink will also offer the following services to help companies manage their Form I-9 processes:

A self-correcting electronic Form I-9 that virtually eliminates processing errors and simplifies the document completion process.
Secure, paperless Form I-9 storage, providing anytime, anywhere online access for updating, re-verification and governmental inspection.
Automated alerts in advance of employees’ expiring work authorizations, enabling employees to renew their work authorization documents and legally continue to work without interruption.
Pre-filled employment eligibility verification forms if the company has conducted a background check on the new employee through InfoLink or uses an integrated ATS or HRIS solution.
Form I-9 consulting services performed by trained and experienced I-9 consultants including former INS officials and executive-level Human Resources professionals.

InfoLink’s Form I-9 employment verification services:

Provide peace of mind that new employees’ Social Security and Immigration documents are valid.
Simplify and improve the efficiency of Form I-9 processes.
Substantially decrease human errors in completing I-9 Forms.
Cost-effectively reduce exposure to government audits, financial penalties and negative publicity resulting from non-compliance.
Improve the accuracy of payroll and tax reporting and helps eliminate SSA inquiries concerning unmatched Social Security accounts by identifying current employees with fraudulent Social Security numbers.

“We’re excited to be the first company to offer an automated, web-based solution for ensuring U.S. business employ individuals who are legally authorized to work in the United States,” said Barry Nadell, president of InfoLink Screening Services, Inc. “Because of our focus on legal compliance in employment screening, we felt it was important for InfoLink to be an early mover in Form I-9 compliance services. InfoLink’s Form I-9 employment verification services provide business with new, efficient methods for managing their I-9 processes and complying with the law.”

About InfoLink Screening Services

InfoLink Screening Services is a leading provider of employment background checks, drug testing, physical exams and Form I-9 employment verification services. Thousands of companies nationwide, from small businesses to Fortune 500's, rely on InfoLink's exceptional service, fast turnaround, legal compliance and accurate reports. Its easy-to-use web-based solution enables easy order entry, status tracking, hit notification and secure archiving. InfoLink's drug screening and physical exam programs include a nationwide network of thousands of collection sites and clinics, secure online reporting and consolidated billing. And its new Form I-9 employment verification services enable companies to reduce Form I-9 errors and verify employees’ legal right to work in the U.S. InfoLink's comprehensive employee screening services and seamless integration with Human Resource software increase Human Resource efficiency and enable businesses to Hire with Confidence™. Visit www.infolinkscreening.com or call (800) 990-HIRE (4473) for additional information.

2005-04-26T10:20:00.000-07:00

LexisNexis: Files May Have Been Breached
LexisNexis Says Thieves May Have Breached Computer Files containing the personal information of 310,000 people, a tenfold increase over a previous estimate of how much data was stolen from the information broker. Read more…

Background checks get another look
High School administrators review the district’s pre-employment background check process after the arrests of employees working with students. A background check through the state’s Crime Information Bureau did not reveal prior criminal history. Read more…

Criminal background checks incomplete
Employers and volunteer organizations are increasingly turning to national commercial database searches - but experts say the nationwide tallies are often full of holes, and contain as few as 70 percent of all felony conviction records, leading in turn to a false sense of security. Read more…

At least 30 FEMA inspectors had criminal records At least 30 inspectors who visited disaster victims' homes or verified damage claims for federal aid had criminal records for offenses such as embezzlement, drug possession, robbery and drunken driving, a newspaper reported Sunday. Read more…

Employers Win Most Drug Testing Cases
David Shadovitz, Human Resource Executive

A new book released by the Institute for a Drug Free Workplace in Washington reveals that employers are winning most drug testing related court battles. Employers prevailed in roughly two-thirds of the nearly 1,200 legal decisions on drug testing, according to the book, 2004-2005 Guide to State and Federal Drug Testing Laws.

In the last year,” says Gina M. Petro, counsel to the institute and a co-author of the guide, “87 court decisions upheld drug testing, and 46 did not.” Since the group began tracking suits in the mid-1980’s, employers prevailed in 825 cases, while challenges have been successful in only 374 cases. The numbers are somewhat higher for federal court cases, in which employers have prevailed 76 percent of the time.

