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Blog Thursday, March 18 2021
 Throughout Texas and nationwide, staffing agencies give companies the candidates they need to thrive. They help to fill short- and long-term positions, with the most sought-after firms going out of their way to supply the best employees around.
With that, we have to ask: Has your staffing company invested in a comprehensive drug screening program? This article will explore the benefits of using drug screening kits to test your staff, and increase performance, safety, and productivity as a result.
Benefits of Drug Screening for Texas Staffing Agencies The benefits of screening your team members are expansive. Testing staffing agency employees and applicants for drugs will help reduce the risk of making a hiring mistake, cultivate a safer work environment, and enhance your firm’s reputation.
It’s no secret that recruitment companies rely on their reputation to build their clientele. You wouldn’t want to violate anyone’s trust by recommending a candidate with a substance abuse problem. This is precisely where an agency-wide drug screening program may come in.
Additional benefits of staffing agency drug screening include:
So, to ensure a safe and productive workplace, why not develop a comprehensive drug screening program? The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence reports that 70% of the 14.8 million Americans who use illegal drugs are employed—but your agency doesn’t have to be the one to employ them.
What Do Drug Screening Kits Include? The needs of staffing agencies may vary. For this reason, most drug testing companies offer a range of screening kits that generally include:
Easy-to-manage and practical, with fast results, these tests are completed in five to 10 minutes with 99% accuracy. The employee simply inserts the test swab into their mouth before pushing it into the kit.
Simple to utilize, and just as quick and accurate as oral drug testing, the employee will privately urinate in a cup, seal the lid, and pass the kit back to the technician. Urine cup drug testing is a popular way to screen for marijuana.
Urine dip card drug tests are cost-efficient—not to mention a practical tool for pre-employment screening. This is a 12 CLIA Waived solution with 99% accuracy, with each strip that is attached to the urine dip card dedicated to a specific drug.
All three of the abovementioned solutions are perfectly viable, but dip card or panel drug tests are especially beneficial for staffing agencies. This is because they can screen for many harmful drugs simultaneously.
DrugScreenKits.com for San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Austin Staffing Agencies The verdict is in, and screening your staffing agency team members for drugs should be a priority rather than an afterthought. Statistics show that drug abuse costs employers a remarkable $81 billion per year, but again, this doesn’t have to be you.
So, set up your drug screening program today, with the goal of protecting your agency, clients, and staff. Most providers work with organizations across many industries, including:
It’s worth noting that a number of drug screening kit suppliers are also issuing COVID-19 tests at this time. To appeal to clients further—and reassure their employees—we recommend that staffing agencies invest in COVID-19 screening for their staff as well.
Is your staffing agency interested in working with Redstar Backgrounds and DrugScreenKits.com to develop a custom screening program? Please contact us for details, or to set up a free consultation. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more information. Thursday, March 11 2021
 Whether you run a ministry or are simply a part of a church community, chances are you recognize the importance of vetting your volunteers.
But what does your screening process look like? This article will outline the value of vetting your volunteers and staff.
Are You Properly Screening Your Church Volunteers? You may want to rely on your sense of goodwill when welcoming volunteers. This is an admirable place to start, but the truth is that it isn’t sufficient.
Why not? All faith-based organizations—many of which work with children, the elderly, and other vulnerable groups—must take their screening process seriously. This means not only selecting your volunteers carefully, but implementing a strict protocol that includes routine background checks.
At minimum, you will want to include the following in your volunteer screening:
To go the extra mile in screening your church volunteers, you will also want to rely on reference checks and verification services. These will bring peace of mind, helping to make sure you only welcome honest, trustworthy people into your community. In this same vein, oversight and training are important too—but pre-screening prospective volunteers is especially critical.
4 Reasons for Churches to Complete Volunteer Background Checks Why develop a thorough background screening protocol? Here are five reasons to make background checks a key part of your church’s volunteer hiring process:
By being consistent about conducting background checks, you will deter predators or other people with negative intentions from getting involved at your church. A screening process is a simple barrier to entry that will keep criminal or otherwise exploitative people at bay.
