By: Kym Pasqualini, Feature Writer for Lauth Investigations
Scandals can arise anywhere, especially in the workplace, and schools are especially vulnerable. Allegations of sexual misconduct, assault and other accusations violating workplace compliance and law, have severe civil and criminal liability.
We have all heard about sports-related and college scandals, and the newly and highly publicized accusations against Harvey Weinstein that seemingly were permitted to go on for years without anyone acting. These situations can create not only a media frenzy, social media ubiquity and significant liability within a company. How complaints are handled can affect an institution’s reputation for years.
Institutional leadership has a moral, ethical and legal obligation to protect students and employees.
Most importantly, it is the responsibility of an institution to protect their students and employees, and the leadership has a legal, moral and ethical obligation to do so.
An institution’s investigative process, in response to sexual assault or misconduct, needs to be geared toward determining what happened without having preconceived notions of the outcome. The process should be consistently applied, clearly documented, and show the steps followed in achieving the conclusion.
Maintaining a record of this process and the findings is critical to minimizing risk should there be a consequent lawsuit or investigation by an outside entity.
Title IX
President Richard M. Nixon signed Title IX Educational Amendments of 1972 as a comprehensive federal law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sex in any federally funded education program or activity. In addition, protecting employees and students from sexual misconduct.
Sexual assault and misconduct investigations not meeting legal standards are increasingly resulting in very costly claims. Ensuring Title IX compliance is the best way to minimize risk.
In a 2011, “Dear Colleague” letter (DCL) was issued by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). According to the letter, investigations must be:
Prompt – The DCL defines the meaning of “prompt” as conducting an investigation within 60 days, acknowledging more complex cases may require more time.
Thorough – OCR mandates a case must be “thorough” and the investigation must be conducted in good faith. The employer must have legal grounds to believe the employee participated in misconduct before any disciplinary action is taken.
Courts expect a thorough and adequate investigation in all sexual assault and misconduct cases.
Courts do not focus on whether the employer made the right conclusion but instead, examine the determining process used to ensure the investigation was adequately thorough. For example, analyzing the type and number of interviews conducted, confidentially of the interviews, were they handwritten or recorded and how. The court also notes if the investigator asked non-leading, open-ended questions; encouraged witnesses to clarify or correct testimony; or challenged information provided by witnesses.
Small mistakes may not damage an investigation; however, a case could be considered inadequate simply on the pretense an individual lacked prior experience investigating sexual harassment cases or failed to adequately explore the allegations.
Impartial – It is necessary to remain impartial. For example, the person who made the complaint should not be a supervisor over the individual investigating the complaint. A qualified investigator should always be used to investigate sexual assault and harassment complaints, one who can remain objective and has no stake in the outcome of the case.
There are two recommended models of investigation to be conducted by a trained investigator understanding of the evidence needed to sustain or disprove allegations.
What Are The Numbers?
The Chronicle of Higher Education (CHE) tracks federal investigations of colleges for potential violations of the gender-equity law Title IX involving alleged sexual violence. According to CHE, as of January 10, 2018, there were 337 sexual violence cases under investigation at 243 postsecondary institutions.
A campus investigation differs from a police investigation; however, both can occur at the same time. It just depends on where the victim reports the assault. A victim may feel more comfortable going to campus police than law enforcement for fear they may be doubted or blamed, especially in cases of rape by an acquaintance. Though advocates fear victims being discouraged from coming forward, in several states, lawmakers are now proposing colleges be required to notify law enforcement.
Pre-Investigation
In this model, the investigator meets individually with both parties and witnesses prior to any hearing and provides the information to a panel or hearing official. The goal is to maximize the information obtained during the interview process by questioning parties and witnesses privately to minimize stress for the participants, while also protecting testimony.
Prior-Hearing Investigative Process
The other common model, the investigation is part of the hearing process where an official panel or hearing official questions witnesses, hears testimony, reviews documents and evidence, and makes a conclusion.
While this model may work well for some institutions, it tends to be viewed as adversarial and may affect the overall reliability of the case.