2005-04-26T10:18:00.000-07:00

2005-03-30T15:26:00.000-08:00

The Importance of a Complete Background Check

By Barry J. Nadell

In January 2005, InfoLink Screening Services, a national background screening firm, was completing a background check for a manufacturing client. Based on the identifying information provided by the applicant, InfoLink might have reported “No Record Found”, but discrepancies where identified during the Quality Assurance phase of its investigation. What InfoLink learned was that the applicant transposed the last two numbers of her social security number and provided the employer a false date of birth (DOB) when she applied for employment.

The key to InfoLink’s research was a Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) that the client ordered. The Motor Vehicle Report revealed that the applicant’s date of birth was 05/05/1973, not 08/05/1973 which she reported to the employer. When InfoLink conducted a second investigation at the court with the correct date of birth, it found a vehicle violation in the court’s records that exactly matched the violation on the MVR and eight (8) other criminal convictions including a felony for forgery. In addition, the court records included the applicant’s social security number which revealed that she had also transposed the last two digits of her SSN from 10 to 01. Using other research tools, InfoLink confirmed that the Social Security Number it received from the MVR (ending in 10) belonged to applicant, while the SSN ending in 01 belonged to someone else who had a clean criminal record.

What Human Resource and security professionals can learn from the above case is that criminals are learning that the primary identifier in court records is date of birth and that they can conceal their past by providing a false DOB.

In his new book “Sleuthing 101, Background Checks and The Law,” Barry J. Nadell, President of InfoLink advises employers to always conduct a motor vehicle report as part of their background screening program… even if the job position does not include driving. Employers can learn a great deal about a person’s character by identifying DUI’s, possession of drugs, current arrest warrants and failures to appear. In addition, the MVR search is the only verifiable source to help identify the subject’s actual date of birth.

InfoLink’s 2004 Applicant Hit Ratio Analysis – “hit ratio” is an industry measure of the percentage of convictions, MVR violations, verification discrepancies, etc. to the total background checks – reveals that 8.4% of individuals who received prior notice that a background check may be conducted and authorized the investigation in writing, had criminal convictions. These included felonies for Assault with a Firearm, Sexual Abuse, Forgery, Robbery, Possession of Stolen Goods, Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Welfare Fraud, Larceny, Hit and Run, Passing Bad Checks, Dealing Cocaine, Grand Theft by Employee, Felon Possessing Firearm, Check Fraud, Aggravated Battery, Sexual Assault, Burglary, Attempted Murder and more.

InfoLink’s 2004 Hit Ratio Analysis, summarized in the chart below, is calculated based upon the aggregate number of hits* as a percentage of the services InfoLink conducted in 2004. The chart includes an average of all clients and details on specific industries as hit ratios vary from industry to industry. If you’re not conducting checks that have a high hit ratio in your industry, you may want to consider revising your screening program. The chart is available on www.infolinkscreening.com.

Summary of Analysis

Automotive Industry - Highest Credit hit ratio and higher than average Criminal Record, DMV and Drug Testing Hit Ratio
Business Services - Highest Drug Testing hit ratio and higher than average Criminal Record, Education Verification and Worker's Compensation hit ratios
Construction - Highest DMV and Past Employment Verification hit ratio
Food Services - Highest Criminal Record hit ratio and higher than average DMV, Drug Testing, Credit History and Past Employment Verification hit ratios
Hospitality - Higher than average Drug Testing, Credit History and Social Security Trace hit ratios
Retail - Highest Education Verification hit ratio and higher than average Criminal Record, DMV and Worker's Compensation hit ratios
Transportation - Highest Worker's Comp hit ratio and above average Criminal Record, DMV and Credit History hit ratios

* Hits may include criminal search convictions, motor vehicle violations, discrepancies in employment and education verifications, positive drug test results, derogatory credit information, prior workers compensation claims, etc.

