Pre-employment background checks also are known as consumer reports. They can include information from a variety of sources, including credit reports and criminal records. When you use consumer reports to make employment decisions, including hiring, retention, promotion or reassignment, you must comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces the [...]

A WSJ interview with Eugene F. Ferraro, CPP, CFE, PCI, SPHR Reporter: So as President of ASIS, could you please tell me in your own words… Ferraro: For the purpose of clarity, I am not the president of ASIS. I apologize if I had given that impression to you. I am a long-time volunteer leader [...]

Besides allowing organizations to maintain legal compliance, the implementation of an anonymous employee hotline makes good business sense for a variety of other, possibly more valuable, reasons. Such a reporting mechanism allows for fraudulent activity and other employee misconduct to be detected sooner than it might otherwise be, enabling organizations to effectively manage the problem [...]

Late last year, ASIS International and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) issued a joint ASIS/SHRM Workplace Violence Prevention and Intervention American National Standard. I had the pleasure of participating as ASIS Standards and Guidelines Commission liaison co-chair with friend and colleague, Mike Crane of IPC International. The new Standard is aimed at helping [...]

For those of you who may not have been following the news, it might be a surprise to know that according to the latest FBI crime statistics, crime rates in America continue to fall (see chart). According to the FBI’s Crime in the United States report, overall the estimated volume of violent crimes in 2010 [...]

There can be no argument, our employees are our most valuable asset.  They can make us, as easily as they can break us.  However, many employers don’t take the time or expend the necessary resources to seek out, and hire the best people possible. The result is often disappointment and frustration, and sometimes even litigation. [...]

 The Origins of Whistleblowing  History reveals that the False Claims Act, also known as the “Lincoln Law,” enacted during the Civil War was the first U.S. statute to formally recognize whistleblowers and reward them for their tips. The law’s intent was to combat the fraud perpetrated by businesses that sold supplies to the Union Army [...]

Employers are permitted to use consumer reports when screening employment applicants and when evaluating employees for promotion, reassignment, or retention—as long as they comply with the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). FCRA (Public Law No. 91-508) Sections 604, 606, and 615 spell out their responsibilities and the methods for using consumer reports for employment purposes. [...]

It is a tragedy of unthinkable dimension. Joe Paterno had been a Penn State coach for 61 years. Jerry Sandusky, the alleged criminal pedophile had been associated with Penn State football for nearly 50 years, beginning as a student player. Not surprisingly, Sandusky has rigorously denied all charges against him and the school’s board of [...]

An ethical and properly conducted workplace investigation provides many dividends for an organization. In addition to uncovering facts and essential information needed to solve problems, a successful investigation helps restore order. It also provides an organization the opportunity to analyze processes and system failures and re-engineer them to prevent future problems. Most workplace investigations unfold [...]