According to United Education’s EduRisk program, while it is the institution’s responsibility to investigate alleged sexual assaults or harassment, and decide if discipline is warranted, this model can inappropriately burden the parties to present their cases by identifying witnesses and evidence for school officials to consider. In addition, most school officials are not trained investigators or private detectives with experience working with such sensitive circumstances.
Proper Documentation
The institution has the responsibility to properly document its investigation of any sexual misconduct allegation to provide a reliable record of all evidence the findings are based. This is especially critical when an allegation may appear meritless on the surface.
Though courts do not favor one method of documenting interviews, ideally, in addition to a final report, an investigator should provide a summarization of evidence, assessment of credibility of witnesses interviewed, and contain only factual conclusions.
Policies and Procedures
Given the importance of sexual assault and other misconduct allegations, it is necessary to have the appropriate policy and procedures to demonstrate the institution’s commitment to the safety of its employees and students, help prevent avoidable crises and support an efficient and effective response.
It is vital to understand when an investigation is warranted, and the purpose of the investigations, to include planning and organizing.
Every institution or company should have policies in place specifically addressing suspected misconduct to help respond reasonably with guidance as to how staff should respond and recommended to utilize experts to help identify vulnerabilities that may exist in an institutions current policies and procedure.
What a Federal Investigation Entails
To most onlookers, the federal investigation process of an institution is opaque. The OCR informs a college it is under investigation and informs whether it is based upon a compliance review or complaint. When it is a complaint, typically, the complainant’s information is not made available.
Federal officials require a great deal of information, such as policies, training material, investigative reports, interviews, incident reports, hearing documents. They will visit the campus to meet with both students and employees as well.
Some OCR investigations can conclude quietly, with an “administrative closure,” “early complaint resolution,” or “insufficient evidence.” Other investigations can result is a letter of findings, not seen until the conclusion, along with a “negotiated resolution agreement” that details policies and procedures a college must change or adopt. To comply, these often require implementing or expanding training programs for faculty, students, and staff, along with modifying policy and procedure.
Investigations are getting tougher. The OCR will likely monitor the college’s progress for years to come.
The best way to avoid investigative, policy and procedure pitfalls is to respond appropriately the first time using a professional investigative agency or experienced private investigator.
Fair and Independent Investigations
Lauth Investigations Sexual Harassment Division is headed by founder Thomas Lauth who has extensive experience investigating sexual misconduct.
One thing has become abundantly clear, after watching the numerous news stories covering sexual assault and harassment, is remaining mindful of the sensitivities involved in such an investigation, making it necessary to address each client’s needs. In addition, a rapid response, both thorough and professional, is necessary so as not to cause more harm.
Sexual assault and other misconduct has serious psychological consequences on the victim. Lauth Investigations professionally conducts sensitive internal investigations related to sexual assault and misconduct with utmost integrity. Our private investigators take great care to develop facts, determine credibility, and reach findings with objectivity and independence, while also exercising discretion and sensitivity.
During an investigation, Lauth Investigations expert private investigators will interview the complainant and witnesses, examine relevant documents, obtain written statements, medical records, email and other communication. At conclusion, a confidential report is delivered to include finding and recommendations that adhere to court and panel oversight.
Title IX investigations differ from a law enforcement investigation, and critical in the initial phase to ensure evidence is preserved, whether it be physical evidence, video surveillance or other important aspects of a proper investigation. Lauth investigators will ensure the investigation is treated with utmost integrity so as not to compromise the investigation.
Our experts can also evaluate and provide recommendations of current policies and procedures to help strengthen the response to sexual assault and misconduct.
By: Kym Pasqualini, Feature Crime Writer for Lauth Investigations
The days of red and blue handkerchiefs, baggy pants, graffiti, rap-music, and drive-by shootings are no longer such a popular sub-culture. Believe it or not, the new kind of gangsters hold college degrees, work and hold jobs in offices, warehouses, even government positions and police departments. They are a more sophisticated criminal and have infiltrated corporate America.
No more baggy pants. Today, you are more apt to find a gang member wearing black patent leather shoes.