2005-02-16T14:51:00.000-08:00

Screening Helps Keep Six Flags Theme Parks at its Peak

High Volume Hiring for Sensitive Positions Presents Unique Challenges

February 10, 2005

For Valencia, CA-based Six Flags Theme Parks, Inc., selecting and hiring the right employees presents unique challenges due to the sheer number of new hires and the fact that most hires are for somewhat “sensitive” positions. When you’re hiring as many as 500 employees per month for positions working with children, handling cash and operating machinery, there is no room for error. An efficient screening program is essential.

“It can be tough in the interview process as people tell you everything you want to hear and more. However, through background screening I am able to discover that these people are not all that they appear to be and get to the heart of the matter. Considering that we have more than 4,000 applicants per year, screening for the right employee is vital,” commented Six Flag Theme Parks Human Resource Assistant Manager, Brent Houchin.

When Houchin first arrived at Six Flags three years ago, he was surprised to find a very low hit ratio for the volume of applicants being screened (few criminal records or resume falsehoods were uncovered). As a 12-year Human Resource veteran, Houchin was suspicious, being familiar with resume lies and falsehoods.

Houchin attended a certification course at CSUN Northridge, at which Barry Nadell, President InfoLink Screening Services, Inc., was one of the speakers, “Nadell seemed to know what he was talking about and I was impressed. As I was concerned about our low hit ratio, I had InfoLink conduct a one week trial at Magic Mountain and in that one week we had more hits than in the entire previous year; a 12% hit ratio,” commented Houchin.

In order to handle such a high volume of applicants, Houchin has to have an efficient screening program. “With InfoLink, due to the thoroughness of their searches, we now get an average hit ratio of 9-10%, which shows us that a good number of our applicants are not all they claim to be; it really helps us with the challenge of finding the right employee,” commented Houchin.

Unearthing the Truth = Savings in Time and Money

Houchin was surprised to find a lot of those applying for jobs in cash handling areas such as food services had Grand Theft on their records. “A thorough screening program has definitely saved our cash flow – the budget and everything else. These people have been caught up front, before starting in these positions,” Houchin commented.

According to Houchin, InfoLink has helped not only in screening, but also in establishing a correct employee interview process. “InfoLink has changed the way in which we look at and review an applicant and helped revise how we ask questions related criminal records to ensure we are completely legal and not liable,” Houchin stated.

“At InfoLink everything happens quickly and effectively. InfoLink president, Barry Nadell also dedicates a lot of time to speaking with clients; there is no Ivory Tower, and that tells me a lot about the company,” Houchin added.

Screening Improves Quality of New Hires, Customer Experience
Due to the nature of its operations as a family oriented theme park, Six Flags has to have confidence in the quality of its employees.

According to Houchin, the hit ratio has gone down significantly over past couple of years as the word is out that the company does not hire people who lie on their applications. “We are hiring a better quality of person and keeping people out that could be a future risk liability-wise. This all results in helping to bring smiles to the faces of our guests as they are dealing with appropriate employees, people who have the qualifications applicable to that job,” Houchin stated.

2005-01-10T14:28:00.000-08:00

InfoLink Screening Services has posted its Annual Applicant Hit Ratio Analysis.

This summary report shows the number of hits as a percentage of the services InfoLink clients conducted in 2004. Hits include criminal search convictions, motor vehicle violations, discrepancies in employment and education verifications, positive drug test results, derogatory credit information, prior workers compensation claims, etc.

Use this report to determine if your company is conducting the right background checks and drug testing employees in industries that have high hit ratios.

2004-10-31T13:12:00.000-08:00

Holes found in background checks
Newsday, Inc.
October 21, 2004, 8:20 PM EDT
By Karen Kreifeld, Staff Writer

Just how do you know that delivery person knocking at your door isn't a criminal?

The arrest earlier this month of a FreshDirect deliveryman, an ex-con who allegedly made obscene calls to female customers, has raised serious questions about possible gaping holes in commercial background checks.

In FreshDirect's case, the company hired ChoicePoint, a major background check company, to vet its employees for possible criminal histories.

