While many adults remember the days when it was safe for kids to roam neighborhood streets unsupervised all summer long, today’s crop of youngsters often do not have that luxury. Numerous high-profile cases relating to child abductions and child abuse have made parents and lawmakers more likely to mistrust strangers and limit their opportunities to interact with children.

One such case occurred in Iowa in the summer of 2012. Two young children, who happened to be cousins, were abducted while out riding their bikes. Their bodies were found, but the case has not been solved.

This case was on some Iowa lawmaker’s minds recently as they sought to introduce new legislation to protect children from predators. In a bid to reduce the likelihood of an offender interacting with minors, a group of Iowa Republicans attempted to mandate background checks for ice cream truck drivers in their state.

Their reasoning for the proposed mandate was that ice cream truck drivers are like “pied pipers.” The familiar tune draws kids out to the ice cream truck, where they naturally must interact with the driver in order to buy their treats. Some parents and lawmakers fear this interaction could potentially provide a predator with an opportunity to choose his next victim.

As evidence, Iowa Senator Tim Kapucian cited an incident that he said took place in Florida recently, in which an ice cream truck driver allegedly abducted and molested a child.

By requiring a background check for all ice cream drivers, the state of Iowa could screen out predators and offenders before they had a chance to interact with minors as part of their job. Legislators no doubt envisioned that, if the law passed, employers would use a tool similar to US Offender OneSEARCH. This product, which is offered by backgroundchecks.com, is a thorough Offender Registry search that combs through records from every state, plus Washington DC, Guam, and Puerto Rico.

Democrats in the Iowa state legislature determined that the proposed background check measure was “flawed” and therefore did not pass it.

Of course, just because background checks are not required by law does not mean that employers should not carry them out. Performing a thorough background check on any individual that will have contact with minors as part of their job is always wise. Not only does screening out offenders with background checks protect kids, it also protects employers and companies from the backlash associated with crimes against children. No company wants their name associated with such an incident, as it can hurt their brand tremendously.

In the case of ice cream truck drivers, employers are probably already doing at least one type of background check, namely a Motor Vehicle Record Search. This type of background check is vital for any employee who will be driving as part of their job. It returns any instances of traffic violations, accidents, or driving while intoxicated.

In the end, companies should not rely on legislators to tell them how to protect their employees and customers from offenders. Instead, they should use every background check tool legally available to them to get an accurate picture of exactly who they’re hiring.

About backgroundchecks.com

Founded during the Internet boom in 1999 by an executive in both the staffing and information industry, backgroundchecks.com – a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) – has been able to create a service that provides a blend of flexible screening programs that included instant, cost effective and comprehensive solutions. Our experience in database modeling of public records information has led Backgroundchecks.com to become the leader in the acquisition and delivery of public records information by harnessing the power and technology of the Internet. To learn more visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://www.radioiowa.com/2013/04/30/background-check-requirement-for-ice-cream-truck-drivers-fails-to-pass-iowa-senate/

Author: Michael Klazema

Cab drivers in Providence, Rhode Island may face more in-depth background checks should new legislation pass. The new bill proposes that all employees of taxicabs and other public motor vehicles undergo national and criminal background checks. Representative Robert Jacquard, the sponsor of the new bill, states, “When you get into a cab, the only thing you should be concerned about is getting where you need to go.”

Currently all people interested in operating a tax, limo, or multi-passenger van are required by the Division of Motor Vehicles to obtain a chauffer’s license. This license confirms their agreement to a criminal background check. Unfortunately, this background check is limited to within the state of Rhode Island. Potential drivers who have criminal records outside the state are able to slip through the cracks. This new bill would allow the Division of Motor Vehicles to perform a national check, which would better weed out drivers with previous criminal and driving records. A background check could also potentially flag illegal taxis not operating within the proper standards of conduct.

Providence will be one of the many cities that have looked into more extensive background checks on cab drivers. Other cities and states include Honolulu, Hawaii, Lee County, Florida, Ketchum, Idaho, and many others. The increase in security comes after news regarding some cab drivers performing violent acts and later on discovering that they had numerous criminal offenses.

