http://www.workplaceviolence911.com/docs/barry03-08buzz.jpg Kutaa

It's now official, summer is over and into the fall we go. Does anyone remember when we use to call it Autumn? Oops! I must be showing my age.

This brings to mind a commercial I have been hearing on the radio where one person looks at their friends cell phone and calls it a 'cellasaurus' because it is not an iPhone or Droid. This commercial really hits home because I have a Treo which not too long ago was the phone to have. Now you guessed it, I have a 'cellasaurus.' I am running fast to keep up with the latest gadgets, but it feels like I am running in place. Am I the only one who feels this way?

The NAPBS Mid-year is just around the corner and I am looking forward to seeing all of you. Be sure to come by our booth to say hello and let me know how life is treating you.

Those of you attending HR Southwest, please come to my presentation or stop by tosay hello.

Please welcome our new advertiser, LawLogix, and be sure to check out their ad.

We released the 2011 Summer/Fall edition of theSuppliers to the Background Screening Industry Directory. Click on the image to get a copy and to see many of the best suppliers in the industry. This is a complimentary service for our Platinum Members listed in the Vendor Showcase of PreemploymentDirectory.com plus International Suppliers.

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As you are putting the finishing touches on your 2012 budget, remember to include PreemploymentDirectory.com. See our focused Marketing Portfolios and choose the one that best fits your business to see the wide array of marketing services we offer to support your business. Our goal is to create additional sales opportunities and leads for you so that you can meet your sales goals.

I am excited to announce that we are going to publish a 2012 Background Screening Industry Buyers Guide and reservation forms are attached. Incidentally, if you have not seen the 2011 Background Screening Industry Buyers Guide click here . If you would like a hard copy, email me at wbnixon@aol.com.

Please note that a client told me he was confused about all the publications we publish so I created an explanation sheet to help anyone that we may have confused because an educated customer is our best customer.

Finally, a must read for CRAs is the Washington Report by Montserrat Miller who raises a very important issue to CRAs.

Thanks again for joining us in this edition and stay safe until next month.



PS - Kutaais good day in Greenlandic (Kalaallisut)

Volume 7, Edition 9, September 2011
 


GOLD SPONSOR





 
 
 BACKGROUND SCREENING NEWS

Could This Be the Future of Background Checking?

A new study from Carnegie Mellon University showed that current technology can cross reference a person's face with currently available photos on the Web (such as Facebook) and find out information about that person, including their interests -- and in some cases their social security numbers. Simply snapping a photo of a complete stranger on a cell phone, could enable you to learn more about them than you would in causal conversation.

While CMU researchers were able to effectively use face recognition technology or "offline to online recognition" to accomplish this, they did so for only one-third of their test subjects. Entirely successful or not, this study demonstrates the fast approaching and inevitable capabilities of technology. The author of this article, Clayton Morris, suggests we protect ourselves from a not so far away world where personal boundaries and anonymity cease to exist. "The less sensitive information you put on the Internet, the less sensitive information someone can find out about you."

To read the full article, click here

Background Checks are on The Rise in Churches

More than 25,000 background checks conducted by churches or organizations on prospective workers in the past three years have turned up more than 1,600 felony offenses, with the number of organizations conducting background checks having risen 27 percent in the past year, according to LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention.Since launching LifeWay.com/backgroundchecks in 2008, more than 1,656 different churches or organizations have conducted 25,470 background checks. Of those, more than 45 percent (11,656) returned a criminal hit. A "hit" is any kind of incident, ranging from minor traffic violations to felony convictions, explained Jennie Taylor, marketing coordinator in LifeWay's direct marketing department.Excluding traffic and non-traffic infractions (jay-walking, noise pollution, etc.,) more than 20 percent (5,107 searches) returned records with misdemeanor or felony results. More than 1,600 of those 5,107 searches returned felony offenses.

"Churches are realizing that this is something they need to be doing," Taylor said.

To read the full article, click here

Industry Awaits EEOC Decision on Criminal-Background Checks

Many employers are apprehensively awaiting the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC) ruling on a guideline that could limit an employer's ability to use criminal background checks during the hiring process. Despite a fury of opposition, observers believe the EEOC is leaning towards enacting such restrictions.

