I had the pleasure of spending some time with John Hollon, TLNT.com VP of Editorial Content at the SHRM Conference last month.  He was actually interviewing me for content about employment background checks on TLNT.com and I was so intrigued by ERE’s latest forum that I asked if I could return the favor.  John is a former editor at Workforce Management, so I apologized in advance if the quality of my journalism wasn’t up to par.

We had a great conversation about the site, its intended audience and the content that is being published.  We also talked about some of John’s goals for the forum over the next year.  Take a listen and definitely check out the site.  They’ve got some great content and if the success of ERE is a primer for TLNT, your going to be hearing a lot about them for the foreseeable future.

We recently attended the Annual SHRM Conference in San Diego, CA and as always met up with some HR industry experts and insiders to discuss the latest trends and technologies relevant to staffing, employees and background checks.

Our first podcast was with Bernie Dyme, President and CEO of Perspective’s Ltd. a workplace resources firm specializing in the nationwide delivery of Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), Managed Behavioral Healthcare, WorkLife Services, Organizational Development and Wellness.  You might recall that Bernie was one of our expert panelists on the webinar we conducted earlier this year on workplace violence.

That said, we took advantage of Bernie’s expertise in this regard for on update on workplace violence stats and tips for prevention including thorough employment background checks.  Take a listen.

In spring 2010, more than 600 HR professionals shared their views on the trends and challenges that will shape the future of employment background screening. The results are in and EmployeeScreenIQ has compiled them into a 14-page report that will be published on Tuesday, June 22nd.  The report covers:

- Attitudes about emerging issues

- Changes in the importance of background screening

- Laws to protect job applicants

- Screening contract workers

- Attitudes of hiring managers and candidates

Respondents also share their insights and perspective about topical issues such as diploma mills, credit checks, employment history fraud, and more.

For an engaging sneak preview on the survey findings, listen to a new podcast interview with EmployeeScreenIQ’s Nick Fishman.

We’ll send a link to the survey as soon as it is published.

We are intrigued by how quickly and stealthly (word? we’ll add that to the “Nicktionary”) the March 1st deadline for complying with the new Massachusetts Data Security Regulations came and went.  We also think that there isn’t a whole lot of information out there about exactly who this affects and how they can comply; not even from the state’s attorney general.  So we sought the expert advice of Massachusetts attorney Michael S. Kraft to help educate us.  Check out our podcast below which highlights what the regulations entail, who they affect and how companies can get in compliance.  While the regulations are fairly sweeping and apply to more than just human resource practices, we focused on the personal data employers receive from job applicants and their employment applications and background check releases.

Also, Michael offered the following compliance checklist for employers:

• Develop a written information security plan (WISP);
• Identify all foreseeable risks in your organization by examining every nook and cranny where data enters, leaves or is stored;
• Implement security policies and procedures and train your employees
• Secure all paper and electronic records; provide encryption
• Obtain written assurances from all vendors that they are compliant
• Regularly monitor and review to insure compliance

Jason Morris and I recently sat down with HRMarketer’s Elrond Lawrence for a podcast to discuss our white paper, Recruiting with Social Networking Sites: What You DO Know Can Hurt You.  Elrond asked some great questions that really shed light on the legalities involved, some horror stories and what employers need to know if they are considering the use of these site as part of the employment and background screening process.

Check out the podcast below and don’t forget to download this free white paper by clicking here.

I recently sat down with HRMarketer’s Kevin Grossman to discuss the the growing threat of diploma mills and the risk they pose to employers.  With more job applicants claiming to have these phony degrees, it’s more important than ever for employers to include an Education Verification in their background screening program.  We highlighted this issue and its impact in our recent white paper, Smoke, Mirrors and Resumes: The Growing Threat of Diploma Mills.

Check out our interview with Kevin below.

The folks over at Recruiter Earth asked Jason Morris and I to do a podcast interview about all- things background checks.  We discussed EmployeeScreenIQ’s 10th Anniversary, how background checks have changed since 1999 and about some of the emerging trends in the background screening industry.  Check it out when you get a chance.

Listen to Recruiter Earth Podcast

HRMarketer’s Kevin Grossman and I recently sat down to talk about our some of the trends we’ve seen in background checks and employment screening since the economy went south.  Topics discussed include the rise in criminal hit rates, resume fabrications and integration with applicant tracking systems.

Check it out.

It’s that time again for EmployeeScreenIQ’s TWIB Notes (This Week in Background Checks), where we review the top background screening stories covered on the IQ Blog and EmployeeScreen University. So in case you weren’t paying attention over the last couple weeks, here’s what you missed.

SHRM 2009 Podcasts- We needed to find something to entertain us at this year’s Annual SHRM Conference.  Check out some of our interviews, which we hope will entertain you, including:

• China Gorman, Chief Operating Officer at SHRM- Learn about SHRM’s plans for the coming year as well as their commitment to social networking
• Michael Layman, Manager Labor & Employment at SHRM- Great insight into a variety of legislative issues affecting HR Professionals from E-Verify to the Employee Free Choice Act
• Amanda Ellis, Business Development Executive at iCIMS- Discover why this talent management platform continues to thrive in a down economy
• And many more

Legislative Updates

• DHS Strengthens Administration’s Commitment to E-Verify (7/8/2009) – Is the government finally prepared to enforce this federal mandate? After countless delays, I’m not holding my breath.
• Congress Threatens to Ban Credit Reports- Have our legislators really considered the ramifications of this legislation? I’m going to say “NO!”

EmployeeScreen University

• EmployeeScreenIQ’s Annual List of Background Screening Trends- Hiring Controversies, Social Networking and Falsified Resumes top this year’s list
• EmployeeScreenIQ Launches Redesigned Website- Look who’s getting a makeover!
• The Verifier XVIII- Our quarterly newsletter

For lowlights of these highlights, be sure to check out our podcast of This Week in Background Checks 7/20/2009.

As always, we’ll try to do better next time.

The New York Times is reporting that Democrats have dropped the contraversial “Card Check” provision to the Employee Free Choice Act.  As many of our readers know, SHRM’s Michael Layman discussed this bill in detail during his podcast on the EmployeeScreen IQ Blog.  While I am confident SHRM will still fight this bill, it’s process will now be more Democratic.