Despite the check, FreshDirect did not know Erik Reynolds, 33, of the Bronx was an ex-con with at least two felony convictions and a half-dozen misdemeanors until his arrest this month.

FreshDirect has since fired Reynolds -- and ChoicePoint, saying ChoicePoint did not provide a "very satisfactory" reason for why it did not flag Reynolds for them.

Chuck Jones, a spokesman for ChoicePoint, said his company provides customers with several levels of screening options, some simple and some complex.

For FreshDirect, ChoicePoint performed what the company calls a National Criminal File search, which searches records in all 50 states. But the breadth and depth of records varies by state. In New York, all this search included was online prison release records from the New York Department of Correctional Services and ChoicePoint proprietary records.

This is among several reasons someone's criminal history could go undetected. For starters, the Corrections Department search would reveal only crimes for which a criminal served state prison time. It would not record crimes for which someone would serve time on Rikers Island, a city correctional facility, for instance.

(A check of the Web site for Guy Velella, who pleaded guilty to one felony count of bribery last spring, for instance, and served time in Rikers Island brings up no matches.)

Second, it would not reveal misdemeanors at all.

A check of the Corrections Web site by Newsday turned up only one of Reynolds' crimes: his 1993 felony conviction for attempted burglary.

Why didn't ChoicePoint report that to FreshDirect?

Jones said that under New York law, no consumer reporting agency can report records of convictions, release or parole, more than seven years old.

What about the misdemeanors? Reynolds had six of those in the city from 1990 through 1997.

He also has another felony conviction from 1991 from Orange County for attempted criminal possession of stolen property, for which he received 11 months.

To find those crimes, FreshDirect would have had to request a more in-depth search that included files in the state Office of Court Administration.

In short, such background checks leave much to be desired. In fact, just as they can provide "clean" records for those with long rap sheets, sloppy work can also tag innocent people as felons.

Ironically, in 2000, ChoicePoint acquired Database Technologies of Boca Raton, Fla., the company notorious for wrongly including possibly innocent people on a convicted felon list for the Florida Division of Elections, using flawed data to erroneously remove thousands of people - many of them black - from the voting rolls.

FreshDirect's Boris said that his company, luckily, has not suffered from Reynolds' frightening encounters with FreshDirect customers.

Boris also said the Long Island City-based firm, which delivers groceries in three boroughs, is hiring a new firm to conduct background checks. All 270 delivery people for the company will undergo a secondary background check, he said.

"Thankfully it has not had an impact on sales," he said. "It's an isolated incident ... and we have had one of our best weeks ever."

2004-09-02T11:10:00.000-07:00

NAS Recruitment Communications, Hannibal Inc. and InfoLink Screening Services Partner to Provide HR Communications and Web-Based Recruiting with Integrated Background Screening™

Three highly respected names in Human Resources have joined forces to provide companies with a revolutionary blend of services that make the hiring process more efficient and effective.

LOS ANGELES, CA. – September 1, 2004 – The partnership announced today joins three companies: NAS Recruitment Communications, a recognized leader in the specialized field of human resource communications, Hannibal, Inc., a software development firm specializing in recruiting automation solutions, and InfoLink Screening Services, Inc., a nationwide leader in employment background screening, drug testing and physical exam services.

The three companies’ services, each of which may be utilized separately, are now available through NAS’s new web-based recruiting tool called "Max". Max makes it easier for HR departments to source, match, screen and hire quality employees. One of the primary benefits of Max is the ease with which recruitment ads can be placed and tracked.

"Companies of every size can count on Max for the simplest and most efficient recruiting assistance in the industry," stated Don Sabatino, Vice President of NAS Recruitment Communications. "Max is not a typical applicant tracking system (ATS). Unlike the traditional ATS approach, which can take months to fully set-up and integrate, Max will be up and running in a matter of days."

