In the property management industry where the employee turnover rate can be high, securing top-flight employees can be a difficult task. Even in a struggling market economy, if companies take too long to evaluate applications and make an offer, they may find their first choice has accepted a position elsewhere.

For First Communities, a 900-employee firm that fee-manages apartment and condominium complexes for other property owners, that challenge is magnified. When it takes over property management from another firm – or from the property owner – there may be an entrenched group of employees already on-site. First Communities must evaluate those employees to ensure they meet First Communities’ rigorous personnel standards and, if necessary, replace them. Making accurate, rapid-fire decisions is key, as First Communities’ reputation rests on making the management transition as seamless as possible.

To accomplish these goals, First Communities has found a valued partner in METSCheck. Read the complete case study.

When we attended the SHRM Annual Conference in New Orleans last month we asked attendees how long they typically had to wait to get the results of their background screens. While the 248 attendees who responded to our survey were only a small sample of the overall show attendance, we still found the results to be enlightening and wanted to share them with you:

• At one extreme we learned that 2 attendees were waiting nearly 3 weeks for your reports. While I don’t know what kind of information you were requesting (it could have been international screens which may take longer), this number seems excessive and likely makes securing your first choice for a new hire difficult.
• At the other end of the spectrum we met two individuals who reported they were getting screens back in just an hour. With this kind of result you’re likely already using an online system and are receiving this rapid response from standard database searches.
• The average response time reported by the rest of you was nearly 4 days. We know that four days can be a painfully long time to wait, especially once you’ve identified that perfect candidate and management wants to get moving.

Just in case you’re interested, the average response time from screening services that deliver via on online reporting system like ours is just one business day. If you’d like to find out how, request a demo.

Employers are required to complete and retain a Form I-9 for each individual they hire for employment in the United States. This form requires employers to review and record the individual's identity document(s) and determine whether the document(s) reasonably appear to be genuine and related to the individual.

To simplify the process, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in partnership with the Social Security Administration (SSA) has deployed e-Verify, a new Internet based system that allows participating employers to electronically verify the employment eligibility of their newly hired employees.

E-Verify is free and voluntary and is the best means available for determining employment eligibility of new hires and the validity of their Social Security Numbers. E-Verify virtually eliminates Social Security mismatch letters, improves the accuracy of wage and tax reporting, protects jobs for authorized U.S. workers, and helps U.S. employers maintain a legal workforce.

Get more info about the program or contact METSCheck for assistance.