If you think this is not a possibility in your own company, think again. No industry or company is exempt. A University of Chicago study found gangs have increasingly adopted a clean-cut appearance while replicating techniques used by organized crime.
Described as “very sophisticated and well organized” by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), they estimate there are 33,000 violent street gangs with 1.4 million members nationwide. You can safely double that number if you count affiliates and wannabes. The number has risen steeply, up from 1996 where an estimated 400,000 gang members were accounted for in the University of Chicago study.If you think this is not a possibility in your own company, think again. No industry or company is exempt. A University of Chicago study found gangs have increasingly adopted a clean-cut appearance while replicating techniques used by organized crime.
Well-known companies, Chicago Police Department, the United States Post Office, major pharmaceutical companies, and even the Social Security Administration have found gang members within their ranks carrying out complex illegal operations netting millions annually.
According to the FBI 2015, National Gang Report (NGR), gangs have gained employment in the U.S. Military, law enforcement, corrections, and even judiciary.
From the Streets to a Global Crime Empire
Typically, gangs are known for drug trafficking, robbery, gun trafficking, intimidation rackets, prostitution, human trafficking, fraud and other crimes you may think would not infiltrate a common company. Now, they are. However gangs are concentrating their efforts on white-collar crime due to weaker sentencing guidelines and ease of making money.
The term “gang activity” involves identity theft, credit card fraud, prescription drug fraud, trafficking stolen goods, money laundering, mortgage fraud, Social Security Administration fraud, tax fraud, counterfeiting, and securities marketing manipulation. Where there is access, there will be individuals willing to participate in capitalizing and even selling their access to those interested in exploiting the system.
In New Jersey, the 111 Neighborhood Crips used a machine to make gift cards they distributed to grocery stores, pharmacies and other stores. Grand larceny accounts for 40% of all crime in the United States during 2014.
In 2015, the Outlaw Gangsta Crips in NYC made approximately $500,000 in a paycheck fraud scheme by obtaining a legitimate paycheck from an employee and using the information to create and cash counterfeit checks.
From 2004 through 2009, fraud investigations alone increased 33%, bringing losses associated with those schemes into the billions of dollars.
According to Fox Business, Gangs such as the Bloods, Crips and La Nuestra Familia are undertaking white-collar crime. They are recruiting members that possess the necessary skill-sets, according to the FBI.
When you think gangster, images of Joe Pesci and Robert De Niro, maybe even Snoop Dog, may come to mind, not the impeccably dressed executive working in a high finance position. Or, the nicely dressed woman at the bank who knows how much you deposit weekly or the amount of your company’s payroll.
In a Workforce Magazine article, “Have Gangs Invaded Your Workplace,” during 1995, California, Silicon Valley firms alone were hit with more than 50 armed robberies of microchips and electronic components with the average heist netting the robbers $400,000. “There’s a growing level of sophistication and opportunism,” says Keith Lowry, a detective in the High-Tech Crime Unit of the San Jose Police Department.
Gang members are becoming harder to weed out in the hiring process, much of the time because we commonly think of “gang members” as looking like street thugs, and these old stereotypes are costing companies billions annually.
Weeding out white-collar gang members has become increasingly difficult.
Any company can become a target or an opportunity to engage in illegal activities, like dealing drugs, theft of property or personal information, extortion. Gangs have learned they can make a lot more money by being well-dressed, educated, and articulate.
For instance, electronics firms are easy targets. A microchip or computer processor weighing less than an ounce can score several hundred dollars on the street. The sentence for being charged with a stolen microchip much less than selling an ounce of drugs.
Some gangs plant members within a company in specific department such as infiltrating dispatching, shipping or the financial departments. They can also pose as temporary workers or work for outside vendors to gain access to numerous companies.
In addition, the growing trend toward outsourcing can often lead to less control over merchandise, files, and information.
According to a Fox Business article “From the Streets to Cyberspace: U.S. Gangs Turn to White Collar Crime,” the FBI says, “Gangs are more adaptable, organized, sophisticated, and opportunistic, exploiting new and advanced technology as a means to recruit, communicate discreetly, target their rivals and perpetuate their criminal activity.”
