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| Enhancing Security-Post 911 |
Written By: Elizabeth A. Van Ella
President & CEO
James E. Van Ella & Associates
"The HIRE Authority"
The changes wrought by the events of September 11th were profound and long lasting. Other than a slowing economy, enhanced security has emerged as an important issue. Eventually, all industries will be asked to do a more in-depth job when it comes to security enhancement.
What has changed? These events punctuated the fact that people are not always who they say they are—not just in terms of identity, but also in qualifications. It also reminded us that safety cannot be taken for granted.
The focus has changed from meeting legal compliance to ensuring workplace safety. A basic background check, costing anywhere from $15 to $100 depending on the amount of information being verified, can potentially save a company millions of dollars and even lives—75% of all resumes have at least one major falsification. It is recommended to do at least the following areas:
- Verification of Identity
- County and state-level criminal check
- Employment history
- Motor vehicle record
Other areas to consider:
- Federal district criminal
- Education
- Professional references
- Debarment check
- Professional licenses/certification
- Military records
A study by Northwestern National Life revealed the following:
- 1 out of 4 workers have been attacked, threatened, or harassed
- Number of people attacked on the job: 2 million
- Number of people threatened: 6.3 million
- For average incidents, the costs are approximately $250,000.00
Another way background screening can help is not just by avoiding bad hires, but the liability of a hire "gone bad." Let's say, for example, you conduct the appropriate background checks on all your employees and only hire those that clear the check. One day an employee comes to work, loses emotional control, and attacks fellow employees. Because you had completed all the appropriate checks, you can demonstrate in a court of law that you had done the required due diligence in hiring that employee. Had you not done that background check you could be open too a huge liability regardless of whether the check would have uncovered anything questionable.
An emerging trend is developing in many industries that outsource work or use subcontractors. Before a company is picked as a vendor for these larger companies they must undergo close scrutiny. Here is an example:
- Business Entity
- Financial
- Civil Litigation
- Federal
- County
- Principal
- Verification of Identity
- Motor Vehicle Record
- Criminal
- Employee/Subcontractor
- Verification of Identity
- Motor Vehicle Record
- Criminal
Not all background-checking companies are alike. It is important to do a "background check" on the background checker. Here are a few questions to ask and a few things to consider before making a decision:
- Where do they get their information? Do they go directly to the local agencies or are they purchasing CD-ROMs that could be outdated?
- Are the sources they are using legal? Will the report stand up in a court of law?
- Do they require an annual contract? While annual contracts can save you money, you should never have to sign a long-term agreement with any firm. Legitimate firms will allow you to test their services without any commitments. I recommend that you try several vendors before signing any contracts.
- How long have they been in business?
- How many times has the company changed names?
- Does the firm have a legitimate office, or is their physical address a P.O. box or a box at a Mailboxes, etc.?
- Will they reveal the amount spent on record retrieval?
- Will the background investigation stand up to an audit?
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Elizabeth A. Van Ella, Owner and Chief Executive Officer
Elizabeth assumed the position of Chairwoman and CEO of James E. Van Ella in 1992. She worked in various investigative capacities within the organization prior to assuming her current position. Elizabeth served in both Korea and Vietnam, working for the State Department during the Vietnam conflict. Locally, she was an investigative reporter for CBS Affiliate, WBBM television in Chicago. Elizabeth was Vice-Chair of the Chicago Crime Commission; she has given presentations and conducted seminars on many industry topics including "Negligent Hiring and Retention" and "Gangs in the Workplace." Elizabeth also chaired the White-collar Crime Committee for the Chicago Crime Commission. She has been a guest expert on A&E Investigative Reports. She is a recipient of the Fredrick Milton Thrasher Award for her contributions to Gang Research. She was also inducted into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 2000. In the spring of 2001, Elizabeth earned her masters degree from Lake Forest College.
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| Genesys Insight into Catch-up 50 |
Catch-up 50 FAQ's
- What is "Catch up 50" and who is affected by it?
It is part of The Economic Growth and Tax Relief Act starting in tax year 2002. It allows an option for anyone age 50 and over to make additional IRA and pension plan contributions. This change will require that your plan document be modified.
- Why was this change made?
Due to the movement over the last twenty years from defined benefit plans to defined contribution plans, employees age 50 and over may not have had the same opportunity to save for retirement that a younger person may have had. This provision allows these employees the chance to begin saving more as they get closer to retirement age.
- What is the additional amount that can be contributed?
For most participants, it is $1,000 for 2002, $2,000 for 2003, $3,000 for 2004, $4,000 for 2005, and $5,000 for 2006 and thereafter.
- Will this affect regular contribution limits or nondiscrimination testing?
Regular contribution limits will not be affected.
