Don't Remember The Passwords to get into the Client Site?
e-Mail to Passwords@essclientservices.com and you will receive them right away!
 

Our new “Internet Access System” is now in the beta-testing stage. We have a few clients testing it out for us.  We hope to have it ready to launch for all clients in the next couple of months.

This new system is a secure network server that allows you to log-on and manage your reports from your computer or workstation. You can set-up various security levels for the users within your company.  Depending on their security level they can have access to some or all of the information available on-line. The Internet Access System will let you: view reports as the information is compiled in our office, download and print reports, cancel an order, send e-mails to the representative working on your report, view and print invoices and even start the FCRA adverse action process. As soon as the system is integrated at your company, you will have access to all reports processed from that point forward.

We will be sending out a Special e-Update when the system is ready for general use.
 

The "add on" criminal search price does not apply to existing "Metro" area criminal searches because they are already priced at an even lower per county rate.

Please call us if you have any questions or if you would like to make it a standard policy to conduct add on criminal searches on your applicants.
 

Verifying an applicant's past military experience through an independent source may take months.  However, the inconvenience should not be a reason to skip the verification altogether, as is demonstrated in the following example.

An applicant listed that he was in the Navy from 1995 to 1999 and left the service when his term was completed.  If the service dates would have been current or very recent, the verification may have been possible through the base’s personnel office, but within 90 days of discharge, military personnel records are transferred to the National Military Records Center in St. Louis, MO.  They are available through written request and the response time is anywhere from three weeks to several months.

Obviously our client was not going to wait for the applicant’s military record before making a hiring decision, so after all other parts of the background checks and interviews were completed satisfactorily, the applicant was hired.  However, the employer did not want to simply ignore four years of recent employment history, so the applicant’s military record was ordered with the understanding that if the applicant had misrepresented his military experience on the employment application, he could be terminated.

Five weeks later, ESS received the applicant’s DD-214.  The DD-214 document is issued by the Department of Defense to each veteran at the time of discharge.  The form identifies dates of service and the condition of the discharge: honorable; general; other than honorable; dishonorable; or, bad conduct.  The form also contains information about the veteran’s rank, special training, awards, and education, etc.

In this case, the applicant did not leave in 1999 when his term was completed; he had been discharged in 1998 for bad conduct.  The DD-214 indicated he had been court-martialed by the Judicial Advocate General.  The applicant spent a year and half in the brig for taking cocaine and marijuana aboard a vessel and attempting to sell the substances.  This conviction would not be found in any civilian court.

Instead of waiting over a month to learn of this information, the employer could have asked the applicant for a copy of his DD-214; however, we suggest you check with your legal department before requesting the DD-214 during the pre-hire stage.  The DD-214 will show date of birth and could show other unrelated personal information, such as the person’s religion.  We suggest that if the form is received directly from the applicant, it be done so after the hire date, or after a written conditional job offer is made.  The DD 214 may also be requested from an employee being considered for a promotion, in order to confirm special training or education received while in the military.  Always a caveat: when receiving a copy of any documentation directly from the applicant, there is always the chance of fraud.  The DD-214 is a distinctive form, but it has been known to be altered.

If the service is fairly recent, another option is to ask the applicant to provide a phone number for one or more of his/her superior officers who could verify service dates, rank, and nature of discharge.  This can be problematic due to the transitory nature of military personnel.  If the contact can be reached, superiors are often only able to verify a portion of a person’s service, and there is the risk of being set-up with a fraudulent contact person.   If possible, it is still a good idea to ask the applicant if he/she can provide any contact names for verification purposes, and then request that the DD-214 be ordered if the applicant is hired.

When ESS comes to a period of military experience that falls within the employment verification period, we call the submitted number if any, and/or attempt to contact base personnel if the employment is current or very recent.  If this is not a possibility due to older service dates, we do not automatically order the DD-214.  The employment comments will describe the process or obtaining the DD-214 and then we wait for your authorization.  There is no additional charge to obtain the DD-214.   Please contact us with any questions about the DD-214 or verifying military experience.

Employment Screening Services, Inc. does not intend to provide legal advice on this or any other matter. As always, we recommend consulting your legal department about the specific obligations of your business.
 

 "From what I understand he has done very well selling drugs. I don't think you will be disappointed." (Applicant was a pharmaceutical sales rep).

"Unless she has matured rapidly in the last year, keep your distance."

"He always told me that his key to success was to play golf and always use a knife, fork, and spoon when eating at a restaurant."

"He's was a great employee, better than some of my regular employees. The only difference is that he didn't get to go home at night." (The applicant was a former inmate and worked at the Folsom Print Shop).
 

Describe any additional education, training, or qualifications:
"Took Management Coarse."
"Bake killer cookies."
"Ten-key by sight."