Facebook has become the preferred method for gang members to communicate according to the FBI. “The proliferation of social networking websites has made gang activity more prevalent and lethal – moving gangs from the streets to cyberspace,” says the FBI.
Arming Your Human Resources Department
Much of the solution lies in ensuring Human Resources procedures are effective. Of course, background checks and screening procedures are vital but is there more to be done to detect a potential criminal trying to infiltrate your workforce? The first thing to keep in mind – you get what you pay for and being lax can cost you.
Local criminal checks are almost worthless; however, a full criminal screening can pay off. In addition, many applicants may have earned their GED in prison, with some digging, their history can be discovered.
Many companies cut corners and haphazardly follow procedures when screening applicants not realizing dealing with the aftermath can result in costing more when you compare it to properly vetting applicants the first time around.
Additionally, letting your applicants know you will be conducting a thorough background, previous employment, driving records, verifying degrees, criminal record check, and reference checks can also discourage many applicants from pursuing the position in the first place, which ultimately saves your company time and costs associated with the screening process.
What is important to consider is applying an effective screening procedure to contractors, consultants and temporary employees depending upon how much access they may be granted, as well as, the time they will be spending at your company.
Trusting a “temp agency” is conducting the appropriate background checks is a potential liability for your company.
Educating your employees on how to spot gang activity and how to handle it is crucial. Some companies have found having training sessions and employee meetings add to their success combatting gangs in the workplace.
Experts agree loyalty to gangs overrides loyalty to an employer. Even though they may try hard to blend in they may still slip occasionally and there are some recommendations or even subtle things to monitor.
Does your employee reside in a known gang area?
Is your employee responsible? Too much time on the phone or arrive late?
Does your employee go by a nickname and have nicknames for friends?
Do the clothes, colors or insignias stay consistent?
Does your employee have visitors at work, friend or family?
Have you noticed any graffiti in or around your workplace?
Does your employee use verbal, hand or walking mannerisms that could be associated with gang activity?
Is your employee on parole or probation?
Being a girlfriend of a gang member or being a current or former gang member is not against the law, but it could be a sign of other activity that could be detected if your HR department is cognizant of the many issues that face companies if infiltrated.
Using Private Investigators to Combat Gang Intrusion in the Workplace
Private investigators are a commonly used tool in the arsenal to combat “gang intrusion” along with malingering, theft or fraud in the workplace.
Along with surveillance and providing evidence, they can also evaluate your HR department’s policy and procedures through undercover placement or working along with the HR department to tighten up the reigns to reduce incidents of crime.
Many times, it is recommended to have a private investigator apply for employment without informing anyone in your company to best determine where weaknesses exist in the hiring process. Were all the references called? What questions were asked? Were the proper background checks completed?
It may be necessary to start at the beginning of the hiring process. In addition, private investigators can be placed in certain departments where there have been discrepancies identified to collect evidence admissible in a Court of law. It is an extra layer of protection when investigating activities at your company without violating privacy laws.
When a company suspects criminal activity, it is advantageous to hire a professional who will work with police if the legitimate criminal activity is, in fact, detected. Abuse of sick leave or malingering costs companies billions of dollars a year. This is enough to warrant the hiring of a private detective to legally document the behavior.
From filming a guy talking about starting his new business and hinting at using the employer’s database, to a meat manufacturing plant taking a cut of the supplier’s delivery, to the employee watching porn on the company computers, a private investigator can take the care needed to conduct an internal investigation legally, ultimately protecting your company and saving you a lot of money.
We expose more of ourselves on a daily basis than at any other time in history. Most people have some form of social media an enterprising sleuth could build a profile based off of just by pressing the “older posts” button. There’s been a lot of news about wiretaps lately, but something under most people’s radar are the Smart TV’s and toys that have been listening to their owner’s conversations.
While it’s scary enough to consider how many things in your home could be listening in on you this very moment, what’s even more concerning is how quickly you can lose control of these devices and extorted to get them back. And it’s not just individuals having their devices and data taken from them, it’s also hit schools, hospital and private businesses hard over the last year.