Max installs easily, is updated automatically and provides a full range of sourcing, screening, and organizational functions that are ideally suited to the needs of today’s modern Human Resources executives. Max is also available in a tiered format to fit the exact requirements and budgetary commitments of every HR department. Key components include the following:

· An innovative interface for selecting and posting recruitment ads to print publications, job boards, career sites and internal referral sites
· A customized library of job descriptions
· Powerful filtering and ranking technology
· Resume pool management, candidate tracking and reporting
· Seamless Integration with InfoLink Screening Services for background checks

A strategic partner in the release of Max is InfoLink Screening Services, a leading provider of background screening, drug testing and physical exams of job applicants and employees. InfoLink has a strong reputation for providing exceptional service and fast turnaround of information, as well as ensuring its clients screening practices are legally compliant.

“InfoLink’s Integrated Background Screening™ and easy-to-use web-based solution enable Max users to eliminate duplicate data entry and data entry errors, increase efficiency, and reduce cost and time-to-hire,” stated Barry Nadell, President and Co-Founder of InfoLink Screening Services. “Our combined strengths give HR departments total control in recruiting and background screening their job applicants.”

NAS Recruitment Communications
NAS Recruitment Communications is recognized as a leader in the specialized field of human resource solutions. As part of the McCann Worldgroup, we offer a network with global, national and local-market expertise. HR departments are able to benefit from our proprietary Demand Chain, a process map that creates the foundation and traction to lead superbly talented people to our Employer of Choice clients. For more information, please contact Greg Rousseau or Renee Fossler at NAS Los Angeles at (818) 906-3313 or visit www.nasrecruitment.com.

Hannibal, Inc.
Pioneering numerous advancements in electronic recruiting, Hannibal, Inc. emerged as an industry leader by developing HR technology that provides valuable, cost effective and efficient services at the touch of a button. Hannibal’s continued goal is the development of products that anyone can use, regardless of computer literacy level, Internet skills or knowledge of recruiting laws and practices. For more information, please email info@hannibalinc.com or visit http://www.hannibalinc.com/.

InfoLink Screening Services, Inc.
InfoLink Screening Services is a leading provider of employment background checks, drug testing and physical exams. Thousands of companies nationwide, from small businesses to Fortune 500’s, rely on InfoLink's exceptional service, fast turnaround, legal compliance and accurate reports. InfoLink's easy-to-use web-based solution enables easy order entry, status tracking, hit notification and secure archiving. Its drug screening and physical exam programs include a nationwide network of thousands of collection sites and clinics, secure online reporting and consolidated billing. InfoLink’s comprehensive employee screening services and seamless integration with Human Resource software increase efficiency and enable businesses to Hire with Confidence™. For more information, please call (800) 990-HIRE (4473) or visit http://www.infolinkscreening.com.

2004-08-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

ZERORISK HR, Inc., Announces Partnership with InfoLink Screening Services

Dallas, August 5, 2004 — ZERORISK HR, Inc., the Dallas-based behavioral testing and interviewing solutions provider, has announced a partnership with InfoLink Screening Services, Inc., a leading provider of background screening services, to provide background checking and drug screening services as part of ZERORISK HR’s core product, ZERORISK Hiring System®.

ZERORISK HR’s ZERORISK Hiring System is a Web-based behavioral assessment and interviewing program designed to measure a candidate’s emotional intelligence competencies. The hiring system provides a customized and legally reviewed behavioral interview guide to assist in making better and faster hiring decisions. The hiring system has already garnered much praise from client companies that range from the Fortune 500 to small enterprises covering a wide array of industries and has been proven to increase retention in client companies by as much as 67 percent.

InfoLink provides comprehensive and legally compliant employment background checks, legal compliance expertise, and industry-leading turnaround time using the latest online technology. Its clients use InfoLink’s secure, Web-based service to request searches, track work in progress, and securely retrieve and archive background screening, drug testing, and physical exam reports. Its cost-effective screening services help companies reduce workplace violence, employee theft, substance abuse, and negligent hiring liability.

“ZERORISK HR is continuously forging relationships with companies that add value to our customer base,” said Mike Poskey, vice president of ZERORISK HR. “Our goal is to provide total solutions, be it through our core products or the value-added services provided through our affiliate partners.

“By partnering with InfoLink Screening we are better able to provide a total hiring solution to our ZERORISK Hiring System clients,” Poskey said. “With this relationship, our clients now have access to industry-leading background checking services and are better equipped to make a more informed hiring decision.”

