“Being named a Weatherhead 100 company carries a distinction of achieved excellence in every facet of your business”, said Steve Millard, Executive Director of the Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE).

At the black tie gala event which was held on December 2nd, Crimcheck.com President Ted L. Moss accepted the award and gave kudos to his entire team by delivering the following statement: “Crimcheck.com has established itself as leader in the employment screening industry by utilizing a highly effective, creative, and technically innovative team that consistently meets the needs of our clients. We value the human element of every business and recognize that people are an organization’s most valuable asset. From this belief, we define our mission to be “expertise made easy.”

Summary

The Civilian Agency Acquisition Council and the Defense Acquisition Regulations Council (Councils) Hargreaves on a final rule amending the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) to require certain contractors and subcontractors to use the E-Verify system administered by the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, as the means of verifying that certain of their employees are eligible to work in the United States. Executive Order 12989, as amended, specifically directs the agency heads of DoD, GSA and NASA to implement this policy through amendments to the FAR. Under the final rule, Departments and agencies should, in accordance with FAR 1.108(d)(3), amend existing indefinite-delivery / indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contracts to include the clause for future orders if the remaining period of performance extends at least six months after the effective date of the final rule and the amount of work or number of orders expected under the remaining performance period is substantial.

Process

The rule inserts a clause into Federal contracts committing Government contractors to use the USCIS E-Verify program to verify that all of the contractors’ new hires, and all employees (existing and new) directly performing work under Federal contracts, are authorized to work in the United States. The final rule:

1. Exempts contracts that are for:
· Commercially available off-the-shelf (COTS)items; and
· Items that would be COTS items but for minor modifications.

2. Requires inclusion of the clause in subcontracts over $3,000 for services or for construction.

3. Requires contractors and subcontractors to use E-Verifyto confirm the employment eligibility of all existing employees who are directly performing work under the covered contract (THIS MEANS REVERIFICATION OF EXISTING EMPLOYEES which is not currently allowed under E-Verify)

4. Applies to solicitations issued and contracts awarded after the effective date of the final rule in accordance with FAR 1.108(d). Under the final rule,Departments and agencies should, in accordance with FAR171.108(d)(3), amend-on a bilateral basis-existing indefinite delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts to include the clause for future orders if the remaining period of performance extends at least six months after the effective date of the final rule.

5. In exceptional circumstances, allows a head of the contracting activity to waive the requirement to include the clause. This authority is not delegable.

Note, as with any rule that there are exceptions to the above rule that federal contactors use E-Verify. For instance, exempted are prime contracts with performance terms of less than 120 days, the final rule exempts employees who hold an active security clearance of confidential, secret or top secret from the verification requirements, and certain administrative staff may be exempt too. And, swinging the net widely, for those contractors who choose to, they will have the option of verifying all employees, including any existing employees not currently assigned to a Government contract. A contractor that chooses to exercise this option must notify DHS and must initiate verifications for the contractor’s entire workforce within 180 days of such notice to DHS.

Below is a link to the final rule…all 274 pages of it.

http://federalregister.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2008-26904_PI.pdf

After Hurricane Katrina many people became victims again by generously opening their homes to residents they assumed were in need. There are going to be people out there looking to take advantage of generous and kind individuals so it’s very important to run a background check to protect these good Samaritans. Crimcheck.com’s free background check service will have an investigator verify a person is from the affected areas and are who they claim to be, thus keeping families safe at no cost.

Criminals and greedy individuals will be taking advantage of the high demand for contractors. Therefore, Crimcheck.com is also offering free professional license verifications for people who are hiring contractors for rebuilding and repairing. Becoming a victim of a contracting scam is common when dealing with a major crisis, and Crimcheck.com is ready to help reduce that risk. If you are a legitimate contactor that would like to be pre-screened please give us a call at 877 992-4325.

Crimcheck.com is a leading provider of background checks and employment screening services to businesses and consumers alike. Crimcheck was founded in 1991 by security expert Ted Moss (www.tedlmoss.com) and the official Crimcheck.com website was launched in 1996. Since then, Crimcheck.com has rapidly grown into a widely used & trusted company. Crimcheck.com received a Weatherhead 100 award in 2007, won the 2007 NEO Success Award, and works with charities to provide food to struggling families.