Discrimination reporting may be affected. If you have employees whose combined total contributions to both the 401(k) plan and the Catch-up 50 program equal the 401(k) maximum of $11,000, the Catch-up 50 amount will be part of your discrimination reporting.
- What happens if an employee turns 50 mid year?
If the employee turns 50 at any point in a calendar year, they are eligible for the catch up provision for the entire year.
- Does the company have to match this additional contribution?
No, you do not have to match anything. However, it is our understanding that you can elect to match, in which case the match will count toward your nondiscrimination testing.
With
any new program, such as Catch-up 50, there are naturally questions.
Genesys has provided answers to the questions above; however, the
following questions are beyond our control. The answers to these questions
will be determined by each state. When the states make their
rulings known, Genesys will publish the information.
- Does the employee need to reach their deferral cap before making catch up contributions?
- Can the catch up contribution be a lump sum amount?
- What happens if the employee is not eligible to reach the standard deferral limit, can they still make catch up contributions?
- Where does the catch up contribution get reported?
Your Steps to Catch-up 50 Success
It is each client's responsibility
to ensure that their organization is prepared for Catch-up 50
processing. On the client's side, there are some facts you need to
be aware of and a few steps you must follow to implement this program.
Be aware that...
- The Catch-up 50 program is voluntary. You are not required to implement this program at this time.
- Each state differs in how it will/will not tax contributions.
Some states are considering these contributions as State Taxable
Income. Once the states have determined the taxation rules, Genesys
will publish the information.
- Discrimination reporting may be affected. If you have employees whose combined total contributions to both the 401(k) plan and the Catch-up 50 program equal the 401(k) maximum of $11,000, the Catch-up 50 amount will be part of your discrimination reporting.
Steps to follow...
- Modify your plan document so that it allows this new feature.
- Ensure that you have an earning/deduction category available that can be assigned to these new contributions.
- Set up a new earning/deduction specifically for these monies.
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| Customer
Services Quarterly Tip |
Ensuring
Prompt and Reliable Response to Your Inquiries
Customer Service Account Managers are available to help you achieve
optimum performance of your Genesys system, as well as address your questions
and concerns regarding any Genesys product. You can contact your Account
Manager directly by dialing (978) 685-5400, or via e-mail. Account
Managers are available:
- Monday through Thursday, 8:30 A.M. to 7:00 P.M., and
- Friday, 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., Eastern Time
To
ensure a prompt and reliable response when you do make an inquiry
to your Customer Service Account Manager, please provide the following information:
- Contact Name - Provide your full name.
- Organization Name - Provide the name of your organization,
and parent organization if applicable.
- Application Name (Software customers only) - Identify the Genesys application in
question. Genesys applications include: Payroll/HR, Benefit Payments,
Defined Benefits, Flexible Benefits, Human Resource Planning, WEBServe
(Employee/Manager Self-Service), HealthCare HRMS, Time Data Interchange,
and PeopleComeFirst.
- Latest Release Applied (Software customers only) - Identify the most current release
applied to your system.
- Problem Description - Explain the problem in detail. Explain
what was being done when the problem occurred. Indicate whether
this has happened before.
- Documentation - If possible, identify any error messages
displayed during the problem. Also, if there are any reports that
document the problem, please tell your Customer Service Account
Manager.
Providing
the information requested above will enable your Customer Service
Account Manager to provide you with even quicker, more professional
assistance. Your inquiries are always welcome!
Internet Support
Did
you know that the Genesys Customer Information Web Site is available
24 hours per day, 7 days per week? This dedicated site contains releases,
the e-Town Meeting schedule, online training modules, announcements, Genesys telephone numbers and e-mail addresses, and
other information to enhance your use of the Genesys system. Log on
to www.genesysHCM.com
and select customer connection.
Call for Tips and Suggestions
As a Genesys user, your tips and suggestions for working with the
Genesys applications are invaluable. If you have thoughts you'd like
to share with fellow Genesys users, please e-mail them to solutions@genesysHCM.com;
type "Tips and Suggestions" in the subject line. You may see your
name and handy tip in a future issue of e-Insight!
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 Mike Hanninen Guest Speaker at HRIMS
In mid-February, Mike Hanninen, Genesys' Director of Strategic Systems, addressed the role of competency management in e-learning at a meeting of the New York Chapter of IHRIM at the New York Helmsley Hotel. The focus of his topic was explaining how new technologies enable companies to link corporate values to departmental and individual competencies for meaningful performance management.
Genesys recently launched PeopleComeFirst, a web-based learning and competency management system that gives companies the ability to track and manage employee learning and training throughout the enterprise. The system also can help companies identify required and desired competencies for employees, identify "skill gaps," and prescribe relevant learning to address training needs. Lands' End and Hillsborough County recently adopted PeopleComeFirst for competency-based learning initiatives.