Although there have been no reported incidents of assaults or other crimes among the Providence cab drivers, Jacquard believes that is better to make sure the passengers’ rides are safe. On top of a criminal background check, licensed chauffer operators are required to regularly maintain their cars and submit them twice a year to routine inspection. “When passengers get into a cab, and they see the certificate allowing the vehicle to operate in the state, they assume their ride will be safe, not only in terms of the condition of the vehicle but also in regard to the driver,” said Jacquard.

Despite Jacquard’s insistence for performing background checks, it is still possible the companies will continue to hire taxi drivers who have criminal backgrounds. An example of this is in Alexandria, Virginia. In Alexandria, cab drivers are required to undergo a background check when they apply for their license and then once every two years. Despite this, a cab driver, Kashif Bashir, was able to receive his taxicab license despite a long list of traffic offenses, such as tampering with a vehicle, speeding in a school zone, failure to obey a highway sign, and more. He was also charged with misdemeanor assault, though he was not prosecuted.

The Jacquard bill is currently before the House Committee on Corporations. It has not been stated when they will address the bill, but Jacquard hopes to have the bill passed shortly and the law to come into effect in 2013.

When your company employs drivers, whether for transporting products or transporting people, it’s important to make sure their history is appropriate for such a job. Most companies start out with a standard criminal background check, like backgroundchecks.com's US OneSEARCH, which searches more than 450 million criminal records across the nation. But for a driving related job you obviously want to include a driving record report to find out if they are any reported driving offenses or violations that typically do NOT show up on a criminal report.  This, along with your standard pre-employment screening process, will help you get the most relevant information on the drivers you intend to hire.

About backgroundchecks.com -

backgroundchecks.com - a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) and cofounder of the Expungement Clearinghouse - serves thousands of customers nationwide, from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies by providing comprehensive screening services. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with an Eastern Operations Center in Chapin, S.C., backgroundchecks.com is home to one of the largest online criminal conviction databases in the industry. For more information about backgroundchecks’ offerings, please visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://www.wpri.com/dpp/news/local_news/providence/background-checks-required-for-cab-drivers

Author: Michael Klazema

Pending legislation in New York State would require criminal background checks for all bus drivers. This follows a recently released National Transportation Safety Board report recommending more comprehensive checks of bus drivers. Sponsored by New York State Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Charles Fuschillo Jr., the bill has already been approved by the Senate, and awaits passage by the state Assembly.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s report inspected a Bronx bus crash from 2011 that killed 15 people. It was found that the driver had several prior convictions, including manslaughter and driving without a license. The driver was not killed in the crash, and his license was suspended after it was discovered he made false statements on his application form. Since potential drivers are sometimes only required to self-disclose previous convictions or driving violations, stronger background check conditions were among the report’s recommendations. “The NTSB’s report is just the latest reminder about why we need stronger laws to protect bus passengers. Waiting for another tragedy before acting is a backwards approach,” Fuschillo said. “We should act to prevent another tragedy. It’s long past time to approve this commonsense measure to save lives, improve safety and prevent unfit, unqualified bus drivers from getting behind the wheel.

By requiring all bus drivers to undergo background checks, the hope is it would also prevent the use of aliases or false names that would hide past crimes that disqualify them from holding a driver’s license. Following an additional report performed last year investigating the licensing and oversight of commercial bus drivers after the Bronx bus crash, the New York State Inspector General recommended criminal background checks for all bus drivers. The Bronx crash also led to increased roadside inspections, with at least 530 drivers and 460 vehicles being removed from the road. Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation shut down several New York-based bus companies due to extensive safety violations.

This pending law in New York follows in the wake of a similar law being proposed in Iowa. It is important that those with a responsibility for the safety of others have thorough driving record and background checks. Do you know who is really working for you? If your company is not performing background checks on a regular basis, you should be. Try using a company like backgroundchecks.com, who will do all of the hard work for you. With access to countless criminal databases nationwide, they provide several options for instant results. Their US OneSEARCH provides you with information from more than 430 million criminal records from counties, Department of Corrections (DOC), Administration of Courts (AOC) and State Sex Offender Registries covering 49 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and Guam. Also included are national and international terrorism sources, more than 11 million photos, and their proprietary database of previously completed reports. Or to find out about possible aliases, try their US AliasSEARCH. This is a multi-faceted search that combines US OneSEARCH with the known aliases provided from a SSN trace. All information derived from this search is run through the US OneSEARCH instant criminal database, assuring all possible aliases are found. Don’t allow your business to be liable for the actions of your employees – do everything you can to protect yourself with backgroundchecks.com.

