How to Avoid Job Applicant Credit Report Scams

How to Avoid Job Applicant Credit Report ScamsHow to Avoid Job Applicant Credit Report ScamsThere are many scams out there on the internet, but some of the cruelest are job scams. Job seekers are presumably looking for work in part because they need money, and along comes a scammer to build up their hopes and steal their resources. Among the most common job scams are leistungspunkt report scams. Youll find these on Craiglist and other job sites and boards. To avoid falling for them, learn to recognize the signs of credit report scams, as well as of job scams generally. (And just in case, well also teach you how to report job applicant credit report scams, so that you can protect your identity.) How Job Applicant Credit Report Scams Work Typically, the scammer poses as an employer asking to see your credit report as part of the hiring process. The employer requests that you use a specific free service that ends up costing you money. In addition, the scammer can collect your person al information and steal your identity. Credit Report Scam Examples To avoid being tricked, it helps to know what these scams look like. Here are some examples of credit report scams from Craiglist. These were sent by emaille to job applicants who responded to job postings on Craiglist. We would like to take this moment to thank you for your response to our Craigslist job posting, as well as inform you that, after reading through your resume, we are interested in discussing this job opportunity with you in person. In order to proceed to the next step of the hiring process, you will need to get your credit score checked.We have arranged a FREE service for you to obtain your score. Once you have completed this process, please email me the confirmation ASAP, so we can move forward. More Credit Scams Other scammers will ask you to send personal items such as your license, a utility bill, or your Social Security Number along with an application, or even before sending an applic ation. All of these items are forms of identification and can, therefore, be used by scammers to either open new accounts or access your current account. Never give these items to an employer before you have honigwein in person and/or thoroughly checked into the companys background. What to Do If You Have Been Scammed If you have already sent personal information to an employer, and believe it was a scam, get a copy of your credit report immediately and review your bills and payments. To get a free credit report, go to www.annualcreditreport.com or call 877-322-8228 to select your free reports. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), youre entitled to a free report every year. Note this is the only way to get your free annual credit report. Other sites or services generally require you to pay a charge, either up front or over time even if the word free is in their name. In addition to monitoring your credit, you should report the scam. File a report with the web Crime Compl aint Center, the Federal Trade Commission, and/or the Better Business Bureau. You can also report the scammers to the site on which you found the ad. Job sites and boards have contact pages, and many have dropdowns on their contact form specifically for reporting fraudulent listings. Warning Signs of Job Scams While classic scams will pop up again and again, there will also always be new frauds and fakes out there waiting to take you in. To protect yourself against job scams, learn to recognize the warning signs, including Its too good to be true. Your mom was right if it seems too good to be true, it generally is. Any job listing that promises high pay for easy work is almost certainly a scam. Examples include envelope stuffing, data entry, etc., for thousands per week. You have to pay to get started. While some niche job search sites may require a fee, legitimate employers never charge money to apply for a job. This includes any job that requires you to purchase a kit or leads before you start earning. The employer asks for personal information right up front. Companies dont need your social security number, banking informatin, etc., before they even offer you a job. If youre asked for any of this personal information early in the process, youre likely dealing with a job scam, not a real opportunity.