David French, senior vice president for government relations at the Washington-based National Retail Federation, wrote in a letter to the EEOC, "The retail industry wants to keep our workplaces safe," he said. "Removing a first line of defense, specifically the criminal-background-history question on an employment application, leaves retailers, shoppers and the entire business community at a disadvantage."Others are concerned the new EEOC guidelines could place new unnecessary demands on businesses that further complicate the hiring process.

Proponents such as Stephen Saltzburg, a professor at George Washington Law School, argues the current system often results in, "unjustified and discriminatory barriers to persons whose criminal records are unrelated to the employment at issue and whose records maintained by government databases are inaccurate or incomplete."

To read more click here

Roskam Baking Co. Lawsuit Draws Attention To Mistaken Identity As Potential Job Killer

The background screening is meant to give businesses peace of mind during the hiring process, did the complete opposite for Leonardo Molina, who was wrongly convicted of a felony by a background check company resulting in dismissal from his job at Roskam Baking Co. before he even started. Molina is now filing federal lawsuits against four companies, including Backgrounds Online, who was responsible for the mistake, on the grounds of violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). Molina alleges the companies failed to provide him with, "meaningful access to the inaccurate information prior" to his firing that was "based on patently false information." He also claimed that Backgrounds Online failed "to follow reasonable procedures to assure maximum possible accuracy of the information."

It was only after Molina took legal action did he become aware of the reason behind his dismissal. Friery explains how in many cases, employees' records could show criminal charges, even those that do not necessarily warrant dismissal, and yet they are kept in the dark regarding mistakes that are costing them jobs. The FCRA, which Molina cites as the basis of his lawsuit, requires that employers provide workers a chance to dispute alleged errors in background reports. According to TenaFriery. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse Research Director, "The flaw is, employers don't have to hold the job open."

To read the more click here


 BACKGROUND SCREENING NEWS (continued)

Background Checks Taking Longer, Costing More

Randy Decker, executive director of human resources for Edmond Public Schools, said the turn-around time for background checks is taking much longer than it should and the checks are costing much more than they have in the past.

Senate Bill 2199 passed in 2010 mandated that national criminal history record checks (fingerprints) on all new school employees in Oklahoma be done through the State Department of Education, the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
In a letter sent to Oklahoma legislators, Decker said, "While we applaud the Legislature's efforts to protect our school children, this bill negated an already existing efficient procedure for most school districts and replaced it with a cumbersome, expensive and inefficient process that does not, in its current form, protect students as well as the previous process."

"When our background checks were done by a third-party vendor we spent between $18 to $30 for each one," Decker said. "The processing charge is now $45 plus $10 for the fingerprinting for a processing time of four to six weeks, and a $58 processing fee can be paid for a two- to four-day turnaround.

To read more click here

 LEGAL ISSUES

Employment Applications And Background Checks - Are You Compliant With Ever-changing Laws?

As laws continue to change, employers must ensure the employment applications and background checking processes and procedures they use are up-to-date and compliant. Currently, many employment applications ask about an applicant's criminal history and the answers are taken into account during hiring decisions. However, a few states and cities around the country have enacted "ban the box" laws that prohibit employers from inquiring about criminal history (including asking if the applicant has ever been convicted of any crime). Even those states without "ban the box" legislation are still limited in the type of information that can be acquired during the application process.

Additional changes in the law require employers to obtain authorization from applicants prior to using a third party to perform background checks and it includes certain rules about the use of credit information in hiring decisions (Fair Credit Reporting Act-FCRA). Checking applicable laws in all of the jurisdictions where employers hire employees is crucial to navigating the do's and don'ts of the pre-employment process.

To learn more, click here

 Welcome to the U.S. Legal Challenge Question!

Sponsored By:

As the background screening industry continues to get more competitive the firms that will ultimately succeed will be those that create competitive advantage through their people by offering continuous learning opportunities to heightened their knowledge and capabilities. We believe that having employees that are very knowledgeable about the legal landscape of background screening is essential to continued success.