Perhaps most importantly, screening your volunteers will help safeguard the communities you serve. For instance, if your volunteers drive church vehicles or manage church money, you can easily screen them to make sure they will act in everyone’s best interest.
While the safety of your community is most vital, you wouldn’t want to find your church at the center of a rumor or scandal. Yes, your church may be small—and you may think you already know everyone—but why not make sure there are no surprises?
Whether you are known for your mission work, your food drives, or your charitable outreach, screening your volunteers can help churches like yours take the work you do to the next level. By working with only the most driven volunteers, your ministry can truly go above and beyond.
For the above reasons, volunteer background checks are key. To ensure compliance, however, you might want to work with an expert background check provider—a company well-versed in compliance topics, with extensive experience serving churches throughout Texas.
Background Screening for Texas Ministries No matter your location, our expert team will help your ministry develop a custom protocol for screening potential volunteers. Whether you’re in San Antonio or Dallas, Houston or Austin or even Corpus Christi, we’re here to help your church create a fair and accurate process.
A friendly church volunteer program will make your community a safer, happier, and more welcoming place. With a thorough background check procedure, you will be well on your way to selecting only the best volunteers for every role—preventing harm and negligence throughout.
To learn more about the benefits of developing a comprehensive church screening program, please contact Redstar Backgrounds. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more information. Friday, February 26 2021
 Digital transformation, paired with the pandemic, has caused a surge in remote work.
This means companies are conducting fewer in-person interviews. Some are even turning away from comprehensive background checks.
What does this increase in remote work mean for pre-employment screening?
We’ll get to that shortly. First, let’s explore the state of remote work as we move further into 2021.
The State of Remote Work in 2021 Though many companies in Texas and around the world allowed their staff to work remotely before COVID-19, the pandemic made telecommuting our new normal (with the exception of grocery clerks, healthcare staff, and other essential workers).
Regardless, the public health crisis notwithstanding, today 55% of businesses from around the world offer at least some capacity for remote work. In fact, 18% of the global workforce telecommutes full-time.
According to a Gartner, Inc. survey, 88% of businesses from around the world encouraged their teams to work remotely as the virus first began to spread at a rapid rate. And while the COVID-19 vaccine is in the preliminary distribution stages—meaning there’s an end to the pandemic in sight—remote work isn’t going anywhere post-lockdown.
So, how should you adjust your background screening process for remote team members?
Why Texas Companies Should Screen Remote Workers Remote teams rely on their members to be truthful and dependable. They trust them with managing business data outside the office, working the agreed-upon number of hours, and treating company property with respect.
For these reasons, pre-employment screening is no less important than it is for companies that still adhere to a traditional work environment. Giving a team member access to your data from home—quite possibly on their own devices—offers unprecedented risk.
Put simply, there’s a lot more at stake than simply having your people come in each day. While remote work has in fact resulted in higher productivity, this comes at a cost: potential security risks, along with a greater opportunity to breach the employer’s trust.
These factors make background screening all the more essential—during COVID-19 and well into the future. Pre-employment background checks will help to make sure you hire the right people, mitigate security issues, and screen for honest and dependable staff.
By opting for the most trustworthy, qualified staff, you can protect your business and cultivate the most empowered remote teams.
Background Screening for San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Austin Telecommuters Are you currently outsourcing your background screening?
Regardless of your answer, it might help to work with an expert third-party partner who can help tailor a program to your exact needs.
Companies with an in-house program may struggle to keep on top of their screening during lockdown. Redstar Backgrounds, however, can help telecommuters throughout Texas conduct pre-employment:
These pre-employment screening services will increase your chances of hiring honest, hardworking, trustworthy remote team members. Meanwhile, our team of experts will do everything possible to help your company reduce hiring risks (including workforce safety issues, theft, cybersecurity problems, failure to follow company rules, fraud, and productivity problems).
With us, you can consider these challenges a thing of the past. And with Redstar Backgrounds in your arsenal, your remote team can leverage guaranteed compliance and expansive knowledge of Texas legislature. You’ll have the highest caliber of remote workers on your staff in no time at all.
