Category: Blog

Maryland Governor has ordered 500,000 Rapid At-Home COVID-19 Test Kits to Be Distributed Statewide.

Posted on by marstudio

At-home test kits are becoming more prevalent after FDA authorized a few manufacturers such as CLR to start distributing them to the public.

Maryland Department of Health has started distributing these simple-to-use test kits to local health departments to make them available free of charge at designated locations.

This is good news because it means that now businesses can access these test kits and offer them to their employees to test at home and not have to go to different health facilities to get tested.

Of course, access to these tests still is limited but thanks to a rapid distribution plan Global Investigative Services now has a dedicated silo that offers these home test kits to businesses that need to have their employees perform periodic tests.

Get Your Test Kits Now!

Testing continues to be one of the most important tools to keep people safe. By making these at-home test kits available through local health departments and businesses, the public will have more options and more peace of mind as we head into the holiday season.

Linda Mack, President of Global, Recognized as NAPBS Volunteer of the Month

Posted on by marstudio

Congratulations to Linda Mack, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) Volunteer of the Month.

Linda Mack, President, Global Investigative Services Inc., has been selected as the June 2018 NAPBS Volunteer of the Month. Linda is a member of the Government Relations Committee and Access and Accuracy Sub-committee, and consistently and regularly volunteers to testify when legislative issues arise in the DC area, recently for the DC Fair Chance Act.

 

New Laws That Have Been Passed

Posted on by marstudio

Philadelphia and Use of Credit Reports by Employers
Per Phil. Code §9-1102, effective July 1, 2017 it is generally unlawful for an employer to obtain or use credit information in connection with: hiring, discharge, tenure, promotion, discipline or conditions of employment. http://phlcouncil.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/012816-CP-Unlawful-Credit-Screening-for-Employment.pdf

New York City and Use of Salary History by Employers
Effective November 1, 2017 and per City Administration Code §8-107 (www.amlegal.com/codes/client/new-york-city_ny/), an employee or its “agent” cannot inquire about salary history. If applicant “voluntarily” and “without prompting” discloses past salary, the employer can verify it.

Oregon and Use of Salary History by Employers
Salary History H.B. 2005 and effective October 6, 2017, is a simple part of a larger Equal Pay Law now located at ORS §652.210 but has not yet been codified. See (https://olis.leg.state.or.us/liz/2017R1/Measures/list/)

Vermont Ban-the-Box
Effective July 1, 2017 per VSA495 (http://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/section/21/005/00495j), an employer may not request criminal history record information on its initial employee application form. However, an employer may inquire about a prospective employee’s criminal history record during an interview or once the prospective employee has been deemed otherwise qualified for the position.

Puerto Rico and Use of Salary History by Employers
Per the Equal Pay Act or “Act 16”, effective March 8, 2017, an employer cannot inquire about past salary information of any applicant, unless applicant truly volunteered the information. An employer can confirm past salary after offer of employment.

Global Investigative Services, Inc. Achieves Accreditation

Posted on by marstudio

napbs

 

 

 

For Immediate Release

GLOBAL INVESTIGATIVE SERVICES, INC. ACHIEVES BACKGROUND SCREENING CREDENTIALING COUNCIL ACCREDITATION

 

RALEIGH, N.C., April 17, 2017 – The National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) Background Screening Credentialing Council (BSCC) announced today that Global Investigative Services, Inc. has successfully demonstrated compliance with the Background Screening Agency Accreditation Program (BSAAP) and will now be formally recognized as BSCC-Accredited.
“Achieving accreditation is an important step for our company, our staff and our clients.” said Linda Mack, president of Global Investigative Service, Inc. “We are excited to be recognized as one of the few organizations in the background screening industry that has demonstrated our procedures are compliant with industry best practices, and that affirms our industry knowledge and expertise.”
Each year, U.S. employers, organizations and governmental agencies request millions of consumer reports to assist with critical business decisions involving background screening. Background screening reports, which are categorized as consumer reports, are currently regulated at both the federal and state level.

Since its inception, NAPBS has maintained that there is a strong need for a singular, cohesive industry standard and, therefore, created the BSAAP. Governed by a strict professional standard of specified requirements and measurements, the BSAAP is becoming a widely recognized seal of achievement that brings national recognition to background screening organizations (also referred to as Consumer Reporting Agencies). This recognition will stand as the industry “seal,” representing a background screening organization’s commitment to excellence, accountability, high professional standards and continued institutional improvement.

The BSCC oversees the application process and is the governing accreditation body that validates the background screening organizations seeking accreditation meet or exceed a measurable standard of competence. To become accredited, consumer reporting agencies must pass a rigorous onsite audit, conducted by an independent auditing firm, of its policies and procedures as they relate to six critical areas: consumer protection, legal compliance, client education, product standards, service standards, and general business practices.

Any U.S.-based employment screening organization is eligible to apply for accreditation. A copy of the standard, the policies and procedures, and measurements is available at www.napbs.com.

About NAPBS®
Founded in 2003 as a not-for-profit trade association, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) represents the interests of more than 700 member companies around the world that offer tenant, employment and background screening. NAPBS provides relevant programs and training aimed at empowering members to better serve clients and maintain standards of excellence in the background screening industry, and presents a unified voice in the development of national, state and local regulations. For more information, visit www.napbs.com.

About Global Investigative Services, Inc.
Founded in 1993, Global Investigative Services, Inc. is a Maryland based employment screening company offering a variety of employment screening services to organizations throughout the world, including those in North and South America, Europe and East Asia. For more information, visit http://www.GISPI.com.

 

If the government can probe social media as part of the security clearance process, don’t you think as an employer it’s time to consider it as well?

Posted on by marstudio

WASHINGTON (AP) — Investigators can now probe Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites as a part of background checks for security clearances — something that lawmakers said Friday was a classic case of the government playing catch-up with technology. http://www.bigstory.ap.org/article/e882671d97a245c9bffadbcebd52344c/security-clearance-background-checks-include-social-media

What Ban the Box Will Mean to Employers in Montgomery County, Maryland

Posted on by marstudio

On  October 28, 2014 the Montgomery County (Maryland) Council unanimously passed Bill 36-14 or “Ban the Box.” The bill would prevent certain employers from asking about an applicant’s criminal history until after the first interview. Under the bill, if an employer has intentions to withdraw a conditional job offer based on an applicant’s arrest or conviction record, the employer must:

  1. Provide the applicant with a copy of any criminal record report.
  2. Notify the applicant of the intention to rescind the conditional offer and the items that are the basis for the intention to rescind the conditional offer.
  3. Delay rescinding the conditional offer for seven days to permit the applicant to give the employer notice of inaccuracy of an item or items which the intention to rescind the offer is based.

By passing the legislation, Montgomery County, MD joins the growing list of over 70 cities, counties, and states that have already “Ban the Box.” This bill takes effect on January 1, 2015.

*Exceptions are made for individuals working with vulnerable populations or directly with children and for positions in which state or federal law would require a completed background check.