We are grateful to Pam Devata, Seyfarth Shaw LLP for providing the expertise for this valuable endeavor. For information regarding the answers to the Legal Challenge Questions, please contact Pamela Devata at Seyfarth Shaw LLP at pdevata@seyfarth.com or 312-460-5000 or visit www.seyfarth.com.

Please choose your answer by clicking on it:




If a company who is a non-profit wants to conduct a background screen on its volunteers through a third party background screening company, it must follow the following:

1- The FCRA, but no consent is required and only the one-step adverse action is required

2- The FCRA, including the disclosure and authorization and two-step adverse action requirements for employment purposes

3- No law applies to background screening volunteers

4- The FCRA, but only the two-step adverse action requirements for employment purposes

  ANNOUNCEMENTS

GIS Recognized As One Of Fastest Growing Companies In U.S.

General Information Services, Inc. (GIShas been awarded a spot on the Inc. 5000 as one of America's fastest growing private companies for the second year in a row.

Ray Conrad, owner and CEO of GIS, said "The continued growth of GIS is a direct result of our commitment to customer service. The GIS team continues to innovate, developing new products and solutions that help increase our customers' success."In the past year alone, GIS has begun providing new valuable regulatory research solutions to clients and has grown their Pangea Talent Acquisition Suite. Though previously an optimal talent acquisition solution for high volume hourly hiring, Pangea has added functionality to help clients hire for salaried positions as well, providing clients with a one-stop-shop for their hiring needs.

To read more click here


Background Screening Company Sterling Infosystems Acquires Colorado-Based Tandem Select

Sterling Infosystems Inc. announced today it has acquired Tandem Select, a leading background screening company based in Fort Collins, CO. The acquisition brings together two of 2011's Inc. 5000 fastest growing companies.

William Greenblatt, Founder and CEO of New York City-headquartered Sterling, said "In addition to Tandem's renowned customer service excellence, this acquisition will allow their focus and skill in product innovation to complement Sterling's initiatives and global influence. We're very excited about what this will mean for the future of the background screening industry."

"This is a great example of a large and growing industry recognizing the talent and success Tandem Select has to offer and it gives our customers access to full service, global screening capabilities," Chris Baker, Tandem Select CEO said.

To read more, click here

Good Samaritan Hospital of Los Angeles Joins SkillSurvey®

SkillSurvey®, Inc., the inventor and leading-provider of Web 2.0 reference-assessment solutions, is pleased to announce that Good Samaritan Hospital of Los Angeles, California, is now a subscriber to SkillSurvey®'s flagship service Pre-Hire 360®. The tertiary-care hospital, which employs 1,600 people and has over 600 physicians on its medical staff, is now using the system to gather feedback from references on hires for all positions across the organization.

"After speaking with other hospitals who've improved their patient satisfaction scores using Pre-Hire 360®, we recognized that the service is a best practice in hiring and one that fits with our own goals of delivering excellent customer service," explained Abe Porras, director of recruitment and workforce planning at Good Samaritan Hospital.

"Good Samaritan Hospital joins a growing number of hospitals who are turning to SkillSurvey® for better ways to recruit candidates who already exhibit the skills, behaviors, and attitudes that translate into superior patient care," said Ray Bixler, president and CEO of SkillSurvey®.

To read more go to www.skillsurvey.com

 TECHNOLOGY

MSU Licenses Technology To Detect Altered Fingerprints

Michigan State University has licensed cutting-edge software that detects altered fingerprints to Morpho, part of the Safran group, one of the world's leading suppliers of identification and detection solutions.

The widespread use of fingerprint recognition systems has led some individuals to disfigure or surgically change their fingerprints to mask their identities. The technology, developed by Anil Jain, University Distinguished Professor of computer science and engineering at MSU, can help law enforcement and border control officials detect these altered fingerprints.

"Government agencies worldwide encounter individuals who have gone to extreme measures to alter their fingerprints to avoid being identified by automatic fingerprint recognition systems," Jain said. "The technology can raise a flag so that officials can then perform a secondary inspection to reveal the person's true identity."