Workplace Drug and Alcohol Abuse Laws and Regulations

Workplace Drug and Alcohol Abuse Laws and RegulationsWorkplace Drug and Alcohol Abuse Laws and RegulationsThere are federal laws which provide guidelines on the policies employers can set regarding drug and alcohol abuse in the workplace. Employers can prohibit the use of drugs and alcohol,test for drug use, and fire employees who are engaging in illegal drug use. The regulations are typically listed in the organizations drug and alcohol abuse and prevention policy. The guidelines may include ingestaltation on when the company tests for drugs and alcohol, as well as on the consequences of failing a test.The law also provides protection for employees with substance abuse problems and outlines the accommodations that the employer must provide for workers. In addition to federal law, there may be state laws which regulate employment drug and alcohol testing, and how employers can handle substance abuse problems. Workplace Substance Abuse Laws and Regulations TheAmericans With Disabi lities Act(ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 both affectdrug and alcohol policies. The following outlines aspects of the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and some state statutes that relate to employees with drug and alcohol issues Employers can prohibit the illegal use of drugs and the use of alcohol in the workplace.Testing for illegal use of drugs does leid violate the ADA (but must meet state requirements).Pre-employment testingis often restricted by states to candidates who have already been offered a job. Typically, all candidates need to be treated equally and no individual can be singled out for testing.Many states require employers to verify a cause for testing currently employed workers for substances. Employers in those states must have a reasonable suspicion that the employee in question is abusing drugs and that safety or performance has been compromised. Some states can randomly test workers without a reasonable suspicion. This practice is usually restricte d to situations where safety issues are a concern. Employers may discharge or deny employment to those who currently engage in the illegal use of drugs.Employers cannot discriminate against drug addicts who have a history of drug addiction or who are not currently using drugs and have been rehabilitated (or who are currently in a rehabilitation program).Reasonable accommodation efforts, such as permitting time off for medical care, self-help programs, etc., must be extended to drug addicts who have been rehabilitated or who are undergoing rehabilitation. An alcoholic may be determined as an individual with a disability under the ADA.Employers may discharge, discipline, or deny employment to alcoholics whose use of alcohol hinders job performance or behavior to the same extent that such actions would result in similar disciplinary action for other employees. Employees using drugs and alcohol must meet the same standards of performance and behavior as other employees.The ADA does not protect casual drug users. However, those with a record of addiction, or who are falsely deemed to be being addicts, are covered by the Act. Discrimination Issues TheAmericans with Disabilities Act(ADA) prohibits employment discrimination against employees and applicants with disabilities in organizations that employ 15 or mora employees. Similarly, section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 makes it unlawful for contractors and subcontractors with the Federal government to discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities. Health Care Plan Requirements The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (MHPAEA) and later the Affordable Care Act mandated that non-grandfathered health care plans include mental health and substance abuse disorder services, including behavioral health treatment. These stipulations still govern most employer-sponsored plans. However, an executive order under the Trump administration has give n states more authority to designate what constitutes essential services within the exchange based plans for individuals in their jurisdiction. The executive order encouraged the creation of short-term plans with more limited costs and coverages. The Henry J. Kaiser Foundation has researched 24 distinct short-term insurance products currently marketed in 45 states. They determined that 43% of the plans did not cover mental health services, and 62% did not cover substance abuse treatment. Many states still have some statutes in place regarding the requirement of mental health services to be included in individual healthcare plans.Some states require parity between mental health services and benefits that plans provide for physical ailments. Substance abuse is often covered under the umbrella of mental health in these states. In those parity states, health care plans must provide coverage for substance abuse that is comparable to coverage for physically based medical problems. Accord ing to theNational Conference of State Legislatures(NCSL)Many state laws require that some level of coverage be provided for mental illness, serious mental illness, substance abuse, or a combination thereof. These states are not considered full parity states because they allow discrepancies in the level of benefits provided between mental illnesses and physical illnesses. These discrepancies can be in the form of different visit limits, co-payments, deductibles, and annual and lifetime limits. Other states mandate that an option must be provided for mental health coverage but do not dictate that there be minimum coverage or parity.Employers in these states can offer plans that charge applicants an extra premium for mental health coverage if employees decide to elect that optional coverage. The NCSL indicates that Laws in at least 38 states include coverage for substance abuse, alcohol or drug abuse. For questions about health insurance regulations in your state consult an agency on this list.

