About firstcontacthr

First Contact HR provides employment screening services, including drug and alcohol testing, identity validations, criminal and credit records research, driving records, identification badges, employment and education verifications, and workforce training.

Win a FCHR Prize Pack on Facebook!

Posted on October 31, 2011 by firstcontacthr

First Contact HR wants to give our fans and Mailing List subscibers the chance to win a gift!

Click “Like” at facebook.com/firstcontacthr and then join our mailing list for a chance to win a Prize Pack from First Contact HR!

Givaway starts Friday, October 28, 2011 12:00AM EST and ends Friday, November 18, 2011 11:59PM EST

The Prize pack includes office supplies and the following First Contact HR branded merchandise:

Polo Shirt – one (1)
Water Bottle – one (1)
Various desk supplies (may include any mixture of the following: letter opener, notebook, pen, planner, folder, post it notes booklet, leather-bound pad and pen, etc.)

ENTER NOW!

Before entering, read official contest

Retailers use Background Checks as a way to Keep Employees and Shoppers Safe

Posted on October 27, 2011 by firstcontacthr

According to a recent survey conducted by the National Retail Federation (NRF), approximately 97 percent of all retailers in the U.S. utilize background screening procedures in the hiring process.

Retailers know the importance of keeping their employees and customers safe, which is why they use different types of background screening components, including checking criminal, credit, motor vehicle/driving records, as well as drug history, social security number traces, and education and identity verifications.

The findings released by the NRF were based upon a survey of 96 individual retail and restaurant companies. “Nearly all retailers polled (96.6%) utilize background screening as part of their applicant hiring process.”

Download the complete PDF

For information on the background screening services First Contact HR can provide in the retail space, click here.

You Ask, We Answer

Posted on October 19, 2011 by firstcontacthr

Each week we will be answering common questions we get on background checks, drug testing and other HR industry practices. Got a question? Ask us at info@FirstContactHR.com

Question #3: Why do I need a “background screening” firm? Isn’t most information about a person’s background online?

Contrary to popular opinion, criminal and other searches are not ‘available online. Very few county court records are accessible online, and then only with special access procedures and fees. Most of the advertised sources of online criminal history do not come directly from the courts, but is retrieved from databases that are not always accurate or current.

Always ask if their searches are direct from the originating source or are they simply pulled from a purchased database. To learn more about internet searches, read a previous post on Internet background searches.

For more questions and answers, visit www.FirstContactHR.com and just Ask!

You Ask, We Answer

Posted on October 12, 2011 by firstcontacthr

Question #2: What does the Fair Credit Reporting Act have to do with a criminal background search?

The FCRA governs all background searches, not just credit reports. The Act defines permissible purposes, how the information is handled, what procedures and documentation must be followed, and even defines the procedures for when an applicant is denied a job based on the results. There is a great deal more to know about the FCRA, and we recommend all personnel responsible for hiring employees be aware of the impact this act has on your employment decisions. For more information on the FCRA, visit: http://www.ftc.gov/os/statutes/fcrajump.shtm

For more questions and answers, visit www.FirstContactHR.com and just Ask!

Each week First Contact HR answers common questions on background checks, drug testing and other HR industry practices. Got a question? Ask us at info@FirstContactHR.com

First Contact HR Launches Brand New Website!

Posted on October 11, 2011 by firstcontacthr

Known for innovation and continuous improvement, First Contact HR portrays these characteristics with the launch of its brand new website. Change is a sign of our times, so why not embrace it … with a face-lift! That’s right, our website, FirstContactHR.com got a fresh, new look to match the personality of our brand.

First Contact HR helps clients hire the right employees from the start with a comprehensive suite of background screening services including drug and alcohol testing, identity verifications, criminal and credit history research, driving records and much more.

What better way to show off the services we offer with a fresh-looking, new website that makes it easier for the world to discover them.

What’s more is that we’ve also integrated an up-to-date newsroom where you can get industry and company news, blog posts, and tons of resources all in one place! You can even join our social media community on Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.

Launch New Website

We would love to hear your comments and feedback: send a message to info@firstcontacthr.com or post a comment on our facebook wall at facebook.com/firstcontacthr

What do Criminal Background Checks Mean For Minority Job Candidates?

Posted on October 5, 2011 by firstcontacthr

The national unemployment rate in the U.S. is declining, but still currently rests at an unsettling 9.1% – a decrease from 9.6% this time last year. In light of the quest for jobs in the current economy, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) wants to make it easier for the nation’s minority job prospects by limiting (or even eliminating) the use of criminal background checks for employers when it comes to making hiring decisions. The commission held hearings to examine employer’s use of conviction and arrest records as a potential hiring barrier.

The EEOC argues that by limiting the ability of employers to consider criminal backgrounds check employment screening tool in hiring will allow for minority applicants, specifically African Americans and Latinos to get more jobs since the two groups have the highest conviction and arrest rates as compared to non-minorities.

The U.S. Commission of Civil Rights (USCCR) however, negates the EEOC’s claims since the hearings failed to recognize scholarly reports that challenge the assumptions that African Americans are less likely to be hired when employers use criminal background checks.

