Economy extends job loss streak

By Alister Bull

U.S. employers cut workers for a sixth straight month in June for the longest such streak since 2002 and vast service sector unexpectedly contracted, underscoring the economy’s frailty.

The Labor Department said on Thursday that 62,000 non-farm jobs were lost last month, bringing jobs shed for the year to 438,000 as a housing market crash chilled growth. For the entire article go to Yahoo.

I guess the current employment situation gives new meaning to the old spiritual saying, “Let my people go.” There in Biblical Days, it was for a good cause. Now the downsizing is reflective of a nasty economy.

But this too will turn around. People will be rehiring their former employees, or hiring new ones. And some businesses, despite the economic hardships, are doing quite well. Companies that are exporting goods and services are taking advantage of the weak dollar to boost their businesses.

The one good thing, among all the lousy things, about getting older is that you see the same stuff coming around again in different cycles, and if you haven’t lost your faculties, you know this time how to play it correctly. Time and experience on the planet can give you the patience and understanding to know that this, too, shall pass.

As a nation, the United States is undergoing a retrenching mode. The high cost of materials, the lopsided trade balance and, of course, the energy concerns are switching things around a bit. We are in for some belt tightening, but also for some changes in our lifestyles, no joy riding in this day and age, and a very real examination of where we are headed as a country and how we can get there.

None of this is easy, but in the end we will end up a better nation for it. We can look forward to developing new technologies for conservation of energy and for alternative energy sources. We will increase our exports and I truly believe we will see a refurbishment of actual goods and products production. We may be manufacturing here in the States or in areas like South America, where we would be expending less fuel and energy than we do in importing from Asia.

There will be new industries. There will be companies that will thrive in this era and will hire new employees. They will need background checks and preemployment screening programs. They will need new tooling, new software and hardware resources, which means they will need the companies who supply them.

As the Chinese say, “May you live in interesting times.” I doubt if few times are as interesting as they are right now.

Check them out before you hire. Call Corra for background checks.

Thu, July 3rd, 2008 - 5:47 am

Relocating Employees are Coming and Going

By Gordon Basichis

Employers concerned about workforce relocation: Study

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin-Employers worldwide are concerned about losing workers to more enticing locations at a time when talent in many places is in short supply, a recent survey reveals.

For the complete article go to topix.net

Relocating Employees can be a good or bad thing, depending if they are coming or going. If they are relocating to work for your business, then this is great stuff. But if they are leaving you to go work elsewhere, then this is a problem. Obviously, judging from this article, employers are concerned with it.

In Milwaukee, especially, which has undergone some rejuvenation, it appears there may be a problem retaining skilled and talented employees. People tend to migrate to warmer climes. This is especially true for the older but very skilled Boomer generation of workers, who would rather not be chipping ice off their cars or driving in snow. It is also true for the younger members of the work force who are seeking out new opportunity, adventure and maybe a change of scenario.

Economic downturns can bring on worker migration. This has been the case since the nation was founded, especially true during the depression and, later, during the expansion and industrialization of the Southern States. Many enterprising Yankees headed below the Mason Dixon line, and have been doing so ever since.

If you are losing workers to relocation, you may want to examine what incentives you are offering. If you are recruiting employees who are relocating to your area, then by all means you should be conducting thorough background checks. Not all employees have relocated to seek new opportunity. Some have left to escape the heat, meaning the onus of employee theft, morals or substance issues or other unsavory representations of character that you really don’t need in your work place.

There are preemployment screening packages that include criminal background checks and just about everything else you will need for a comprehensive preemployment background report. So avoid any rude awakenings; there are enough out there already. Conduct thorough background checks.

Check them out before you hire.

Wed, July 2nd, 2008 - 5:32 am

Background Checks are Important for Relocating Employees

By Gordon Basichis

Most workers willing to move for a job: Manpower

By Nick Zieminski

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Most workers around the world are willing to relocate for their job, either within their country or abroad, but people’s mobility is closely tied to their age and education level, according to a Manpower Inc survey on Tuesday.

For the entire article go to Reuters.com

In tougher times it makes sense that most workers are willing to relocate for a job. If you think about the out of work hobos of the depression riding the rails and risking their necks for just some spare change and a few potatoes then moving to another city with a signing bonus and relocation package doesn’t seem all that terrible. Sure, you might miss you friends and distance yourself from your relatives, not always the worst thing, and it might take getting use to the new environment. But if you think of it as an adventure then it can be pretty exciting.

For you employers willing to relocate new employees because of their works skills and qualifications, the initial outlay may be compensated by the new employee’s expertise and the renewed energy he brings to the office. Still, when you are hiring the out of town talent you should make sure that the relocation is a profitable move and not one that proves harmful.

Background checks will help you determine whether it is worthwhile to relocated a job candidate. Reference verifications can be very important in determining skill sets and the candidate’s abilities and networking connections. Education verification is always important as is the criminal background check. If your candidate is working in the financial arena, then we always recommend the Federal Criminal background check and Federal Civil background check to review the possibility of any white collar crimes or SEC violations.

People need to work and, let’s face it, with the real estate market being as down as it is, they are even more motivated to move on. They may be selling cheap where they are, but they are also buying cheap somewhere else. This is, after all, a country where economic volatility often results in dramatic migrations. Back in the depression, the Oakies moved from the famed Dust Bowl of Oklahoma to California. During the awakening of the American South in the seventies and eighties, and the shrinking markets in the North East US, people moved around.

And now, we have people coming and going from everywhere. We have international candidates willing to relocate to the US and we have American Candidates willing to move around. It’s amazing what economic bad news can do.

Check them out before you hire.

Tue, July 1st, 2008 - 5:28 am

Background Checks Can Help Protect Against Thieving Employees

By Gordon Basichis

Accountant Steals $200,000 From Her Own Church

Religion – Over about three years, Traci Anderson embezzled around $200,000 from a Manhattan Beach church that was her place of worship and employer.

Entire article at the Manhattan Beach News.

There is an old adage about someone being desperate enough to steal from the church’s poor box. I guess this situation is where someone add as ring of truth to that situation by embezzling $200,000 from the church’s books. Some accountant. But she wouldn’t be the first accountant to make off with the money. No, in fact more than a few companies have thieving accountants littered in their wake like damaged tanks in a war gone wrong.

Thieving employees not only cost you money, but they damage your reputation. You don’t have to be all that imaginative to understand what this looks like to fellow parishioners and community members when a story like this hits the news. Your business clients would have pause, and your honest employees often suffer from a drop in morale. And you as the business owner or key executive feel violated and discouraged. To say nothing about being out of the stolen money.

Because stolen money is usually gone. Employees aren’t stealing it usually because they wish to invest in mutual funds. They are often desperate and have either substance or gambling habits or have in other ways fallen so far behind that they are motivated to steal. So recovering the money is often a tough task at best and impossible at worst.

So you should be running background checks on your employment candidates. You should be running criminal background checks as well as credit reports, which will help determine the kind of fiscal discipline they have personally and what kind of trouble they may have already encountered. These searches are part of preemployment screening package or can be ordered through our a la carte background checking service.

Either way, find out who you are bringing into your workplace. Check them out before you hire. Call Corra