About ZERORISK HR
Formed to provide proven strategies for hiring, retention, workforce development, and workforce risk management, Dallas-based ZERORISK HR, Inc. (http://www.zeroriskhr.com/), is the exclusive provider of the ZERORISK Hiring System. The company is a subsidiary of International Risk Management Institute, a leader in the risk management and insurance sector for over 25 years. With more than 250 clients, including Texas Health Resources, BearingPoint Consulting, Cap Gemini Ernst & Young, Amazon.com, and Group 1 Automotive, ZERORISK HR is focused on partnering with its customers to cost-effectively automate and enhance the recruiting and staffing process.

About InfoLink Screening Services
InfoLink Screening Services (http://www.infolinkscreening.com/ ) is a leading provider of employment background checks, drug testing, and physical exams. Thousands of companies nationwide, from small businesses to those on the Fortune 500 list, rely on InfoLink’s exceptional service, fast turnaround, legal compliance, and accurate reports. InfoLink’s easy-to-use Web-based solution enables easy order entry, status tracking, immediate hit notification, and secure archiving. InfoLink’s drug screening and physical exam programs offer simple online reporting, a single consolidated invoice, and a network of over 8,000 collection sites and clinics. InfoLink’s comprehensive employee screening solutions and seamless integration with HR applications increase efficiency and enable businesses to Hire With Confidence™.

2004-08-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

CHARLES Schwab Fined for Lax Employee Screening
The New York Stock Exchange fined the San Francisco-based firm $250,000 for failing to comply with several regulations governing the hiring of employees with criminal convictions.
Read article.

Wal-Mart to scrutinize job applicants
No. 1 retailer to announces tighter screening after workers named in sex assault case.
Read article.

BAD CHECKS
CSO - Framingham,MA,United States
More organizations are investigating criminal histories and other public records to make hiring and firing decisions. It's up to CSOs to make sure this powerful but flawed weapon doesn't backfire
Read article.

Background checks rile professors
Much of the furor is fueled by the discovery last summer that college professor Paul Krueger spent four years teaching at Penn State University before the school learned that he had murdered three fishermen 40 years earlier.
Read article.

Camp counselors may face scrutiny
Some Maine officials say the state should re-examine its regulations governing summer camps following the arrest of a counselor who police say had child pornography on his home computer in Massachusetts.
Read article.

2004-07-16T10:28:00.000-07:00

Managers not prepared for workplace violence
Companies sometimes hire workers who have been violent before and fail to react when they threaten violence again. At least half of the offenders in cases analyzed by USA TODAY had previous convictions for criminal behavior or had previously acted violently. Read more...

Inside the minds of workplace killers
USA TODAY's analysis found that the most common motivator behind a workplace killing is a firing, which preceded about 60 of the 224 fatal attacks. The second most likely trigger is an on-the-job argument, a fight or disagreement. Read more...

2004-06-11T11:15:00.000-07:00

Changes expected for spa workers
The Illinois Legislature is pushing forward new regulations that would require background checks and fingerprinting of massage therapists as the state looks to clamp down on prostitution rings using massage therapy as a front. Read article

Couple sues Special Olympics over their child's rape
A couple sued the Special Olympics on Thursday, claiming it should have conducted a more thorough background check on a volunteer who raped their disabled son. Read article

Carsonville honors volunteers who get background check
Field- trip chaperones, foster grandparents, room moms and basketball coaches are about to become card-carrying, certified school volunteers. Carsonville Elementary School is starting a program to thank volunteers who go through a criminal background check. Read article

2004-05-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

City Orders Background Checks, Reform
The City of Des Plaines has begun implementing reforms in the way it hires employees, and launched criminal background checks on all department heads following recent revelations that many top managers never had to undergo such scrutiny. Read more...

U.P. hiring efforts criticized
At least two Union Pacific Railroad job applicants have been released because they failed to report misdemeanors in their past, and a union official is criticizing the company's hiring efforts. Read more...

