The Quality of your Information Can Make or Break Your Business

By Cookie Lewis, M.S.L.S.  Information derived from research can be a key factor in the success or failure of your business, whether you’re involved in a trial or legal matter, hiring people, conducting competitor intelligence, or performing due diligence for a merger, acquisition or business transaction. With mega-data available for free on the Internet, some…

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Work Smart from A-2-Z: Consider Retaining a Qualified Consultant

By Patricia A. Kotze When Johnny and his team started their business 10 years ago, they literally did everything on their own, from A-2-Z. And from A-2-Z they learned, along the way, that they probably, no, they should have, hired an attorney, a finance specialist, and several consultants who would have assisted with marketing, branding,…

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When Domestic Violence Spills into the Workplace

By Kent Perkins Dorothy said it best in The Wizard of Oz: “There’s no place like home.” But when home becomes a dangerous place, instead of a safe-haven, where does one turn? Abusers and stalkers often feel the need to control their victims’ lives, and find ways to make their frightening presence known wherever their victims…

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Risks of Social Media Usage in Pre-Employment Background Checks, Part I

By Khodadawd “Cody” J. Farzad We strive to educate our clients and aid employers in ensuring legally-compliant screening. As such, the proliferation of “social media background checks” and the continuous dissemination of false information about their “endorsement” by the FCRA leave us with no option but to provide our take on this new trend. Over…

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Driving Profitability by Managing Your Inventory

warehouse racks inventory management How might you answer the following question – On your balance sheet, what typically represents at least 20% of your company’s assets? If you answered “your inventory”, you’re spot on.

Inventory as a percentage of your balance sheet can reach as high as 60%. So as the owner/ manager of your manufacturing company, where better to focus your operational energies than on management of your inventory?

Imagine the benefits.
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Pennsylvania Bill aims to Prevent Workplace Violence

workplace violenceViolence in the workplace represents a real threat to employees across the U.S. Recently, a man walked into a FedEx shipping facility in Bedford Park, Illinois and fired his gun several times before killing himself.

The gunman, Ben Robinson, was a former FedEx employee. His wife is a current FedEx employee at the Bedford Park facility and was apparently the target of his rage.
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Salvia Divinorum is a New Legal Drug Similar to Marijuana

Salvia Divinorum drug image

The rising cost of workplace substance abuse may seem unfair to most employers, but ignoring the  problem will cost you a lot more when it has a negative impact on employee safety, health, productivity, morale, security and well-being.

Move over cocaine, marijuana, beer, methamphetamines and prescription drugs – salvia divinorum, bath salts, DXM and K2/”Spice” are here and available at your local pharmacy, grocery store and on the web!

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Ensuring Ethical Investigators Work On Your Sensitive Cases

Private investigator in a large city Look before you Leap

In the Private Investigation field, there are a lot of unique business challenges. There are odd hours, strange requests and plenty of healthy competition with other firms. Rarely do clients sound happy to speak to you, as they are usually dealing with a difficult situation; often it’s an emergency and they need immediate help. Usually they need help yesterday. It’s in these moments, when they most need a helping hand that they are most exposed to unethical consultants.

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The Value of Corporate Investigations: Avoid C Suite Resignations

3 Executives MeetingWhen a large corporate scandal began to unravel, many professionals in the private investigation field have come to wonder why a proper internal investigation into the phone hacking was never conducted.

Had News Corp. done so, they could have potentially avoided public embarrassment and the damage the phone hacking scandal has caused to their brand and reputation.
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Pay Now Or Pay More Later: A Thorough Investigation Into Employee Complaints Is Not An Option

employee complaint sexual harassment Employee complaints must be investigated, and some can’t be ignored, according to the law, such as sexual harassment complaints.

No statutes dictate exactly how an employer should conduct an investigation, but unless it’s properly documented and comes to a successful conclusion, you might as well expect a lawsuit.

The California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) (Cal. Gov’t Code §§12900–12996) requires employers to take “immediate and appropriate corrective action” in a timely manner when faced with an employee harassment complaint.
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