In research cited by [Caroline May, The Daily Caller]:

Civil Rights Commissioners Peter Kirsanow, Gail Heriot and Todd Gaziano pointed to research from economists Harry Holzer and Stephen Rafael and public policy professor Michael Stoll, published in the Journal of Law and Economics, which showed that employers with access to background checks are actually more likely to hire African Americans, especially African American men, than those without access to that information.

According to the research, when a criminal background check is unavailable, some employers have been known to be more prone to discriminate against minorities like African Americans and Latinos based on crime statistics. Currently, the EEOC is still reviewing the statements by the USCCR.

You Ask, We Answer

Posted on September 21, 2011 by firstcontacthr

Each week we will be answering common questions we get on background checks, drug testing and other HR industry practices. Got a question? Ask us at info@FirstContactHR.com

Question #1: How common is drug testing?

In 1983, only 3% of the Fortune 200 companies were testing one or more classes of job applicants or employers. By 1991, 98% had implemented some form of drug testing.

What’s more, as a way to improve safety in the workplace today, many employers now test their employees for both illegal drugs and alcohol. Some of the more common types of drug testing include urine, oral/saliva and hair. Drug testing is typically conducted at a drug clinic location nationwide or on-site at work locations. Employers who use laboratory testing have the advantage of faster results since both the screening and confirmation stages of the drug test are carried out in one place.

For more questions and answers, visit www.FirstContactHR.com and just Ask!

Is your Company’s Social Media Policy in Violation of the NLRB?

Posted on September 6, 2011 by firstcontacthr

With the popularity of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace at an all-time high with regards to usage at home and in the workplace, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) is cracking down on companies’ social media usage in the workplace.

The problem? Companies are creating social media policies that they expect employees to adhere to; however these policies may violate the National Labor Relations Act. Such violations can lead to legal and monetary risks if not corrected. In many cases, both unionized and nonunionized employees have been terminated for posting unfavorable material to do with their jobs on social networking sites.

One of the main determinants for whether or not a company follows the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) when letting an employee go based on social network posts is if the social media post by the employee was a concerted complaint or just a personal gripe. Read about what happened when Wal-Mart, JT’s Porch Saloon, and Martin House fired employees who posted “negative” comments via their social media pages.

Another violation of the NLRB is conducting an internet or social media search on an applicant without potential new hire’s consent. Companies that take matters into their own hands by conducting such searches must have signed written consent to do so. What’s more is some companies will simple “Google” the applicant or search through the individual’s social media profiles. This practice can lead to an applicant who is unfairly judged based on information such as religion or sexual orientation.

To learn more about internet searches, read our past blog post “Internet Background Searches – Should YOU Use Them?”

Considering a Prospective Employee’s Financial History for Future Employment?

Posted on August 23, 2011 by firstcontacthr

In May, 2011 a job applicant sued Toojay’s Mgmt. Corp, a private employer, when after the interview process the employer rescinded an offer of employment after finding out the applicant filed for bankruptcy in the past.

The applicant claimed that the company’s actions violated a section of the Bankruptcy Code, which states that:

“No private employer may terminate the employment of, or discriminate with respect to employment against, an individual who is or has been a debtor under this title, a debtor or bankrupt under the Bankruptcy Act, or an individual associated with such debtor or bankrupt…”

The court rejected the applicant’s claim, since the applicant was not yet an employee and the company was simply reacting on facts provided by a background check. Read more about this case.

Internet Background Searches – Should YOU Use Them?

Posted on August 10, 2011 by firstcontacthr

It’s no surprise that basically anyone and everyone can conduct a simple background check on whoever they like. With companies like EasyBackrgoundCheck.com and nationally-recognized BeenVerified.com, individuals and companies can input basic information about a person and obtain “background” information on that individual.

While it is fine for people to use internet background check services like these for personal use, it is important to realize that these companies are simply “public record aggregators,” and thus not a replacement for traditional pre-employment background screening or private investigative services.

Internet aggregation services are a cheap and quick way to get a bit of information on a stranger or person of interest, but are certainly not acceptable for hiring purposes. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) information that is supplied by a 3rd party vendor for hiring purposes needs to be both accurate and current (not older than seven years). Furthermore, companies and organizations that are in fact going to use the information obtained from these internet aggregation sources for employment purposes, must obtain the applicants consent before doing so. In the case of hiring, the job applicant must provide an organization with signed written consent for performing an internet background check.

Companies and organizations that have written consent from applicants to do a background check still need to make sure that the information is accurate – in many cases, the information is not. BeenVerified.com for example even states: “we do not represent or warrant that the results provided will be 100% accurate and up to date.”

More often than not, those conducting internet background checks via aggregation services are not able find the right person to investigate either because their name is too similar to another person (think, “John Smith”) or the person has taken steps to protect their internet privacy (think, “do not call list”… but more like the “do not internet background check me online list”). How could an individual do this without countless hours spent searching online? You might ask.

Well, there are a number of ways individuals can hide, block and even remove information about them so that internet background check websites cannot find them. Read this article by BGR.com explaining all the ways you can put yourself on the “do not internet background check me online list” for all the major internet aggregation sites such as BeenVerrified.com.

The best practice available for a company or organization that is looking to conduct background checks on job applicants and employees is to use a trusted company such as First Contact HR. To see what background screening services First Contact HR can provide to individuals and companies, Visit: FirstContactHR.com