About backgroundchecks.com -

backgroundchecks.com - a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) - serves thousands of customers nationwide, from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies by providing comprehensive screening services. Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with an Eastern Operations Center in Chapin, S.C., backgroundchecks.com is home to one of the largest online criminal conviction databases in the industry. For more information about backgroundchecks’ offerings, please visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source: http://www.liherald.com/stories/Senator-wants-background-checks-for-bus-drivers,41627?content_source=&category_id=5&search_filter=&event_mode=&event_ts_from=&list_type=&order_by=&order_sort=&content_class=&sub_type=&town_id=

When summer comes around, many young adults seek employment to fill their summers and save money for college that will start up again in the fall.  This leads to a huge amount of applications being processed by companies who hire extra workers during the summer season.  Because most of these jobs are temporary and because they have so many applications to process, businesses tend to slacken their vetting processes, which isn’t necessarily a good idea.  Although it can save them time during the hiring process, it can also stick their business with less than reputable young employees who could tarnish their reputation or even commit crimes against them.  Is this rush to hire temporary workers really worth the risk?  Screening agencies like backgroundchecks.com are saying no and are listing some very compelling reasons.

In a 2011 report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 22 million people applied for summer work in the youth demographic alone.  This year, because unemployment is still high, that number is likely to climb, which should give businesses their choice of the best possible employees.  If they aren’t using thorough screening processes though, they may not be getting the kind of employee they thought they hired.  Even volunteer positions increase during the summer, as people look for experience or a positive outlet to spend their free time.  Just because these people aren’t being paid for their work, doesn’t mean the organization they are working through isn’t liable for their behavior though.  This is even more so true when it comes to business like summer camps who have employees and volunteers who work with children.  Each individual who will have contact with a child should be thoroughly background checked in order to prevent any potential negligent hiring suits should there be any suspicious activity.  These suits can end up costing businesses millions and tarnish their reputation.

They can save themselves a lot of hassle by making sure they know as much as possible about the people they are hiring or putting to work in both their volunteer and paid forces.  Although a background check can’t prevent crime, it can give employers insight into patterns of behavior in their potential hires.  When they use an organization like backgroundchecks.com, they can find out about past convictions from any state by looking at information from national databases like US OneSEARCH.  If their employees or volunteers will be driving on the job, backgroundchecks.com can check their driving record to make sure they are safe, responsible drivers.  Companies will also have the ability to get information from reference checks and education verification to make sure résumés actually match the past of their new hires.  Backgroundchecks.com can create custom packages to meet summer budgets and can get information from many of their databases instantly, which will help companies speed up their summer hiring processes without decreasing their standards.  When it comes to the reputation of a company, this kind of extra checking is certainly worth it.

About backgroundchecks.com -

backgroundchecks.com - a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) - serves thousands of customers nationwide, from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies by providing comprehensive screening services.  Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with an Eastern Operations Center in Chapin, S.C., backgroundchecks.com is home to one of the largest online criminal conviction databases in the industry. For more information about backgroundchecks’ offerings, please visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

A child from Wheeler Elementary School in Millard, California claimed that an ice cream truck driver from Frosty Treats was giving out ice cream in exchange for children’s addresses.  This caused quite an uproar and had parents calling in to the company with complaints and inquiries.  The driver who was accused was said to be devastated, as they had been working in that community for years and was one of their top sellers.  Luckily, the accusation turned out to be a misunderstanding.  Parents were still shaken though and demanded to know more about the drivers in their community.

Ice cream truck drivers have access to children and are normally trusted individuals that symbolize happy childhood summers.  No parents had previously thought to question their trustworthiness until now.  Millard parents wanted to make sure that the employees who roamed their streets in search of their children were safe.  A manager from Frosty Treats assured parents and the media, that their drivers are safe.  All drivers working for them must have a driver’s license, a clean driving record, and a clean background report.  Anybody who applies for a job there goes through a background check before becoming a Frosty Treats driver.  They must also go through their safety training program.  Parents are happy to hear this news and plan to continue to support the company in the future.  Nobody is saying who made up the accusations and for what reason, but the company is glad it turned out to be false.  They have enjoyed serving their treats to their community for several years, and will surely be glad to continue doing so. 