To read more click here

 EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK

Federal Reserve Beige book: Labor Market Holds

Labor market conditions held steady in most Federal Reserve districts, while some reported modest employment growth, according to the latest Federal Reserve Beige Book report. Several districts reported a shortage of skilled workers such as engineers, mechanics and software developers. Jobs in the healthcare industry continued to rise, and the Cleveland, Minneapolis, Kansas City and Dallas districts indicated growth in energy-related employment. Many districts reported an increase in auto sales and service technician positions, and the Minneapolis district is seeing new manufacturing jobs.

Economic activity expanded moderately overall, though some districts reported mixed activity. Several districts also indicated that recent stock market volatility and increased economic uncertainty has led many contacts to downgrade their near-term outlooks.

To read more click here

Global Business Leaders Prepare Strategy For Another Recession,

Harvard Business Review decided to take the pulse of global business leaders, since it's their perspectives - their expressions of confidence - that most help determine economic performance. Pessimism at that level translates into corporate decisions to cut spending, hold off on hiring, and defer new investments. Among the 1,379 respondents, 70% said a global economic recession is either somewhat or very likely in the coming months. They're particularly down on Europe's prospects. Nearly nine out of 10 expect growth will be less than 2%.

Looking beyond the Harvard Business Review survey, a September 2011 study from the World Bank indicates global growth will slow to 2.8% in 2011 from 3.8% last year. And concerns about US and European growth translate into a longer-term shift in thoughts on global economic leadership. Half of the respondents expect China to surpass the US as the global economic leader in the next 10 years.

These findings track with other projections about global growth. For example, the Asian Development Bank in a September 2011 statement said that it was "trimming its growth forecast slightly to 7.5% for both this year and next for 45 developing or newly industrialising Asian countries, excluding Japan. In April, the bank had predicted that the region would expand 7.8% in 2011 and 7.7% in 2012."

To read more click here

http://www.workplaceviolence911.com/docs/hrvendor6-11.gif

http://www.workplaceviolence911.com/docs/barry03-08buzz.jpg Fantastic Advertising Opportunity

I author an on-going column on background screening in PI Magazine which is the voice of the PI industry. We have negotiated a fabulous sponsor package for the column to promote your business to the PI industry.

Did you know that there are 45,000 active PI's currently in the US and that 75% of them conduct background checks? Also did you know that PI's spend approximately $60 million on data providing services annually?

Is your firm maximizing its' penetration of the PI industry and are there untapped opportunities for your products. The Background Screening Column will give you a great opportunity to reach out to the PI community to generate more sales and revenue. To find out how you can access your share of the PI marketplace contact Barry Nixon today at 949-770-5264 or wbnixon@aol.com

 STOP STRUGGLING WITH WRITING AND PUBLISHING YOUR NEWSLETTER:

We can help you have a high quality e-newsletter to help nurture your relationship with your clients and attract new clients. Our customized newsletter service will take over your newsletter task or create a new one for you. We can manage the creation of your newsletter for you.

We are constantly researching information to use for The Background Buzz and you can put our research to use for you. Using the information rich content from The Background Buzz (minus the ads and competitors information) we will create a custom newsletter for you.

Use your staff’s time to do more valuable work and save all the hassle of researching or writing articles, formatting and managing all the other ezine tasks with our customized ezine process.

Contact Barry Nixon at 949-770-5264 or at wbnixon@aol.com for more information.

Public Record Update

Sponsored by:



Public Record Update
By Mike Sankey, brbpulications, August 2011

CRAHelpDesk
PO Box 27869
Tempe, AZ 85285
800-929-3811
Fax: 800-929-3810 mike@brbpublications.com www.CRAHelpDesk.com

Compliance with the myriad of state laws is a complex subject affecting CRAs and their clients. The State Rules Register provides an uncomplicated explanation in plain English of state laws for what is reportable to the client, usable by the client, and the necessary steps to take to be in compliance with state laws. Also included are best practices, practical tips, and ongoing notification when state and federal laws change. Create your own matrix reports. Use the special Resource Tabs of Guidelines and Special Instructions. The State Rules Register, available for $125 annually, includes unlimited access. See www.CRAHelpDesk.com.