Are you interested in learning more about background screening and drug testing? Contact Redstar Backgrounds for details. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more information. Monday, February 22 2021
 Background checks are important in every industry.
In the caregiving space, however, staff work with children and the elderly—which makes screening potential hires all the more important.
With that, here are five strategies for screening caregivers in Texas:
A criminal records search dating back seven years will help employers identify potential—or serious—red flags. A comprehensive search will scour the applicant’s past, moving through county, state, and even national records to screen for criminal activity.
Why is this important? Employers need to be aware of their team’s past regardless of their line of work, but this is especially important in caregiving. You want to make sure your employees are equipped to work with children and vulnerable adults, handle medication, and foster a trusting and supportive environment.
In the caregiving industry (and in many other sectors), reference checks are of equal benefit to a criminal records search. Employers should ask candidates for no fewer than three personal and professional references, and spend adequate time contacting the people listed to get a sense of the applicant’s character.
In addition, reference checks can help employers determine whether the applicant is being honest on their application. From skills and performance, to work history and qualifications, references play an important role in the overall screening process.
Will the prospective caregiver be responsible for driving charges to and from activities, appointments, and errands? If so, a Motor Vehicle Records (MVR) check is key. Also known as a driver’s license check, it will bring transparency to the applicant’s driving history.
Here’s the thing: Any employee tasked with driving on the job should pass an MVR check. Most states’ records go back three to seven years, which is generally enough to provide an accurate picture of the candidate’s abilities. From accident history to vehicle-related crimes, this check is vital to the overall screening process.
It’s worth mentioning that even if it’s tough, employers shouldn’t feel guilty about saying no. For instance, if you meet a wonderful caregiver who lacks the necessary qualifications, it simply won’t be the right fit. Similarly, if you discover a potential new hire has a history of frequent car accidents, it might be best to continue your search.
Saying no can be difficult, but done appropriately, you can feel good about your decision to continue looking for qualified caregivers. Who knows? An incredible, skilled applicant could be right around the corner.
Overwhelmed or uncertain about how to screen the caregivers who are applying to work with you? Your agency doesn’t have to go about it alone. Full-service companies like Redstar Backgrounds will help you curate the best screening program for your needs.
Established in 2011, our team of expert staff have over three decades of shared experience. We also recognize the time, money, and effort at play in hiring the right people. And at Redstar, we aim to deliver comprehensive background checks that are FCRA-compliant and entirely transparent.
How does that sound? Employers in Texas cities like San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Austin, and Corpus Christi are invited to create a custom background screening program for their prospective caregivers today.
Please contact Redstar Backgrounds for more information. We offer custom programs based on your business and industry, including options for caregiving agencies and other organizations that serve children and the elderly.
Want to stay up-to-date? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for the latest from our team. Monday, February 15 2021
 Background checks are essential to Texas companies.
From manufacturing to healthcare, and from mom-and-pop shops to fully-remote businesses, screening new hires can help your organization thrive.
With that, we have to ask: Is your background screening process fair and thorough?
The Importance of Background Checks in Texas Background screening is invaluable. For Texas businesses, the benefits include higher workplace safety, lower turnover, and fewer negligent hiring risks. For employees, applicants and long-timers alike can rest assured they’re working for a company that cares about its people.
In this way, background checks are key. Screening your staff can potentially save your company thousands of dollars.
Just consider the following statistics:
What’s more, U.S. employers lose anywhere from $20 billion to $40 billion per year due to fraud. This doesn’t have to be your organization, though, as background screening can help pinpoint potential problems before they begin to affect your company.
That said, your company’s background screening process must comply with all federal, state, and local laws. This is crucial to making sure the process is fair and comprehensive, and ultimately in line with the latest privacy regulations.
Yet compliance is quite complex. Laws change frequently, and you’re likely already quite busy. For this reason, it might make sense to work with an expert background check provider with expertise in compliance issues—plus the software and security you need to stay compliant.
What Should Background Screening Entail? Chances are you check your applicants’ references, conduct interviews, and keep an eye out for potential red flags.