For additional information, please visit:
http://www.crimcheck.com/free-background-checks.htm

Crimcheck.com has partnered with Edwards Executive Catering and church street ministries to cook the meals and help serve them. Staff members of Crimcheck.com will also be on hand to help serve the meals.

This partnership will allow Crimcheck.com to provide its clients with a human resource solution that can begin from job posting and carry through to hire. Crimcheck.com will integrate its pre-employment background checks into Candidate Resource Inc’s, leading on-demand recruiting and on boarding solution. This synergy will allow clients to more quickly and efficiently initiate background checks by eliminating the need for fax or redundant data entry. In addition, it will allow for clients to have a one stop solution in their hiring management process.

In order for employers to recruit qualified candidates, hire the most talented employees and correctly screen potential applicants, they must have an efficient and effective employment center. With this alliance, Crimcheck.com can offer employers a soup to nuts recruitment and screening solution that will help them streamline and simplify the complex employee acquisition processes. Our customers will experience measurable productivity improvements in their hiring management processes while not compromising the integrity of their background screening program.

About Crimcheck.com

Crimcheck.com™ powered by Background Network, Inc., is a nationwide leader in background checks. We provide fast, affordable, and comprehensive background checks to both small businesses and large corporations. We help companies protect their most important asset – the employees that make them a success. As a part of any comprehensive risk mitigation program, employment screening is a must since the best predictor of future performance is past behavior.

Crimcheck.com™ retrieves data from over 10,000 local courts and 3,500 county courts in all 50 states. Our background screening services include comprehensive Criminal Checks: misdemeanors, felonies, and federal offenses; Data Checks: social security traces, motor vehicle reports, and pre-employment credit checks; and Reference Checks: employment verification, educational verification, and personal/professional reference checks. Crimcheck.com™ delivers the level of professionalism you expect when conducting applicant/employee background checks.

Our investigative consultants are highly qualified and have diverse backgrounds including criminal justice graduates, former law enforcement officers, and other related disciplines. Our organization also utilizes a nationwide network of public record researchers and other unique sources. Hiring an employee is one of the most important responsibilities a company will experience while conducting business. Negligent hiring is on the rise, and companies and organizations are being taken to task over their hiring practices.

It is your responsibility to make sure that the people you hire can be trusted to deal with the public and interact well with other employees. The Society for Human Resource Management states that 22% of job applicants use false claims.

About Candidate Resources, Inc

Candidate Resources, Inc., is a human resources company dedicated to helping employers attract, then screen applicants for job fit. Once hired, Candidate Resources assists leadership in the development of existing employees as they move up the career ladder. Additionally, Candidate Resources, Inc., provides HR tools and Career Direction resources to individuals seeking to determine what job is best for them.

Candidate Resources, Inc., brings over 50 years of expertise and experience in pre-employment applicant attraction and screening services to its clients. Its nationwide and international clients span the gamut of large, medium and small companies in a myriad of different industries. It’s main personnel assessment, the Achiever, has been widely used by business, governmental facilities, government contractors, educational facilities and associations for well over four decades. The company is based in Grand Prairie, Texas, in the middle of the DFW Metroplex, just 7 minutes south of the DFW Airport, with offices in 40 cities.

Handling pre-employment aptitude and/or personality testing via the web today is simple, efficient and effective, with a profile of the individual immediately accessible by employers. Most of the company’s clients and consultants use the company’s virtual Human Resources center, www.virtualhrcenter.com. Clients simply have individuals they wish to test log on to the site, enter codes which they are provided and complete the respective test. Then, the client company representative or consultant logs into an administrative site, enters specialized codes to access the results, reads and prints the results.

Within this site is information regarding the Achiever and other aptitude and personality (behavioral) tests offered by the company, as well as information on obtaining benchmarks for specific jobs, career and job development information, methods of interviewing and screening potential applicants and new hires and the articles relating to the importance of testing for job fit.

“There is no such thing as the perfect employee. But there are ways to find out, through pre-employment screening, if a candidate will be right for your company or if that person could potentially cause problems once hired.