We Help Consumer Reporting Agencies

 THE WASHINGTON REPORT BY MONTSERRAT MILLER

http://www.workplaceviolence911.com/docs/barry03-08buzz.jpgAre CRAs being Boxed Out?

A public hearing has been scheduled for October 7, 2011 at 10 am in the IRS Auditorium in Washington, DC which will focus on the proposed regulations that would establish a new user fee for individuals to take the registered tax return preparer competency examination and a new user fee for certain persons to be fingerprinted in conjunction with the preparer tax identification number, acceptance agent, and authorized e-file provider programs.

What does this have to do with CRAs? Fingerprints and background checks.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been looking at the tax return preparer industry for the past few years and issued a series of regulations in an effort to have greater oversight of tax return preparers. These efforts include a regulation that allows individuals to pay the applicable user fee and obtain a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) permitting the individual to prepare, or assist in the preparation of all or substantially all of a tax return or claim for refund for compensation in certain controlled situations and if the individual passes the requisite tax compliance check and suitability check.

Suitability check is IRS speak for background check and fingerprinting.

The IRS has selected two third party vendors, Daon Trusted Identity Services and Prometric , who have multi-year contracts to collect and transmit fingerprints from locations around the country to the FBI on behalf of the IRS. The question is whether this means that CRAs who are doing similar background checks will be cut out of the process when an individual seeks a PTIN.

To read more click here

 REFERENCE CHECKING

Cargill And Checkster CEO To Present At Taleo World Conference

Cheri Hanson from Cargill, the international producer and marketer of food, agricultural, financial and industrial products and services employing 131,000 people in 66 countries, will present with Yves Lermusi, chief executive officer of Checkster at the Taleo World user conference in San Francisco, California.

The presentation, "Social Assessment: The New Pathway to Quality of Hire," will describe how Cargill has been transforming the inefficient and ineffective telephone reference checking process into an innovative method, often called Reference Check 2.0 or Social Assessment. Borrowing from the collective intelligence - proven decision science, as demonstrated by Google, Yelp or TripAdvisor, this presentation applies that science to talent assessment for better results and reduced costs. Focused around the Cargill case study, Hanson and Lermusi will showcase how organizations can increase accuracy in their hiring practices while still showing positive ROI by leveraging the wisdom of the crowd. But most interestingly, it will show how organizations can scale this practice for all your new hires.

To read more click here

 DRUG TESTING

SHRM Poll Reveals Half Of Employers Conduct Drug Tests On Final Job Candidates

A recent poll on Drug Testing Efficacy, conducted by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) in collaboration with the Drug & Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA) revealed that, "drug testing may yield a high return on investment by creating a more stable, productive and safe workplace," said Neil Fortner, DATIA Chairman elect and the study's principal investigator. The poll reflected the drug testing policies and practices of more than 1,000 randomly selected HR professionals.

The SHRM/DATIA poll found that 57 percent of employers conduct drug tests on all job applicants and those that did noticed an impact on employee productivity (up 19 percent), workers compensation incidence rates (down more than 50 percent) and employee absenteeism (down more than 50 percent) after using them. Interestingly, while more than 50 percent of employers conduct drug tests initially, 64 percent do not continue to do so for existing employees.

To read more click here

 One Site! Many Suppliers!

Looking for the Top Suppliers in the Industry? Need to find a new Supplier?

Visit our VENDOR SHOWCASEwhich features suppliers to the Background Screening Industry.

2011 Summer/Fall Edition Directory of Suppliers Now Available!

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 GOT BACKGROUND CHECK?

Former Morgan County Administrator May Have Obtained Advanced Degrees Using A Diploma Mill

After discovering Morgan County's embattled former council administrator could have obtained advanced degrees using a diploma mill, the Morgan County attorney is advising employers to question credentials listed on resumes and job applications. While gathering Garth B. Day's personal belongings in his former office, County Attorney Jann Farris came across Day's bachelor's and master's degree certificates from Rochville University. "It looked suspicious," Farris said.

Farris' suspicions led him online, where Wikipedia states the university has been accused of being a diploma mill that offers degrees based on life experience and a fee.