With a fair and thorough process in your arsenal, you can streamline your screening and ensure consistency throughout. Here at Redstar Backgrounds, we complete:
These services will help to confirm potential hires are honest and of sound judgment. The truth is that putting in a little extra time to fairly and accurately screen your staff on the front end will save your Texas company a great deal of money and effort in the long term.
Employer Background Checks in San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Austin From professional competence to workplace safety, there are a number of reasons employers in the state of Texas should conduct pre-employment background checks.
The benefits of screening your staff are far-reaching and range from more time and money saved, to creating a culture of integrity. And whether you’re in San Antonio or Dallas, Houston or Austin or even Corpus Christi, we’re here to help you streamline your screening process—with fairness and accuracy in mind.
How does that sound? Though a National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS) survey reveals that about 96% of companies screen their volunteers and staff, many of them fail to go about this process the right way.
This doesn’t have to be you. You want to increase credibility, decrease liability, and reduce losses however possible—and what better way to achieve just that than with a screening partner?
Enter Redstar Backgrounds. We work with employers throughout the state of Texas and nationwide to develop custom background screening processes.
Most importantly, we bring fairness and transparency to the background screening process by meeting the demands of all regulations and sanctions—with the goal of limiting your exposure on every new hire. We’ll even tailor a program to your company’s exact needs and expectations.
Interested in learning more about background screening in Texas? Contact Redstar Backgrounds for details. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more information.
Friday, January 29 2021
 You know what they say about quality control: It’s essential!
It’s especially important in manufacturing, as manufacturing companies need their products to go above and beyond what’s required.
To make sure they’re doing just that, these organizations need to make sure their staff go above and beyond as well.
Employment Screening in the Manufacturing Industry Today approximately 12 million U.S. employees work in the manufacturing industry.
As the nation’s fifth-largest industry employer, skillsets are varied. Your team’s talent may range from research and development, to design, production, logistics, operations, and other areas.
This diversity is key to a healthy team—but some things are meant to be a constant. Trust, integrity, and a sound work ethic are some of the qualities that shouldn’t vary from person to person.
Enter an employment screening company like Redstar Backgrounds. We can help you design and implement a screening program that will allow you to sift through applicants and ensure you hire the best of the best. Our approach helps manufacturing companies throughout Texas:
Generally speaking, hiring the right candidates in manufacturing can be quite challenging. Most internal human resources departments are forced to grapple with a stream of applications alongside other daily tasks—and far too often, key information slips through the cracks.
This won’t be the case with a designated background screening company. From reference checks and drug testing, to employment verification and Motor Vehicle Reports (MVRs), our team will curate a program to streamline your hiring process.
What Should Manufacturing Companies Screen for? Hiring is complex no matter what industry you work in. In manufacturing, however, employers must balance a great deal of physical risks along with the usual challenges that come with taking on new staff.
This makes the overall hiring process a complex procedure. From assessing candidates’ skills and licensure, to identifying who would be the best fit within the company, there’s a great deal that goes into it.
And in manufacturing, there’s also a great deal at stake. By hiring the wrong candidates, employers risk facing poor quality assurance and a high incident rate. Expensive penalties might ensue—among them failure to comply with DOT and OSHA requirements.
Ultimately, though, these risks can be mitigated by way of a comprehensive background check program. An effective approach to manufacturing background screening will include the following:
Looking to excel as a manufacturing company? Ensuring compliance by hiring the best possible staff is a solid place to start. This process begins by integrating employment verification screening, drug testing, and other common practices into your hiring.
Texas Manufacturing Companies Need Trustworthy and Qualified Staff Whether you’re located in San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Austin, Corpus Christi, or another Texas city, you have plenty of manufacturing talent at your disposal.
That said, candidates can ace their interview and still present a number of red flags: among them a history of drug abuse, frequent absenteeism, or fudged resumes.
This doesn’t have to be the case. By screening each applicant before making a hiring decision, you can save ample time and money, and ensure the same quality control you do on your products. All it takes is a standardized pre-employment screening process to build a team of trustworthy, hardworking, and honest staff.
Are you interested in learning more about background screening in the manufacturing industry? Contact Redstar Backgrounds for details. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more information. Monday, January 25 2021
 Healthcare is a fast-paced industry that requires a great deal of transparency.