One of the most common forms of extortion today is the use of “ransomware” to lock people or companies out of their electronics and data. Ransomware is a term for a particular kind of hacking that’s been on the rise as internet reliance has increased. Victims of ransomware typically receive a message on their device’s display saying something to the effect of “pay us this money and we’ll give you back your data.”
In an interview with CNN, South Carolina public school administrator Charles Huck, highlighted the dilemma presented by ransomware when he said, “You get to the point of making the business decision: Do I make my end-users — in our case teachers and students — wait for weeks and weeks and weeks while we restore servers from backup? Or do we pay the ransom and get the data back online more quickly?”
If the targets of ransomware want their systems or data back then they don’t have much choice, but to pay the fee. The hackers have repeatedly targeted hospitals since their technology working is literally a case of life or death there is significant pressure on the hospitals to simply pay the ransom.
When Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center had some of it’s communication devices taken over by hackers last year, the criminals demanded $17,000 to be paid in bitcoin. The hackers asked for that amount, because it’s low enough most places will pay under the impression it’s the quickest way to get it all over with.
“The malware locks systems by encrypting files and demanding ransom to obtain the decryption key. The quickest and most efficient way to restore our systems and administrative functions was to pay the ransom and obtain the decryption key,” Chief Executive Allen Stefanek said when the LA Times asked why they paid the hackers. “In the best interest of restoring normal operations, we did this.”
One of the scarier things about ransomware is this is only the beginning. The FBI reported ransomware to be a $1 billion industry in 2016. In a follow-up storyCNN reported:
At that rate, ransomware is on pace to be a $1 billion a year crime this year. The FBI told CNN that the number “is quite high” because a few people “reported large losses.”
The agency also said that the losses could even be bigger once other related costs from these extortion schemes are factored in. Plus: Some victims may choose to pay and not report the crime.
Paul Roberts, founder and editor of a website called The Security Ledger told CNN, “The ransomware criminals understand this. Their business in some ways is a volume business so they don’t set their ransom so high that you can’t pay it. They set it at a level so they can get their money and move on to the next victim.”
This crime has even made its way into consumer electronics like smart phones and TVs. Last Christmas a photo of an LG TV stricken with ransomware went viral.
The hackers demand far less money to relinquish control of personal devices, but $500, especially if it’s on Christmas Day after you’ve spent money on gifts, is still a lot. In December, Slatereported:
“Ransomware works by taking over a system until a user pays a fee, often in the form of cryptocurrency or digital gift cards. One recent high-profile ransomware attack shut down much of San Francisco’s public transit system while another targeted a Hollywood hospital. More mundane ransomware has been reported on Android devices since at least 2014, and Frantic Locker first began to show up on phones in 2015.
Keep your systems operating systems up to date and don’t download files that aren’t from trusted site to help avoid ransomware. If you do all these things and still end up under attack, contact your systems administrator or the manufacturer of your device. Take precaution, because ransomware isn’t going away anytime soon.
David Schroeder, Blog Writer, Lauth Investigations International
Whether you are entering a merger, considering an investment, or assessing a competitor’s advantage, due diligence is a necessary factor to ensure a successful outcome. Business leaders know the importance of growth but every opportunity presented holds the potential for success or failure.
Business intelligence consists of collecting and organizing large amounts of data that enable businesses to identify opportunities and develop strategies that promote long-term success. Hans Peter Luhn, a researcher for IBM, said in a 1958 IBM Journal article, “Business intelligence is the ability to apprehend the interrelationships of presented facts in such a way as to guide action toward a desired goal.”
Successful business leaders know the importance of information gathering and review before making any business decision. They draw information and knowledge from various professional disciplines including business consulting, law firms, journalists, and of course investigators.
For instance, when considering a merger with another company it is crucial to know as much about the company’s history, business management, ethics, financial solvency, possible undisclosed liabilities, leadership of the company, and their affiliations. All business transactions have potential risks and it important to assess these risks prior to entering any business transaction. The public information gathered can be quite revealing and prevent a decision that could devastate years of hard work, reputation, and even avoid litigation in the aftermath.
