Background Screening a Necessity When Hiring Drivers
A look at one company’s screening program
In the transportation business, hiring reputable, honest and safe drivers is a very important part of the company’s success. One irresponsible driver can be the catalyst for a number of problems, including on-the-job accidents harming others on the road, leading to legal problems for the driver’s company.
How can this negative situation and others like it be avoided? By taking the necessary screening steps, hiring responsible drivers is more likely to occur. At Covenant Transport, steps are taken before every hire to ensure safe and honest employees are representing them on the road. read more
DAC Online: A Valuable, Automated Tool for Verifying Employment
Web-based platform assists with FMCSA requirements
Effective Oct. 30, 2004, the world of CDL driver employment verification changed drastically. The FMCSA “Final Rules on Safety Performance History of New Drivers” significantly changed parts 390 and 391.
In 1998, USIS was the first to develop a telephone based automated employment verification service specifically for the transportation industry. Today, USIS offers DAC Online, a USIS-hosted, web-based employment verification system. DAC Online enables our clients to provide other employers with immediate employment verifications that meet all regulation requirements without interrupting workflow. read more
USIS Launches Online Supervisor Drug & Alcohol Training
In January 2006, USIS launched a new Department of Transportation (DOT) approved online drug and alcohol training session for supervisors.
With USIS’ online training, managers have an alternative to a live training session which can be conducted at their convenience. By using the tools in this training, businesses could avoid on-the-job accidents and lawsuits. Supervisors will learn about the impact and symptoms of the five DOT-required drugs, alcohol use in the workplace and how to confront an employee about suspected abuse. Additionally, USIS’ training complies with federal regulations under 49 CFR 382.603, meets the DOT audit requirement for physical certificate of compliance and features knowledge testing to confirm completion.
To purchase a login license from USIS and for more information, call 800-288-8504 ext. 3244 or email korena.varejcka@usis.com.
FYI: DOT Letterhead Scam
It has been brought to our attention that a financial scam has been directed to trucking companies in the past month. If you receive a fax on U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) letterhead which informs you that you are being considered for DOT procurement and requests that you provide financial information about your company, do not respond.
This letter is fraudulently signed by Randy Cohen, Senior Procurement Officer and is currently under investigation by the DOT Inspector General’s office.
USIS Acquires Explore
Effective December 30, 2005, USIS acquired Explore Information Services, a leading provider of violation-monitoring database services to the auto insurance industry and related services to government entities.
"This acquisition is a perfect fit with our existing businesses and complements our service approach to the marketplace," said Randy E. Dobbs, Chief Executive Officer of USIS. "The Explore team is absolutely first-rate, and adding this company's capabilities means USIS can offer additional solutions to our customers." read more
Employee Spotlight: Shane Anderson, Director of Process Improvement
 At USIS, improving our service and processes is an ongoing commitment. Recently, Shane Anderson joined USIS to lead the Process Improvement department. In this position, Anderson teams with all client facing groups within USIS to drive projects that enable the company to meet and exceed client requirements.
“The plan of attack for process improvement is to start with the two most critical aspects of our business, turnaround time and accuracy,” said Anderson. “All of our continuous improvement efforts in one way or the other impacts these two factors.” read more
USIS Offers Sexual/Violent Offender Database Search
In today’s society, employers are often held responsible for their employee’s actions and may be found liable if they did not conduct proper background searches.
In a recent appellate court case (Blair vs. Defender Services), it was determined that an employer may be liable for the acts of an employee when:
“An employer in placing a person with known propensities, or propensities which should have been discovered by reasonable investigation, in an employment position in which, because of the circumstances of the employment, it should have been foreseeable that the hired individual posed a threat of injury to others.”
The USIS Sexual/Violent Offender Database Search reviews 33 state sex offender registries and more than 19.5 million felonies, misdemeanors and sex offender records from our nationwide database with instant turnaround time, searching specifically for sex and/or violent crimes. By checking an applicant’s possible violent past, you will show due diligence in hiring, providing your company with a degree of legal protection.
For more information, call 866-205-6129 or email sales@usis.com.
Annual MVR Processing Available on the Web
USIS clients who order annual MVRs are finding that CTT processing is the quickest, most cost efficient method to do so. CTT allows the user to create an Excel spreadsheet provided by USIS to upload all MVRs into the web. With just a few keystrokes, MVRs are returned the next business day, provided that the upload is completed before the cut-off time of the requested states.
With the CTT upload process, there are no additional fees charged to the user. Once the spreadsheet is complete, the user can save the data and add or delete records as needed before the need to complete the next upload arises. For first-time users or questions about the process, step-by-step training is provided by USIS.
For more information, call 866-205-6129 or email sales@usis.com.
USIS Launches Document Search
Occasionally, you will have the need to obtain copies of record information found on a criminal records product. By conducting a criminal screen, you can prevent the possibility of being held liable for failing to properly screen employees before hiring them. Photocopies can be a valuable resource in the event of a dispute over record information and, in some instances, copies may also be statutorily regulated. read more
States Enact Legislation Affecting Employment Information Disclosure
Two states recently enacted legislation that impacts an employer’s liability for disclosure of information about current and past employees.
Pennsylvania amended its Judiciary and Judicial Procedure Code to grant employers immunity from liability for disclosure of information regarding former or current employees. Act 2005-3 (S. 69), L. 2005
Washington enacted a law providing that an employer who discloses information about a former or current employee to a prospective employer or employment agency at the specific request of that employer or employment agency is presumed to be acting in good faith and is immune from civil and criminal liability for such disclosure if the disclosed information relates to (1) the employee’s ability to perform his or her job; (2) the diligence, skill, or reliability with which the employee carried out the duties of his or her job; or (3) any illegal or wrongful act committed by the employee when related to the duties of his or her job. Ch. 103 (H. 1625), L. 2005
The 2006 MVR Book and Decoder Digest Have Arrived!
Highly recommended for better understanding MVRs, the 2006 MVR Book and Decoder Digest are comprehensive reference books intended for professionals using driver history and motor vehicle records. Each year, state motor vehicle departments make numerous changes that affect the employment screening and insurance industries. For example, states update and add to their violation codes, modify their fee structures and revise restrictions of the release of driver information. These books provide valuable information about each state’s records so you can make more informed decisions. read more
USIS Introduces Statewide Version of the 20/20 Database Search
A single jurisdiction search, such as a county criminal search, could miss pertinent criminal history information outside the jurisdiction, endangering your employees, your property and the general public. USIS 20/20 Statewide Criminal Search broadens your criminal record search and helps you find critical information that may otherwise go undetected. read more
Trade Show Schedule
USIS will be participating in a variety of trade shows in the next couple of months. Please take a look at the list by visiting www.usis.com/commercialservices/calendar.htm.
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