Statistically, companies end up with fewer turnovers when they screen employees because they hire the right candidate to begin with,” says Ted L. Moss, founder, president and CEO of Crimcheck.com, a Berea-based background check company.”

Moss, a certified protection professional, says the two main types of screening are instant checks that check criminal history and comprehensive checks, which cover a criminal record check and verification of employment, education, credit and driving history.

“We know it’s important to make sure we’re not hiring a criminal, but why?” Moss says. “It’s to protect customers, provide a safe work environment and ensure that the company runs smoothly and is profitable.”

Moss says that first you should decide which type of check is most appropriate for your organization, and then find a company that suits your needs.

“It isn’t just looking on the Internet but finding organizations that have outlined what the best practices are,” he says. “Also, ask people you know from business and find out what they’re doing and who they’re using.”

You also need to determine the scope of the check, how far into the person’s background you want to go, how much information you want and how you are going to apply it to the hiring process.

You can either do pre-employment screenings on your own, or you can use an established company, which can educate you about the different types of screenings and how you can use the information obtained.

“It’s like, you can hire a plumber to fix your pipes, or you can get a book and figure out how to do it yourself,” Moss says. “You can do these things yourself, but it takes some expertise to make sure you’re doing it correctly.”

When using pre-employment screening, many employers want the information immediately, and while instant checks are possible, they might not be the best choice for your company.

“Think about it — instant check or hire this company that says, ‘It’s going to take 24 to 48 hours to get this check,’” Moss says. “It indicates that someone’s doing a little more work.”

But even with the extra time, something in the candidate’s background may get overlooked because a pre-employment screening isn’t as in-depth as a full-blown background check.

And remember, no one is perfect. Even if your candidate doesn’t have a spotless record, there may be some things you are willing to overlook.

Moss says pre-employment screenings are worth the cost of between $75 and $100 because the alternative is much more expensive.

“Considering it can cost between $7,000 and $15,000 to hire and train a new employee, the investment of $75 to $100 up-front is probably smart money,” Moss says.

Moss says the benefits of pre-employment screenings are immense.

“The Society of Human Resource Management says that 45 percent of all resumes contain at least one major fabrication, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce says that 33 percent of U.S. business bankruptcies are due to employee theft and embezzlement,” he says. “It’s risk mitigation. It’s a necessity; it’s like buying insurance. Providing a safe work environment for your employees and customers is the goal. You increase productivity and profits and reduce turnover.”

“It’s just a smart business decision. Having the information up-front allows you to make a better hiring decision and run your company more efficiently.”

Successful pre-employment screenings

Ted L. Moss, founder, president and CEO of Crimcheck.com, offers these tips for successfully using pre-employment screenings.

• Evaluate.Ask yourself why you’re doing it, what your risks are, how it would benefit your company, what your budget is and what return you expect on investment.
• Determine the scope and define the categories and types of jobs you have in your business. If you have a lot of sales-people, you’re going to want to run the driving records of potential candidates. If you have people dealing with money or confidential information, you might want to run a credit report.
• Decide if you want to do it yourself or outsource it.
• Do your research. Find screening partners who are truly concerned about your needs. Do they take the time to understand your business? Do they offer education and training? Will they come on-site and train your employees? Can they offer technology to suit your needs? Are they flexible? Are they recognized in the industry? Lastly, check their references and the Better Business Bureau to make sure they are a viable candidate.
• Centralize your screening process. It’s much easier if you pick one person to be the main point of contact and filter information through that person because he or she can be your in-house expert and work with your provider. The provider is then constantly educating that person and updating him or her about any industry changes or new legislation.

View the original article on the Smart Business Magazine website.

Highlights

• e-Verify ensures that only entitled non-citizen applicants receive federal, state, or local public benefits and licenses.
• I-9 Verifications are performed to determine immigration status
• VISA Verifications are performed
• Applicable to many clients, but particularly to those hiring with or under government contracts: contractors, health care, transportation, agriculture, hospitality, other industries

The e-Verify Program is an intergovernmental, information-sharing initiative designed to aid eligibility workers in determining a non-citizen applicant’s immigration status, with the purpose to ensure that only entitled non-citizen applicants receive federal, state, or local public benefits and licenses. The e-Verify Program is an information service for benefit-issuing agencies, institutions, licensing bureaus, and other entities. The e-Verify Program does not make determinations on any non-citizen applicant’s eligibility for a specific benefit or license.