Another circumstance that could arise is that your company may want to know the demographics of your competitor’s clients. The information gathered would contain the number of products offered by the company, how many were products were purchased, how many were sold to men or women, the age brackets of those who purchased the products, the average income level, zip code, and level of education. Utilizing a combination of commercial due diligence and intensive analytical due diligence can forecast sales growth; identify a competitor’s operational metrics, procurement, customer management, and even fraud.
While business intelligence can identify external opportunities and risks, internal business intelligence can be equally important. For instance, in the Human Resources Department of a company, the data collected on employee’s absences can be a predictive trend and therefore a strategy developed to combat income loss and retain employees. The same company may want to gauge how their latest marketing campaign is increasing sales in order to produce a trend analysis report and present the information in east to understand graphs and charts in PowerPoint at the next Board Meeting. The advantage of data analysis is endless when assessing performance measures of a business.
Professional investigative teams have private investigators that can verify information, collect information about financial transactions, assets, investments, liabilities, and identify existing contracts, business practices, and even political associations. The information is then provided to the client providing a solid base for decision-making.
Business intelligence involves research, measurement, querying, analytics, data mining, performance management, reporting, identifying benchmarks, information sharing, and regulatory compliance. To implement effective business intelligence strategy, it is important to have skilled investigators to help your company obtain the needed information while conducting a legal, ethical, and discreet investigation.
According to Thomas Lauth, owner and lead private investigator at Lauth Investigations International, business intelligence has become a necessary component of business management worldwide. “From a negative media campaign to competing for a contract, knowing who your opposition is and their political and media affiliations, marketing and internet campaigns, and even motives will give you the competitive edge” says Lauth. “The old saying, it is better to be safe than sorry!” rings true.
Hiring a CEO is a long and arduous process. Companies can’t afford to waste time and money on the wrong candidates. It’s bad enough when someone gets a CEO position and isn’t good at their job. It’s even worse when they have to resign in embarrassment.
More frequently than you might suspect, companies hire someone for a top executive position without doing a thorough background check. Instances like these not only waste company resources, but they hurt the company’s image and make securing top talent in the future harder. Here are a few times a more thorough vetting process could’ve protected a company’s resources and reputation.
Monica Crowley was a research assistant to Richard Nixon in the 1990s. She received a PhD from Columbia University in 2000 and was a political commentator for The Wall Street Journal, Fox News and MSNBC, among others. She has published multiple books as well.
When Donald Trump won the presidency he initially nominated Crowley to be the Senior Director of Strategic Communications for the National Security Council. Quickly after her nomination reports began circulating that Crowley had plagiarized large portions of the books she had written.
Initially the Tump administration said they stood by Crowley and that the attacks on her were politically motivated. However more and more evidence of Crowley’s plagiarism began to mount.
Crowley was found to have not only plagiarize portions of her books, but also her PhD dissertation for Columbia University. Harper Collins, Crowley’s book publisher, withdrew her books from being sold and Columbia said they were reviewing their records.
Crowley’s plagiarism went from minor footnote to national spectacle overnight. After standing by Crowley during the initial accusations, the Tump administration ended up withdrawing her nomination. This whole scandal could’ve been avoided with basic cross referencing and data mining.
Gustavo Martinez was the CEO of J. Watler Thompson, a major company in the advertising industry. JWT has over 10,00 employees working in more than 200 offices across 90 countries.
Martinez is originally from Argentina and became Global President of JWT in 2014. In January of 2015 Martinez was named CEO. Within a year of his promotion, Martinez was named in a lawsuit alleging discrimination by a female employee.
The lawsuit claimed Martinez had made numerous racist remarks during a company meeting. Martinez is said to have told employees to double check their bags and belongings since the hotel where they were staying had so many black people. Martinez is also accused of making comments about raping female employees.
One of the more shocking aspects of this case is the brazenness of Martinez. All of these comments were made in front of large groups of people. His comments about black people potentially stealing employees belongings are even on video. In fact, Martinez had been known to discuss his distaste for Jewish people.