His 2008 job application, obtained through a GRAMA request, states that he received a B.S. degree in political science/public administration from Weber State University.However, although WSU's registrar confirmed Day's attendance at the university from 1992 to 1997, Day never graduated with a degree.

Day entered six guilty pleas in federal court in June and admitted he stole nearly $1 million from Morgan County.He is scheduled to be sentenced in October.

To read more click here

Sex Offenders Paid To Baby-Sit

Cornelius Osborne may not seem like baby-sitting material. He was convicted of raping two women. A succession of felonies, from robbery to failing to register as a sex offender, repeatedly sent him to prison, state records show. But over more than two years, the state paid Osborne nearly $5,000 to baby-sit two children, before his latest conviction - for dealing drugs - put him back behind bars. Osborne, of Chicago , wasn't the only sex offender paid by taxpayers to baby-sit, according to a Tribune investigation that found cases of convicted rapists, molesters and other violent felons given access to children over the past decade.The money comes from a$750 million-a-year program that subsidizes child care for more than 150,000 impoverished Illinois families.

The state Department of Human Services poorly vetted baby sitters for years - and when a 2009 law forced better checks, it took nearly 18 months to start them, the newspaper's investigation of the Child Care Assistance Program found. Also, despite the reforms, the Tribune found that even now the state lacks safeguards to weed out baby sitters who watch children while living in the homes of sex offenders and other felons deemed too dangerous. Based on those findings, the state is vowing further reforms.

To read more click here

Welcome to the International Legal Challenge Question

Most industries and firms now compete in a global marketplace which is continuing to increase the need for background checks for new hires that will reside in another country or that are being hired from another country. Commensurate with this growth in background checks is the need to understand the myriad of data protection, privacy, human rights and local laws that govern the practice of conducting background checks. To help background screening firms around the world to further enhance their knowledge we have launched this International Legal Challenge.

We are grateful to Brian Arbetter a Partner with the global law firm of Baker & McKenzie LLP for providing the question and answer to the questions in the International Legal Challenge. Brian is based out of the Firm's Chicago and San Diego offices. His practice focuses on international law issues, with particular emphasis on labor and employment, as well as workplace privacy. For information regarding the answers to the International Legal Challenge questions, please contact Brian at brian.arbetter@bakermckenzie.com.

Please Choose One of the Following Answer in Response to the Question

As privacy laws continue to develop in the Middle East, one example is Azerbaijan's Information Law. Under this Law, which of the following is expressly prohibited from collection?

A. Political views;
B. Religion;
C. Health; or
D. All of the above.

For information on sponsoring The International Legal Challenge Question please Click Here

 INTERNATIONAL NEWS

ASIA PACIFIC

Capture Become a Founding Member of the APAC Chapter of NAPBS

Are you interested in being recognized as a founding member for the APAC Chapter? The Chapter is currently accepting Founding Member donations. As a Founding Member of APAC, you will be recognized on the APAC Chapter website. You can also display the APAC Chapter Founding Member logo on your company website and printed collateral. The Founding Member designation does not expire. Your company will always be recognized as a founding member as long as you are a member-in-good-standing with the association. There is a one-time fee of $500 USD; this offer will expire on December 31, 2011. Click here to become a founding member today.

For more information on the APAC chapter contact Wayne Tollemache at Wayne.Tollemache@fadv.com

CANADA

Drug And Alcohol Testing In The Workplace

Canadian employers are in a new era of comprehensive risk assessment and risk management. As occupational health and safety issues are becoming top priorities for employers, mandatory drug and alcohol testing programs are increasingly becoming topics of controversy among the courts.

Key case laws addressing drug and alcohol testing in the workplace include the following four decisions ( Entrop, Milazzo,Meiorin and Chiasson). These cases are providing guidance for employers on the rights and obligations that come with such testing and help distinguish the different types of substance testing and the implications of each. Some of the key principles that employers are advised to consider before implementing a drug and alcohol testing policy include the following: the need for testing, disclosure, comprehensive policy, probationary periods, and withdrawal of employment offers.