How to Answer the Tell Me About Yourself Question

How to Answer the Tell Me About Yourself Question How to Answer the Tell Me About Yourself Question So. Tell me about yourself.Its the interview question we all dread. And we dread it for good reason. Its way too broad and we have no idea what the interviewer wants us to say.Just be honest is the advice given by many careers experts. So hows this?Well, Im 29. Im scared of heights. I sometimes take a teddy bear with me when I go travelling. I love Coldplay. I still smoke even though I told everyone I quit. I cry when I go into an animal shelter because I want to adopt all the pets. I have a rash on my left foot thats leid responding to treatment. Oh and I have a hard time with commitment.Thats honest, but its probably not what theyre looking for.My honest opinion is that tell me about yourself is a lazy interview question. It tells the interviewer nothing meaningful and it unfairly discriminates against those who dont have a talent for pithy, perfectly pitched answers to pointless que stions. But regardless of what I think, you will find yourself sitting across a room from a stranger who rustles papers for a minute or two before looking up and saying so tell me about yourself.So what do you say?I dont believe theres one answer to this question because I think your answer should always be tailored to the needs of your employer. (Im not a big fan of the elevator pitch for this reason. If youve prepared it and learned it in advance, how relevant can it be to this particular employer at this particular time?)I think there are 3 steps to preparing a good answer to this most dreaded of questions and you must do them all in advance of each interview. That way youll be prepared when those papers starts to rustle. Step One Assess whats important to the company No matter how smart and succinct your answer is, it wont resonate unless it relates to the needs of the job. So if youre applying for a marketing manager job in the music industry, consider whats important in thi s type of role and within this industry. If you dont know, researchSo our marketing manager knows that its very important to do more with less in the music industry. Declining music sales mean declining budgets. He also knows that an understanding of the industry will be important.Step Two Make a list of things that make you a good fit for the role You wont use all of these in your answer, but thats OK. Just making the list will increase your confidence for the interview. And whats more, some of the items on your list will help you answer additional questions later in the interview.Our marketing manager is experienced at viral and street marketing, hes accustomed to working within tight budgets, and he has always delivered good results. His past experience has been in a related field (he marketed movies previously) so he understands entertainment. Step Three Plan your answer Remember, the recruiter doesnt really want to know all about you. She just thinks this is a good way to asses s your ability to perform under pressure, or your talent for speaking off the cuff, or some other character trait she feels is important.The most common mistake people make (Ive done it myself) is to start rambling about ancient history, literally trying to tell your whole story. This is a mistake and will cause the interviewers eyes to glaze over while she plans her next moves on Candy Crush Saga.Instead, choose one of these 3 approaches to ensure that you pass the test with flying colors.1) The story response. With this answer, you simply tell a short story (and do keep it short) that demonstrates your ability to meet their requirements. Stories are memorable, which is why this approach works so well.For example, our marketing manager could sayI have 8 years of experience in entertainment marketing and during this time Ive learned to work within tight budgets. For example, I recently had to promote a documentary with almost no budget. I created a video that welches designed to go viral and then promoted it across all social media channels. Within one week, the video had indeed gone viral and the documentary performed much better than expected as a result. These are the situations I genuinely enjoy.2) The others say responseWith this approach, you frame your answer in terms of the things other people have said about you. This allows you to boast about your skills without sounding as if you are boasting at all. So our manager could sayIve had 3 managers so far in my career, and they have all praised my ability to do more with less to create buzz and excitement even with the tiniest marketing budget. Ive been in entertainment marketing for 10 years now, and I think this is the thread that runs through my entire career. See how this answer shows what a great match he is without ever actually coming out and saying it?Another way to use this approach is to start with The 3 words people most often use to describe me are 3) The I believe approachWith this approach, you answer the tell me about yourself question by explaining your philosophy on work (or marketing or sales or people management choose whatever is most relevant to your employer). This answer works particularly well for management or leadership roles, although I think it can be effective for anyone. The reason its so effective is that it shows you have really thought about your approach to your work. It conveys a seriousness and dedication that you couldnt convey any other way.So here our manager could sayI believe that effective marketing is all about connecting. I think too many companies throw money at a problem and then wonder why sales dont increase. Ive always believed that when you truly connect with your audience, results naturally follow. As an example, I recently had to promote a documentary film with almost no budget. I felt the best way to get results was to connect with the potential audience via social media, so I created a video that was designed to go viral (etc. etc.)Tell me about yourself is actually an opportunityWhile I may think its a lazy question, and you may find it intimidating, the truth is that tell me about yourself is actually a wonderful opportunity to take control of the interview. With some planning, you can forget about feeling tongue-tied and instead turn those first few minutes into a chance to make a perfectly targeted pitch. Good luckPhoto credit Gatto Mimmo via photopin cc