Martinez’s willingness to speak this way publicly surely could have been discovered before he was made CEO. Instead J. Walter Thompson is now engaged in a high profile lawsuit and lost their CEO. Extensive background investigations can protect your company from embarrassing headlines and wasting money fighting lawsuits that should never have happened in the first place.
Scott Thompson is an American businessman with an impressive resume. Thompson had a long career in technology before becoming the CEO of Yahoo in 2012. He had been the Executive Vice President of Technology Solutions for Inovant, Chief Information Officer for Barclays Global Investors, Chief Technology Officer and then President of Paypal.
Thompson’s work history made him appear to be the perfect candidate for almost any job in technology. How could he have gotten so many high level technology jobs without any skeletons being rousted from his closet?
Despite his exceptional work history it turns out that Thompson had been falsifying his resume. After six months as the CEO of Yahoo, Thompson was forced to resign after it was discovered he lied about his college education. Thompson claimed to have received bachelor’s degrees in computer science and accounting from Stonehill College.
When Stonehill College was contacted about potential discrepancies on Thompson’s resume, they would only confirm he had received a degree in accounting. Thompson blamed a headhunting firm for the false information, but the firm strongly denied the allegation. Yahoo has been struggling to find stead leadership ever since.
All of these cases share a common theme; they were all 100% avoidable. There is no excuse for hiring a CEO who has to resign in disgrace with a year of employment or even before they begin the job. Private investigation firms like Lauth Investigations International can identity these issues before your company makes a move.
Companies aren’t just wasting time and money on unqualified candidates, but they’re risking their reputations. Appearing dysfunctional is bad for investors and makes it more difficult to secure qualified candidates in the future. Lauth Investigations International has the investigatory skills to protect your business from self-inflicted wounds.
David Schroeder, Blog Writer, Lauth Investigations International
Human Resources has a tough job when it comes to screening future employees. They’re betting on someone whom they’ve only met in person maybe three times. Not every candidate can be a winner, but that doesn’t mean you should accept the losers.
Every business takes on some level of risk when they bring on a new-hire, but how serious is employee theft? The 2015 US Retail Fraud Survey says, “Overall the biggest area of store loss remains employee theft with 38% of respondents citing it as the number one area of store loss and, across first, second and third highest causes of loss, scoring 59 points.” Here are some ways Human Resources can better vet employees and prevent future theft.
Ask tough questions throughout the interview process
Interviewing job candidates is the best chance you’ll get to learn who they are before hiring them. Take advantage of these opportunities to ask candidates tough questions about their past. This may seem like an obvious tip, but it’s one many people can find difficult to execute.
People can be surprisingly candid about things they’ve done in the past and may be more open than one would expect. In these moments of truth human resources is given the opportunity to evaluate the honesty of the candidate.
Follow-up with multiple references
There’s a reason every business asks for multiple references when considering candidates for a position. After you’ve interview a candidate face-to-face you’ll have a better idea of who they are and what questions you still have about them. Following up with a candidate’s references can be very illuminating.
Calling just one or two of the references should not be seen as enough. Every candidate should supply at least three references to be considered for employment. These should be professional references, not friends or family. Call at least three references when considering any candidate.
Use a Private Investigations firm to help
Human Resources departments only have so much manpower they can put towards vetting employees. With all of the duties HR handles it increases the chances that someone will slip through the cracks and get hired when they shouldn’t have.
You might not need them for every candidate, but Private Investigation firms can help any business be certain about the people they’re hiring. When businesses are expanding they may need to hire people rapidly. Instead of asking HR to do more with less, contact a private investigations firm and see how they can help shoulder the load.
For Private Investigation Inquiry contact Thomas Lauth, Lauth Investigations 317-951-1100
David Schroeder, Blog Writer, Lauth Investigations International
The institution has the responsibility to properly document its investigation of any sexual misconduct allegation to provide a reliable record of all evidence the findings are based. This is especially critical when an allegation may appear meritless on the surface.
Thomas Lauth