To read more click here

Background Checks Delay Hirings: Understaffed Group Homes Can't Fill Void

Karen Fonseth, CEO, Direct Action in Support of Community Homes (DASCH) head of a Winnipeg non-profit agency says vulnerable Canadians are being put at risk because a new system has resulted in long delays getting background checks for new workers. Fonseth, says it can take more than a year for some vulnerable-sector checks to be completed due to the poor implementation of a stricter system for doing the checks. "It's ridiculous," said Fonseth. "People can't wait five to six weeks to get a job, let alone five to six months."

In June, she had over 50 applications awaiting a criminal check. Last month, she could only watch in frustration as three more potential hires found work elsewhere.

The new system, implemented over a year ago, now requires fingerprints to be submitted for anyone whose gender and date of birth match someone who has a sex offence on record. It means far more people now need to go to their local police station to submit fingerprints and the delays for processing those prints can extend for several months. Even the initial check before fingerprints takes four to six weeks, said Fonseth.

"To read more click here

COSTA RICA


Costa Rica Adopts a Data Protection Law

On 7 September, Costa Rica adopted a data protection law thus joining six other countries in Central and Latin America with such laws (Argentina, Uruguay, Mexico, Chile, Colombia and Peru). The law, which aims to ensure privacy rights for any person, regardless of nationality, residence or domicile, applies both to automatic and manual processing in the private and public sectors.

The law (in Spanish) is available at http://www.habeasdata.org/wp/2011/09/07/costa-rica-tiene-nueva-ley-de-proteccion-de-datos-personales/

Source: www.privacylaws.com/int_enews_September11#1

CZECH REPUBLIC


Data Protection Office Plays Key Role In Czech Politics


Personal Protection Data Office (UOOU) plays a crucial role in Czech politics, specifically in the "privatization of power." The UOOU has the ability to not only make decisions concerning the protection of privacy of common people, but also the privacy of people working in state administration and politics.

In June, the Supreme Administrative Court (NSS) granted citizens the right to know the "pay of persons paid from public budgets," and it was severely scrutinized by the UOOU for giving the right to information superiority over the right to privacy. In spite of the ruling, some offices refused to provide the required information. "The quality of Czech democracy is at stake" because politicians are attempting to control public institutions and economies and are continually "building barriers to what one can learn about the decision-making in politics."

To read more click here

EUROPE

The Passing of Jonathan Grey

It is with great sadness that I announce that Jonathan Grey of Nova Risk Management passed away on Saturday 10/09. Our thoughts are with Jenny and all his family during this difficult time.

On behalf of NAPBS (Europe) and everyone who has encountered Jonathan within our industry we wish all of his family our thoughts and prayers at this time. He was a good man and an ambassador for the industry and he will be sadly missed by all.

Ewan Tweedie , NAPBS Europe

HONG KONG

Hong Kong Introduces a New Personal Data (Privacy) Amendment Bill

The Personal Data (Privacy) Amendment Bill (the "Bill") was introduced into the Legislative Council on 13 July 2011. The Bill is the culmination of a lengthy consultation process into the reform of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (the "Ordinance") which commenced in 2009. The Bill aims to bring the Ordinance in line with technological and other advancements that have occurred since the Ordinance was enacted 15 years ago, and is in part a response to the mounting public concern in relation to a number of high profile instances of misuse of personal data in Hong Kong.

The most significant amendments relate to direct marketing and the sale of personal information, data processing and the powers of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data (the "Privacy Commissioner"). The Bill also introduces increased penalties for breaches of the Ordinance. These key amendments are discussed below.

There is no precise timeframe for the implementation of the Bill at this stage (as the Bill still has to be debated further by the Legislative Council after the summer recess, before passing to the committee stage and undergoing a final reading).

To read more click here

HUNGARY

Hungary Adopts New Data Protection Law

On July 24th The Hungarian Parliament adopted the Act on Informational Self-Determination and Freedom of Information (the new Data Protection Act), the domestic implementation of the European Data Protection Directive (95/46/EC). The new Act will enter into force by 1 January 2012 and same will replace the Act LXIII of 1992 on the Protection of Personal Data and Public Access to Data of Public Interest.