"Our clients—especially those in areas such as healthcare and manufacturing—have expressed great need for a practical technology that can help them manage highly detailed competency models. In some cases, organizations must have detailed reports and audit tracking in order to meet strict certification licensing requirements," Mike told the HRIMS audience.
Hanninen's presentation, "A Competency-based Approach to e-Learning," discussed how competency management can effectively tie into e-learning and other training initiatives. Hanninen also covered how competency management can result in significant ROI, including improved hiring, increased employee retention, and higher productivity, as well as qualitative benefits such as the ability of employees to take charge of their own career development.
Genesys Customers in the News
- The Genesys list of customers is long and notable, and includes
organizations that provide a variety of products and services across
a range of industries. Among the many high-profile, well known organizations
on the Genesys customer list, we'd like to congratulate two who
recently made another elite list... FORTUNE's "100 Best Companies
to Work For"... they are First Tennessee National Corp.
and Lands' End. Both organizations
are Genesys clients and it is our pleasure to applaud
them for achieving this distinct recognition by FORTUNE. Congratulations!
- Employee Self-Service is the wave of the future, but you don't
have to tell Barbara Kelly, Vice President of Human Resources at
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina
that. In fact, Barbara is a strong advocate of ESS and she recently
had the opportunity to discuss BC/BS of South Carolina's transition
from a paper-based organization to a web-based environment. Barbara
was interviewed by Computerworld/ROI for their November/December
2001 issue. In this issue, Barbara explains the concerns she had
in migrating 14,000 employees from the familiar world of paper to
the unknown world of the Web. However, with careful planning, thorough
training, and some key decisions—such as completely eliminating
paper filings—BC/BS of South Carolina made a smooth transition
to WEBServe, the employee self-service offering from Genesys.
By enabling employees to update basic contact information, change
benefit selections, and perform online enrollments via WEBServe,
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Carolina has significantly reduced
the burden on their human resources managers, while at the same
time they have provided a benefit to their employees.
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As of March 12, 2002, the latest Genesys release is number 2002-04. This legislative release includes:
- State Withholding (Rhode Island)
- State Unemployment (Virgin Islands)
- Local Tax Service (Pennsylvania)
- US Quarterly Reporting (New York Form, New York)
- US Year-End Reporting
- Canadian Year-end (Releve 1 and Releve 2 Forms, T4A Form, T4A Magnetic Media)
Accessing Release Files and Documentation
Within the Customer Connection site is a list of all releases, as well as a list of the corresponding release documentation.
To view release-related information, follow these steps:
- Access the Customer Connection site
- Select the appropriate icon (Software Services, Outsourcing Services, GenExpress Services)
- Provide a User Name and Password
To access the latest release, or prior releases, select release files.
To view the corresponding documentation, select release documentation.
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- The October 2001 issue of Benefits & Compensation Solutions
magazine included a review of PeopleComeFirst. Each issue of
Solutions includes a feature titled "On The Market" where new HR,
HRIS, benefits, and finance products are reviewed. The PeopleComeFirst
review pointed out that the "product functions to provide a nerve
center for an organization's overall e-learning environment" and that
"PeopleComeFirst is designed to enable organizations to develop their
workforce, while freeing them from managing multiple nonintegrated
learning initiatives." A second complimentary review of PeopleComeFirst
appeared in the December issue of Human Resource Executive.
In this review, titled "Genesys Unveils E-Learning Solution," HR Executive
pointed out that "by taking advantage of object orientation and components,
the software can be easily customized to meet the needs of employers."
- In 2001, Genesys celebrated a milestone that is rare in these times
of startup dot coms -- Genesys celebrated 20 years in business. The
October/November 2001 IHRIM.link featured a story covering
the 20th anniversary as well as the unique way in which Genesys acknowledged
its appreciation for its employees. Twenty years in business is cause
for celebration and Genesys was pleased to have this milestone also
featured in the December issue of a local publication, BreakTime.
- The Genesys Partnership Program is going strong and includes a variety
of complimentary organizations. In November, Financial Executive
magazine highlighted the alliance between Genesys and NetBase Corp.,
stating that "the relationship will broaden the workforce-management
capabilities each vendor can offer its respective clients and prospects."
In early December, the Business Wire, www.ipr.com
and www.hrimmall.com ran the Genesys press release that announced our teaming with James
E. Van Ella. This strong partnership will bring together the Genesys
HRMS solutions, combine with background checking from JEV, to streamline
and secure clients' hiring processes.
- As noted above, PeopleComeFirst, the integrated LMS, LCMS, and Competency
Management solution from Genesys, has been getting great reviews and
earning high marks from users. In fact, two existing Genesys customers
recently selected PeopleComeFirst to meet their organization's learning
needs. In January, the Business Wire, and Outsourcing/Alert
ran the full Genesys press release announcing that Lands' End selected
PeopleComeFirst to manage their learning, learning content, and development.
