Blog & News
CIC offers news and updates to employers about the latest laws, trends and risks related to hiring, fraud, and drugs or violence in the workplace.
The following is a true story; the vagueness of the story is done to protect the identity of our client and the people involved in the situation.
We received a call from our client about a potential problem in their company. I met with the President of the company to discuss what he perceived the symptoms of the problem to be.
Stop the bleeding, now! Investigate, document and combat fraud. We’re talking about Workers' Compensation Fraud and FMLA abuse.
Smoke breaks, drug deals, and alcohol “pick-me- ups” could put your company in danger in so many ways. Over the years, our experienced investigators have helped many of our clients with these issues.
Today’s employers are faced with more challenges than ever before. Applications and resumes need to be carefully reviewed for false information from misleading statements to downright lies. Workplace violence and active shooter situations are on the rise. Changing marijuana laws are having an impact on the workplace; more than 75% of substance abusers are employed resulting in more absences and increased medical and worker’s comp claims. Employee theft is the fastest growing crime in America, according to the FBI. Employers should meet these challenges with a strong criminal background check on all new hires. What is a strong criminal background check? It is not what many think of as the “Gold Standard” – the FBI/BCI check.
Are you frustrated by delays in the return of background check results? Well, your frustrations are our frustrations and we are working on ways to cut some of the delays. The first thing we need to work on is our expectations – what you expect from us and what we expect from you.
When using a consumer reporting agency to do your background checks, Federal law comes into play when you deny employment based “in whole or in part” on information reported in the background check. Much to their chagrin, many employers have found out the hard way just what non-compliance with the Adverse Action process costs. Law suits in this area are on the increase and so are the costs to employers who fail to follow a few simple steps ...
Everybody knows (but seldom says), how important their receptionist is to the overall well being and safety of their company. The role of the receptionist is not an easy one to define, can differ from company to company, and often changes from day to day. Most receptionists are expected to answer phones, greet customers/clients, give directions, answer questions (from visitors, clients, and co-workers), know policy, know who is who, who is where, how long they have been in the building, why they are there, and even what to do in the event of an emergency. They are essentially the gatekeeper of your company and they are vital to the safe and smooth operation of your company each day.
If you have ever been in a position where you have had to discharge an employee, you know how uncomfortable it can sometimes be – especially if they have a reputation for being argumentative and disruptive in the workplace. Our experience in helping clients with potentially difficult terminations has lead us to put together a check-list of sorts to help increase the personal safety of our clients and our protection professionals who participate in the actual termination or are assigned to post-termination protection.
Don’t let the winter weather stop you from pursuing Workers' Comp fraud or FMLA abuse cases. Not everyone hibernates in the winter – we can still catch them shoveling snow, hanging Christmas lights, and hauling bags of snow melt! Our investigators are on the job year-round to bring you surveillance results that you can use to support your suspicions.
Each and every person on this planet is unique.
Like you, it seems like each day I’m approached by someone in a parking lot or confronted by the stark reality of standing on a corner with a cardboard sign. Some days it seems there are too many to count and after a while, or in the sum of so many days, it’s easy to ignore the person.
If you find yourself looking the other way or continuing to walk by someone who wants to relieve you of some loose change in your pocket – there’s hope. In fact I have found in talking with people that keep on walking, it’s NOT because they don’t care for someone in trouble, or that you are without feeling or compassion. No. If you’re like the hundreds of folks I’ve talked to – you simply don’t know what to say or what to do. The need of so many can be overwhelming.
When Ohio voters go to the election polls this November, they will face two competing ballot measures – Issue 2 and Issue 3. Issue 2 is a legislature-referred constitutional amendment seeking to amend the Ohio Constitution to eliminate citizen initiatives having the potential to create a monopoly. Issue 3 seeks to amend the Ohio Constitution by creating a monopoly for 10 specific property owners as well as legalizing marijuana for recreational and medical use. If Issue 2 is approved this November, the language in Issue 2 seems to invalidate any initiatives that voters might approve on the ballot having the ability to establish a monopoly. By all appearances, if Issue 2 is passed, it would invalidate the marijuana legalization initiative – Issue 3. However, there is wide disagreement as to whether the passage of Issue 2 effectively invalidates Issue 3, even if Issue 3 is approved by voters. Presumably, legal action will ensue if the two ballot measures both pass.
Let’s revisit the disturbing reality of Diploma Mills. Unfortunately, they are still a factor to be dealt with and Employers need to be aware of the reality that there might be candidates out there who are attempting to promote themselves as college graduates when, in fact, they are frauds. Be certain of this, the Diploma Mills are here to stay.
Do you have a Lost and Found folder on your desk? Whether it be a personal request or a business necessity, finding missing persons is just one of the many services that we provide to our clients. For this newsletter, I would like to concentrate on business necessity. Just when does it become a business necessity to find a missing former employee?
Clients call quite frequently for us to locate people who have become unconnected for various reasons. One such client called to say that her mother had a brief relationship with a man back in 1957 and that she was the result of that relationship. Brought up by her mother and grandmother, she was told that her father was no good, that he had spent some time in prison and that he probably ended up dead.
We have had the opportunity to help several of our corporate clients meet their fiduciary duties and locate Missing Plan Participants of Terminated Defined Contribution Plans. One such case involved 83 retirees that the company had lost track of.
"I'm working in my second floor cubicle when I hear screams from down the stairwell. Then glass breaking and gunshots. The shots sound like *pop* sounds, not like in the movies. I stand up and look over the other cubicles to see co-worker's looking back at me in terror. No one knows what to do, or where to go ..."
There is no worse feeling than waking up to check your credit card statement online and finding out that your card has been maxed out by fraudulent charges in another country – or in your own town, for that matter. So many things begin to race through your mind: what do I do now? Who do I call? What other information does this thief have? Am I safe? Could I have prevented this?
A large manufacturing client engaged us to investigate the theft of some rather expensive gifts that were normally given to honored guests. The ensuing investigation revealed the person who was stealing the gifts. During a search of the employee's office for the stolen gifts, our theft investigators made an unexpected discovery ...
According to a recent article in the Columbus Dispatch, "... the computerized background-check system operated by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation in the office of Attorney General Mike DeWine has been troubled for years, sometimes indicating that thousands of criminals have clean records."
April is Workplace Violence Awareness Month and a good reminder to review your policies and the procedures you have in place should you be faced with a work situation that has the potential of turning violent or if there is an Active Shooter situation. If you do not have a workplace violence program, this is a good time to get started!
It was a week before Christmas. We received a telephone call from one of our manufacturing clients early one morning. In response, I went out to meet with the Plant Manager to discuss what had occurred the previous night.
In the legal update at the February FAHRA meeting, Eastman & Smith, Ltd. Labor and Employment Attorney, Heidi Hartman, brought to our attention recent lawsuits citing violation of the FCRA - specifically, the Adverse Action Process.
I have done a lot of surveillance over my 37 years in business and in law enforcement before that. Anyone who has used someone to make covert observations for them in the past has probably heard an investigator say, “It is certainly not like it is on TV.” This article will take you through some of the real-life aspects of a surveillance.