The new Data Protection Act mainly preserved the material provisions of the outdated former Law. Similarly to the Data Protection Act currently in force, the new legislation covers both the general material provisions of data protection as well as freedom of information. Since the new Data Protection Act is general law, the legislator may therefore derogate from its provisions through sectoral legislation.

To read more click here

INDIA

Sion Hospital Exposes Document With Fake Certificate

Sion hospital in Rajasthan, India recently uncovered a doctor's fraudulent work experience certificate which would enable him to practice as a radiologist. New verification guidelines require radiologists to have at least one year of experience at a renowned hospital in order to perform specialized tests such as sonographies (commonly used in fetus sex determination tests). The certificate stated he had completed this requirement at Sion hospital and even bore the hospital's official letterhead and forged official signatures.

Even though the Radiology Department insists this is an isolated incident, they are still taking necessary steps to avoid future incidents.

To read more click here

PERU

New Bill On Data Protection Law In Peru

On June 9th, 2010 the Executive Branch of the Peruvian Government sent the draft Bill for the Personal Data Protection Act (hereinafter, the "Bill") to Congress. The Bill appoints the Ministry of Justice's National Justice Directorate as the National Personal Data Protection Authority. If passed, this would be the first Act to ever integrally rule this matter in the country. Indeed, the rights to privacy, honor and image are included in the Constitution, although with a very basic regulation, and spread out through different laws.

The Bill's purpose is to guarantee the fundamental right of the protection of personal data and other connected rights such as honor, reputation, privacy, voice, and image. As a general rule, the draft Bill states that any compilation, transmission, or treatment of personal data shall require the consent of its owner requires data processors to take measures to safeguard the security and confidentiality of the personal data they hold.

To read more click here

PHILLIPIINES

Data Protection Bill Introduced In Senate

After experiencing a major data breach in 2010, the Philippines is working hard to prevent future events with the introduction of a data protection bill. The Data Privacy Act is one of three ICT (information and communications technology) measures supported and demanded by the information technology and business process outsourcing industry. This bill, sponsored by Senator Edgardo J. Angara, chair of the Senate committee on Science and Technology, follows the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Privacy Framework, which includes harm prevention notice and data collection limits and provides flexibility in implementation.

"By defining who are accountable whenever breaches occur, the Data Privacy Act pushes the private and public sectors to keep their information systems secure," Angara said. "…This measure ensures that the ICT environment we seek to roll out will be conducive for both business and government."

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SOUTH AFRICA

Immigration Amendment Act Becomes Law

On Friday, 26 August 2011, Government Gazette No. 34561 (Volume 554) was published. This action heralded the coming into being of the Immigration Amendment Bill into law. The date upon which the Immigration Amendment Act of 2011 will come into operation is yet to be announced by the President. Before the Amendment Act can come into operation, the Regulations which empower it and which are the "nuts and bolts" of the Immigration Amendment Act, have yet to be drafted.

A brief summary of some of the salient changes to the principal Act, the Immigration Act 13 of 2007, are set out hereunder.

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INTERNATIONAL: PROFESSIONAL WORKSHOPS AND ASSOCATION CONFERENCES

( Click Here to View full list of 2011 International Events ) - Updated Monthly

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Background Screening Jobs

Visit the Job Board for the Employment and Tenant Screening Industry. Here you will find resumes of people with industry experience and employers seeking applicants with experience in Employment and Tenant Screening and related businesses.

www.backgroundscreeningjobs.com

  NEW PLATINUM MEMBERS

  UPCOMING CONFERENCES, COURSES & EVENTS

2011 Events ( Click Here to View full list of 2011 Events ) - Updated Monthly

SHRM State Conferences, visit http://www.shrm.org/Conferences/StateAffilliateConferences/Pages/default.aspx

Drug and Alcohol Testing Industry Association (DATIA), 2011 Training Course Schedule, visit
http://datia.org

SAPAA Training Institute Learning Events, http://www.sapaa.com/

CUPA-HR Conferences: http://www.cupahr.org/

World Federation of People Management Associations, Events, http://www.wfpma.com/events/byregion.asp


 


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