Under the e-Verify Program a non-citizen is never denied a benefit or license based solely upon the response from an Initial Verification. An Additional Verification (automated or manual) procedure is in place as a precautionary measure.

Clients, please note: Procedures under this program are tight, narrow and strict. Please inquire and discuss this with Ryan Sherman, Operations Manager, in advance, so that requirements are understood and met. For more on this email ryan@crimcheck.com, or call 440-816-9920.

Below is an article that Ted Moss, President of Crimcheck.com, was featured in.

For CrimCheck’s Ted Moss, it was the leap onto the Internet that revolutionized his business plan, and he hasn’t looked back since. “Almost all of our growth has been from Internet growth,” says Moss, the company’s founder and president. “We’ve really evolved and changed dramatically from where we started.”

In 1991, Moss began CrimCheck to provide investigative and security consulting services to businesses. With the help of his brother, a basement phone line and $100, Moss got out his name by making cold calls to area companies, slowly but surely building a sizable business.

But the advent of the Internet changed how Moss’ company operated. “Our main marketing thrust was word of mouth and the Yellow Pages,” he recalls. “But around ’97 or ’98, just as the Internet started to become a viable marketing venue, we started to see a real decline.”

When his employees recommended the company set up a Web site to attract potential business, Moss was skeptical. “I thought the Internet was a fad,” Moss laughs. “Good thing I was outvoted.”

After setting up CrimCheck online, Moss quickly saw an opportunity. He realized the company could leverage the speed of the Internet to conduct faster and more efficient background checks — previously an important aspect of the business, but not its main focus. But the company’s willingness to adapt its business strategy paid off.

“We divested ourselves really of any of the investigative services around 2000 and started focusing only on background screening with a small amount of investigative services — sort of a value-added service for our customers,” Moss says.

Today, CrimCheck is almost entirely Web based. With three Internet sites and 25 employees operating from its Berea headquarters, the company has seen its sales grow into the $1 million-to-$4 million revenue category. And because CrimCheck took its business online relatively early, the company now has a strategic advantage over the competition.

“We were lucky to get in at such a time because search engine rankings, the algorithms Google uses for example, are such that they’re based on how long you’ve been on the Web,” he says.

CrimCheck.com, the company’s main site, offers business-to-business background checks. Two additional sites, www.easybackgroundchecks.com and www.investigationsamerica.com, offer business-to-consumer background checks and high-end consulting services, respectively.

Moss continues to keep his business up to date to weather any dramatic shifts in the industry from year to year. “The industry has really gone from providers having expertise in law enforcement and security to providers having expertise in human resource disciplines,” Moss says. “A lot of competitors dropped out, people who couldn’t stay abreast of technology.”

Today, the company is working to assemble a sales team to expand business. With a struggling economy, Moss says employers are even more careful about their hires and more likely to want thorough background checks. “In this time, you have to be sure you’re hiring the right people.”

Since 1994, the NEO Success Awards recognize Northeast Ohio’s top public, private, and emerging companies by revenue and sales growth. The Northeast Ohio Success Awards began because the business community wanted to showcase the breadth and depth of business success in the region, a region which encompasses 17 counties.

Ted L. Moss, CPP, President, and CEO of Crimcheck.com said, “Winning this award may be the most personally satisfying accolade I have ever received. Having lived in northeast Ohio my entire life, I am proud to have our corporate headquarters based in Berea, Ohio and plan a long, successful tenure here for our company.”

“Crimcheck.com was founded with the belief that an ethical, legal, and quality screening product was what businesses and HR Departments were in need of,” continued Moss. “We pride ourselves in, and stand by our motto: Expertise Made Easy™. This award affirms our belief that putting the client first, and providing only superior services, is what makes our company a success.”

A recognition and awards luncheon will take place on March 11th, 2008 at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven. For more information on attending the awards, visit the NEO Success Award website.