This overarching sense of trust is paramount not only between medical staff and patients, but between staff and their employer as well.
As such, employers like Texas hospitals and specialty clinics must do their due diligence in hiring only the most honest, qualified candidates.
The healthcare industry is subject to federal and state requirements that evolve regularly—and candidates need to be both qualified and capable of providing the highest level of care.
With that, we have to ask: Are you hiring team members you can trust?
Background Screening in the Medical Field No doubt employers should screen their candidates before making a hiring decision.
In healthcare, however, this is especially important. Foregoing background screening in the medical field would be unethical. It wouldn’t be acting in the patient’s best interest.
But with a sound background screening program in place, you can evaluate each candidate’s integrity, career history, and credentials. A medical background check can also provide clarity on specific applicants so you can determine who would be the best fit for the job.
Like we mentioned above, each state has different requirements for healthcare team members. It can be difficult to keep up, yet with a screening company like Redstar Backgrounds available to help, you can go above and beyond in ensuring a safe and honest workplace.
The right background check company will oversee everything from reference checks and employment verification, to license checks and drug testing. Our expert team will gladly help you screen candidates in the medical field.
What Goes into Healthcare Worker Background Checks? There are a number of items for which healthcare employers must screen. These include:
Medical background checks also include a federal exclusion search. The U.S. government keeps a list of healthcare workers who are prohibited from receiving federal funds—and this check is designed to help employers avoid hiring prospects who could prevent their business from participating in programs like Medicare.
This may sound overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. A seasoned Texas background screening company with experience in the medical field can protect your patients and bottom line, all while preserving your company culture.
Screening Texas Medical Teams: 3 Reasons to Do So Healthcare facilities in Texas cities like San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Austin, and Corpus Christi can create a custom background screening program that will go above and beyond in ensuring cutting-edge patient care.
If your employer doesn’t yet have a streamlined screening program, here are three reasons to create one today:
Mistakes happen—but in medicine, they should be avoided at all costs. Screening candidates before hiring them can pinpoint potential red flags and ensure you only welcome applicants with the most promising employment history.
Hospitals, clinics, and other medical employers are required to ensure patient confidentiality under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. By screening applicants before you onboard them, you can rest assured those you serve will be in good hands.
Employee turnover is expensive. So are lawsuits—and losing patients to a competing provider can be just as costly. This is where a comprehensive background screening program may come in. Why not mitigate potential issues by preventing them from occurring in the first place?
Please contact Redstar Backgrounds for more information on medical background screening. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Monday, January 18 2021
 When it comes to eldercare, background checks are critical. Seniors—whether they live in a retirement community or work with a caregiver through an agency—must be in good hands.
This is where a comprehensive background screening process may come in. We’ll gladly help your company develop a streamlined, effective approach to protecting the residents in your care.
The Importance of Background Checks in Eldercare Background checks promote safety in the workplace—in large part by helping companies reduce their chances of making regrettable hiring decisions.
Not only are these checks important, but they might even be required. For example, The National Child Protection Act of 1993 requires criminal background checks for all eldercare and childcare positions.
While it’s natural to want to see the best in people—and being overly skeptical isn’t always a great look—background checks are particularly important in caregiving positions.
How so? Seniors who work with caregivers are especially vulnerable to theft or abuse, and they deserve to be taken care of by the most professional candidates around. A background check will search for red flags in the applicant’s employment history, keeping problem candidates out of the profession (or at minimum, your company).
What Does Senior Caregiver Background Screening Entail? Like any background screening, senior caregiver checks are a seamless process. Generally, candidates simply submit their legal name, current address, and Social Security number—and the screening agency will take care of the rest.
Eldercare background screening will look into the candidate’s:
In addition to these items, a comprehensive check will confirm that the applicant is being truthful in their application. If honesty is one of your company’s core values, of course you’d want to hire staff whose own integrity aligns with that. This is why screening your staff is so important.
Screening Caregivers Throughout Texas: 3 Key Benefits To provide truly cutting-edge care, your retirement company or caregiving agency should screen every prospective staff member before making a hiring decision.