Whenever company employees have special ties or access to kids, it’s important to know that their employees can be trusted.  That’s why kid-related businesses tend to partner with organizations like backgroundchecks.com who can give them instant access to millions of criminal records to find out how trustworthy their employees really are.  By using backgroundchecks.com, companies like Frosty Treats can take a look at driving records to make sure their drivers will be competent on the roads.  They can also check criminal records from any state with databases like US OneSEARCH and US Offender OneSEARCH.  With so many children running after ice cream trucks this summer, those businesses can’t afford not to hire the best, most trusted drivers possible. 

About backgroundchecks.com -

backgroundchecks.com - a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) and cofounder of the Expungement Clearinghouse - serves thousands of customers nationwide, from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies by providing comprehensive screening services.  Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with an Eastern Operations Center in Chapin, S.C., backgroundchecks.com is home to one of the largest online criminal conviction databases in the industry. For more information about backgroundchecks’ offerings, please visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source:  http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/Background_Checks_For_All_Ice_Cream_Truck_Drivers_149573115.html?ref=115

A bill has been introduced that will ensure taxi drivers in certain areas are subject to background checks before renewing their licenses. Currently there is no law or policy that forces taxi drivers to get their backgrounds scrutinized but if lawmakers have their ways, this will soon change.

Not only will this change of policy protect the public, it will standardize the way cities across the nation hire their cab companies and drivers. The plan is for licensing authorities to make the final call when it comes to granting a license to be a cab driver based on the results of the background check. In many cities, people rely on taxi’s for transportation and when they know the driver’s have gone through criminal background checks, they will feel better about taking cabs. Protecting the public is one of the main reasons these checks are being done.

Cities that will bring this policy into their borders can choose to use a third party processor like backgroundchecks.com in order to get the checks done. backgroundchecks.com has products that would be perfect for checking the background of taxi drivers including instant criminal checks and motor vehicle record checks. The information from these types of companies can be indispensible to cities and companies who hire taxi drivers.

About backgroundchecks.com -

backgroundchecks.com - a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) - serves thousands of customers nationwide, from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies by providing comprehensive screening services.  Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with an Eastern Operations Center in Chapin, S.C., backgroundchecks.com is home to one of the largest online criminal conviction databases in the industry. For more information about backgroundchecks’ offerings, please visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

The University of Alabama recently hired a head football coach with a DUI on their record. Garrick McGee, former offensive coordinator from the University of Arkansas, was hired as the head coach replacing Neil Callaway, who also has a DUI arrest on his record. In addition to McGee’s arrest and guilty plea for DUI in 2008, he had also pleaded guilty to theft and paid restitution in 1991 when he was with the Arizona State Sun Devils. As would be expected, the University of Alabama is experiencing a lot of backlash for this hiring choice, as it did in 2006 when it hired Callaway.

For organizations that want to make smart hiring decisions, getting a motor vehicle record report for potential employees can be lead to interesting discoveries that are truly relevant for the job.  In addition to the motor vehicle reports, one should perform background checks on employees that are considered for new positions to make sure that obvious blemishes on their record are discovered prior to hiring lest they cause a possible backlash to the organization or worse. When you protect organization, your employees, members and or customers by getting background checks done on your new employees, you will be better prepared for the future.  Just remember that he University of Alabama is trill trying to put the fires out that have been caused by their past hiring decision that lacked comprehensive background screening on prominent organizational roles.

About backgroundchecks.com -

backgroundchecks.com - a founding member of the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS®) - serves thousands of customers nationwide, from small businesses to Fortune 100 companies by providing comprehensive screening services.  Headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with an Eastern Operations Center in Chapin, S.C., backgroundchecks.com is home to one of the largest online criminal conviction databases in the industry. For more information about backgroundchecks’ offerings, please visit www.backgroundchecks.com.

Source - http://www.opednews.com/articles/University-Makes-a-Habit-o-by-Roger-Shuler-111205-584.html