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Charlie Crist Cites New Background Check Law to Protect Floridians

Florida Governor, Charlie Crist, gave praise to a new law designed to protect the elderly and the young from malevolent care givers serving mainly the young and the old.   According to the Florida Newswire, House Bill 7069, mandates employees pass  state and federal fingerprint screening, equivalent to a level 2 background check, before they are eligible to work  with elderly, children and persons with disabilities in certain care settings.   The same holds true for health care employees working in residential or home care settings.  They must have a Level 2 screening before having contact with clients, or having access to client property, funds or living areas.

Governor Crist signed this bill into law earlier this year.   It is a good bill and shows that the State of Florida is determined to protect its more vulnerable citizens by requiring background checks on its caregivers.   I have written about this matter before, including one article entitled, Ongoing Need for Background Checks for Florida Caregivers.   This new law results from a review ordered by Governor Crist where select state agencies examined legal requirements for screening individuals who provide care to children, the elderly and persons with disabilities to review current background-screening policies.

There conclusion, obviously, was for more rigorous background checks.   We at Corra Group applaud Governor Crist and those who voted in favor of House Bill 7069.  This should add a little more punch to the background checks conducted on those who may consider malicious behavior toward Florida’s young and old.

Check them out before you hire.

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Background Checks Business Research Criminal Records Economy Human Resources Miscellany Staffing Uncategorized

Swiss Bankers Upset By Corporate Data Theft

We think of Switzerland and more to the point the Swiss Banking System as secure and very confidential.   In fact, Swiss Banking has becomes a catch-phrase for confidentiality and security.   But then the Wall Street Journal Reports that two former employees of  HSBC Holdings PLC in Switzerland have reportedly sent emails to financial authorities in Germany, the U.K., and France, offering access to data on thousands of the bank’s clients.  This could be construed of some pretty nasty stuff.

Both of the former employees denied any wrongdoing or at least they denied breaking any laws.   There is no evidence that the two former employees attempted to profit from the data.  Okay.  Maybe they were trying to make a point.  The two also claimed to have warned HSBC there were security vulnerabilities in their data storage system.   HSBC claims they never received any warnings.   French authorities raided the house of one of the ex-employees and confiscated the data on the thousands of client accounts.

So this is a bank in Switzerland, where a large portion of the world’s money passes through on a regular basis.    This is where security is supposed assured and buttoned up.  Switzerland.  I think it’s fair to say for most of you reading this, you are not Switzerland.  You have a business and like any other business you have sensitive data and proprietary information.   So if a bank in Switzerland is vulnerable to its former employees helping themselves to client account information, then where are you in the food chain?

Obviously, keep you tech security as tight as possible.  But you also need to know the types of persons you are hiring for the job.   It is essential, therefore, to conduct background checks on an job applicants as part of your pre-employment screening program.   In today’s world, it is crazy not to do so.   While background checks will not guarantee employee theft and their stealing your sensitive data, they go a long way in determining who may be likely to start swiping your confidential information.   Who would be likely to maybe offer it up to the competition or to exchange such information in exchange for a nice raise and gainful employment elsewhere.   Doesn’t  happen?  Think again.

I have written about this before.  Many times.  One such article was entitled, Background Checks on Cyber Security Hires.

Most companies by now are ordering background checks for pre-employment screening.   I would suggest that you expand the types of background searches for a more comprehensive range.   Cutting corners with background checks may be a sure way to cut your own throat.   Consider your hires and how much access they have to sensitive information.   And then check them out before you hire.

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Background Checks Criminal Records Economy Human Resources Miscellany preemployment screening

Montana Lowers Its County Court Fee for Criminal Background Checks

It isn’t often these days in this economy that I can report a case where  a state public service as actually lowered its pricing for such things as country criminal court fees or Motor Vehicle Driving Reports or MVRs.  As employers conduct these background checks as part of their preemployment screening program, it’s nice to see when fees are actually lowered.

But lo and behold, the Great State of Montana is lowering its court fees for county criminal records searches.  No, really.  Lower.  and not by a couple of pennies either.   Now if you wish to conduct county criminal background checks in Montana, court fees will cost you $11.50 per name per county.   This cost is down from the former pricing of $15.75 per name, per county.    Not bad at all.

The cost reduction went into effect July 23rd, 2010.  So please make a note of it.

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Background Checks Criminal Records Economy Human Resources Miscellany Uncategorized

Law Enforcement Asks Congress to Require Background Checks for Gun Buys

This is always a hot button topic.  But since this is one topic that involves background checks, I follow it with interest.   Meanwhile, I realize it brings out vehement responses from both the gun rights people and the anti-gun or firearms control people.

In this case it is law enforcement requesting from Congress that they mandate background checks for those wishing to purchase firearms.   The background checks would reveal if someone is legally eligible to buy a gun or has the type of criminal records that would prohibit their purchase.

One article about law enforcement asking Congress for background checks was in the Huffington Post.   The Huffington Post is the online news and opinion site that most liberals love and most conservatives love to hate.  I would say I love reading all the comments to the articles, but usually I am busy and, after seeing but a few, they all seem to run together in the same-same diatribes.  But I digress.  The actual article also appeared in the Washington Post.

The proposed law, H.R. 2324 would require all  gun buyers to undergo a criminal background check before purchasing a firearm at a gun show. Federal law already requires all federally licensed firearms dealers to conduct a computerized background check on prospective buyers before selling a gun. Under existing federal law, and in many states, however, private sales between non-dealers do not require background checks, including transactions at gun shows. (State and federal laws only prohibit selling to known felons.)

The law comes in the aftermath of several mayors asking for tighter background checks on gun buyers at gun shows.   Mayor Michael Bloomberg had conduct an undercover campaign where private investigators, using clandestine cameras, shows how those at gun shows could buy firearms without submitting to a background check.  In some cases, the would be gun buyer was told by the vendor who could buy the gun, even without proper ID.   I have written about this on several occasions.  One such article is entitled, Bloomberg and Company Pushing for Gun Show Background Checks.  There was another article where church groups are also urging for background checks for gun sales.   This article was entitled, Church Groups are  Pushing for Gun Show Background Checks.

I realize this is a controversial subject and that there are definitely at least five sides to this story.   And this is a story that will not be disappearing anytime soon.   I will continue to follow the news and the attempts at legislation.   To be continued.