Seniors in San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Austin, Corpus Christi, and other Texas cities deserve the very best. To this end, here are three key benefits of screening your caregivers:
Though retirement communities are home to seniors of varying ability levels, many residents are physically or emotionally vulnerable. Even those who live at home deserve state-of-the-art care.
As such, background screening is paramount. By completing detailed searches on Texas caregivers’ criminal, driving, and employment history, employers can rest assured they are protecting those they serve.
While of course your clients’ well-being is your top priority, chances are you also want to avoid hiring staff who could compromise your reputation. Onboarding someone with a history of theft or lying could result in significant long-term consequences for your organization.
With a screening process in place, you can invest in the very best staff and continue to build rather than smear your integrity. Word-of-mouth is everything here in Texas, and your caregiving agency or retirement community will thrive if you keep that in mind.
A Congressional Budget Office report recently revealed that about one-third of those above the age of 65—and roughly two-thirds of those in their mid-80s or older—need assistance with daily tasks. From eating to transportation, and from prescription pickup to bill-paying, these tasks involve a great deal of trust.
This is where your community or agency can help. Why not deliver the very best in eldercare by using all the tools in your arsenal to hire the very best staff? Seniors deserve to feel safe, comfortable, and cared for. Background screening can make all the difference.
Interested in learning more about Texas eldercare background screening? Contact Redstar Backgrounds for details. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn for more information. Wednesday, October 21 2020
 Employers only want to work with staffing agencies they trust. This sense of trust is typically rooted in a thorough background screening process. Wednesday, June 24 2020
 From the C-suite to the factory, manufacturing companies need to hire the right people.
There’s no question your team can’t afford to be understaffed—you still need to operate your facility, even if you’re short a few team members.
And when it comes to quality control, few decisions are more important than those that relate to hiring.
Texas manufacturers understand the need to consistently produce a high-quality product. To achieve this, they need trustworthy, experienced employees by their side.
This is where we come in. Here are five reasons to use Redstar Backgrounds for your manufacturing staffing needs:
Though your company is perfectly capable of hiring qualified personnel, this can be a time-consuming process. It can also be challenging—for those with limited bandwidth—to focus on screening the best applicants.
Fortunately, our team is here to help. We will help you source and onboard the right people. As a result, you’ll significantly lower your risk of hiring unreliable team members, decrease turnover, and ensure a safe and OSHA-certified facility.
Encourage your human resources team to make sure no one slips through the proverbial cracks of the hiring process. By outsourcing your manufacturing staffing needs, your company can rest assured we will screen each and every person you consider bringing on your team.
Our screening guidelines are tailored to each client and designed to meet the unique needs of not only the manufacturing industry, but also your company and the position for which you are hiring. From drug testing to criminal checks, we’ll take care of it all in a safe and FCRA-compliant way.
It can be challenging to hire someone great when you’re simply focused on finding your next hire. Fortunately, our comprehensive solution will help you secure new staff quickly and the right way.
We leave no unturned when it comes to helping manufacturing teams:
From background checks to drug screening, we take care of it all. You’ll have a shortlist of remarkable prospects in front of you in no time.
Turnover is costly. So too is loss of productivity. With Redstar Backgrounds by your side, you can access candidates’ educational and employment backgrounds, references, credentials, and more in a streamlined and timely fashion. This will help you pinpoint red flags like expired licenses and embellished resumes.
Put simply, we’re here to help you source the best possible people. And by doing so, you’ll save money and work more efficiently. It’s a win-win solution.
Just as we’re well-versed in the manufacturing industry, we know Texas like the back of our hand. Our screening company works closely with clients across the state, including in San Antonio, Austin, and Corpus Christi.
With our knowledge of the area, and our manufacturing expertise, you can partner with a business on whom you can depend. Maintaining quality and safety standards, and knowing you’re bringing on exemplary hires, are simply an added bonus.
At Redstar Backgrounds, we help clients make hiring decisions that protect their company and staff, all while fostering a safe and transparent work environment. Please contact us for more information on how we can help your manufacturing company screen and hire the right people. |