Assault suspect had a record
City officials knew of Regginold Samuels' cocaine-possession conviction, for which adjudication was withheld, but decided to offer him a second chance. Read more...

Firm's use of credit checks grows - Job screenings tighten amid post-9/11 fears
Individuals lucky enough to be asked back for a final job interview often are asked to do one more thing: sign a form authorizing a company or organization to look into their credit histories. Read more...

Background check system lacks updates
The child-molesting case against James Altes was one of the most highly publicized in Indianapolis in recent years. Accused of molesting four girls over a four-year period, Altes was convicted in January on five molestation charges. He's serving a 72-year sentence at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. But nearly three months after his conviction, a background check on Altes through an Indiana State Police Limited Criminal History search comes back clean -- as if he were never arrested. Read more...
Read No Record Found for more information.

2004-04-02T16:16:00.000-08:00

BACKGROUND check form irks library's volunteers
San Diego Union Tribune - San Diego,CA,USA
The background check for every new county employee and volunteers was initiated and approved by the Board of Supervisors last year. ...

Contact us for more information.

2004-03-30T15:37:00.000-08:00

Cheap Background Checks often Miss Offenders
Employers worried about crime, terrorism and liability are embracing a new breed of online services for screening job candidates, but these low-budget background checks don't always check out. The cheapest ones routinely fail to identify criminals, performing such superficial reviews that serious offenders can get perfectly clean reports, critics say. Click to read article

Rape Charge Prompts Schools To Do Background Checks
Choir Director Accused Of Raping Student. School officials did not order a background check on a choir choreographer who was charged with raping a student because he was hired by a parents group. Click to read article

2004-03-05T10:16:00.000-08:00

InfoLink offers a comprehensive list of employee screening and background verification services to help companies screen applicants. We offer the flexibility of ordering services individually or establishing a standard employee screening program, which our experienced staff can help you design. As a cornerstone to your employee screening search program, InfoLink recommends a Basic Search package for minimum due diligence to protect your business.

Recommended Basic Search
• Social Security Trace / Verification
• Motor Vehicle History Report / Driving Records
• Criminal History Report
• First Alert
• Prior Employer Tracking

Additional Criminal Records
• Criminal Federal Court Search
• National Criminal Database Search
• OFAC Foreign Nationals Search
• State and Federal Incarceration Records
• State Repository Search
• State Sexual Offender Registry

Civil Records
• Civil Federal Court Search
• Civil Superior Court Search

Financial Reporting
• Credit History
• Liens and Judgments

Other Searches
• OIG Medicare/Medicaid Fraud Report
• Prior Employer Drug and Alcohol Test Results
• Workers Compensation History

Verifications and References
• Education Verification
• Employment Verification
• Military Service Verification
• Professional License Verification
• Professional Reference Interview

2004-03-03T12:45:00.000-08:00

Recruiters report that they're fielding lots of requests for in-depth background checks of CFO candidates.

2004-03-03T12:23:00.000-08:00

Needless Risk - Are you conducting background searches illegally?
An article about the right way to conduct pre-employment background checks.

2004-02-24T10:45:00.000-08:00

Fair Credit Reporting Act and additional legal resources.

2004-02-20T16:02:00.000-08:00

The best employment application form is available at www.GreatHire.com.

2004-02-09T17:29:00.000-08:00

Employee Drug Testing, Pre-Employment Drug Testing from InfoLink

2004-01-30T12:30:00.000-08:00

Visit InfoLink Screening Services, Inc. at www.infolinkscreening.com for information regarding pre-employment screening, employee drug testing and employment physicals. InfoLink also has a thorough Legal Library with links and information about background check legislation.

InfoLink Screening Services is now part of Kroll

INFOLINK SCREENING SERVICES ROLLS OUT VASTLY EXPEDITED AND IMPROVED ELECTRONIC FORM I-9 COMPLIANCE PROCESS

INFOLINK SCREENING SERVICES ROLLS OUT VASTLY EXPEDITED AND IMPROVED ELECTRONIC
FORM I-9 COMPLIANCE PROCESS