In addition, both Outsourcing/Alert and eLearning/Alert
announced that the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Hillsborough County,
Florida selected PeopleComeFirst to manage their education, employee
development, and regulatory training requirements.
- Recently the Genesys HRMS 5.5 system was featured
in HR Magazine's Software Review section in an article
entitled "System Tackles Tough Payroll Problems." The review pointed out that the system is menu-driven, offers more than 100
standard reports, and is technically competent. Additionally, two
Genesys clients were quoted in the review: Tom Tripp of Delta Dental
and Jerry Steele of County of Morris. HR Magazine gave Genesys high
marks for its technical support. The Genesys system can be licensed,
outsourced, or hosted.
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To receive a complete 2002 Training Schedule, call the Training Coordinator at (978) 685-5400 x3027, send an e-mail to classreg@genesysHCM.com, or send a FAX to (520) 833-1169. Be sure to visit the Genesys Customer Connection site to view the Online Training Catalogue, which includes course titles and descriptions. (The Customer Connection site is a secure, customer-only area; a User ID and Password are required.)
Instructor-Led Courses
Below is a list of upcoming Instructor-Led Courses. All courses are held at the Genesys Corporate Training Center, Methuen, Massachusetts.
Students are urged to register early. Genesys reserves the right to cancel or reschedule classes if required attendance is not met. Genesys Education Services will confirm each offering within 21 days of the scheduled start date.
| April 2002 |
| Human Resource System |
9 (Filled; Not available) |
| Human Resource
Planning System |
10 (Filled; Not available) |
| Flexible Benefits |
11 (Filled; Not available) |
| Advanced Payroll System |
16-17 (Filled; Not available) |
| Benefit Payments System |
18-19 (Filled; Not available) |
| ONESource |
22-26 (Filled; Not available) |
| May 2002 |
| Advanced GenTools |
1-2 |
| Basic Payroll System |
7-9 |
| U.S. Tax Processing |
10 |
| June 2002 |
| Basic GenTools |
4-6 |
| Writing Online
Reports |
11-12 |
| Writing Deferred Reports |
13-14 |
| July 2002 |
| HealthCare HRMS |
15-19 |
| Defined Benefits System |
23-24 |
| August 2002 |
| Introduction to Genesys |
5 |
| Basic Payroll System |
6-8 |
| US Tax Processing |
9 |
| Human Resource System |
13 |
| Human Resource Planning System |
14 |
| Flexible Benefits |
15 |
| September 2002 |
| Advanced GenTools |
24-25 |
| October 2002 |
| Advanced Payroll System |
2-3 |
| Basic GenTools |
8-10 |
| Technical Seminar: Client/Server |
16 |
| Technical Seminar: Mainframe |
17 |
| ONESource |
21-25 |
| November 2002 |
| Year-end |
To Be Scheduled |
| December 2002 |
| Basic Payroll System |
3-5 |
| Writing Online
Reports |
10-11 |
| Writing Deferred Reports |
12-13 |
For information
about on-site classes, call your Account Manager at 978-685-5400. Please
keep in mind that classes can also be set up through your local User
Group chapter. Training class enrollment forms can also be faxed to
520-833-1169 or e-mailed to: classreg@genesysHCM.com.
Online Training Courses
You can access the Online Training Courses from within the Customer Connection Site. Available topics include:
- Adjustments
- Balancing Your Payroll
- Direct Deposit
- Hire a Person
- New Hire Reporting
- Online Check
- Payment History
- SeachAll
- Transfers & Taxes
e-Town Meeting Schedule
e-Town
Meetings are scheduled frequently. Be sure to visit the Customer Connection
Site often to review the list of continually updated topics for dates
and times.
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Genesys is pleased to be participating at the following conferences and trade events. We welcome you to visit us at any of them.
| Date |
Event |
Location |
| April 4 |
Tri-State HRMA |
Cherry Hill, NJ |
| April 8-11 |
e-Learning Conference & Expo |
Washington, DC |
| May 14-18 |
APA's 20th Annual Congress |
San Antonio, TX |
| June 3-5 |
ASTD's 2002 International Conference & Expo |
New Orleans, LA |
| June 10-11 |
IHRIM's 2002 Spring Conference & Exposition |
Orlando, FL |
| June 16-18 |
SPBT |
Toronto, ON |
| June 23-26 |
SHRM's 54th Annual Conference & Exposition |
Philadelphia, PA |
| July 28-30 |
ASHHRA's 2002 Annual Conference & Exposition |
Atlanta, GA |
| September 8-11 |
The Genesys 22nd Annual HRMS Conference |
Scottsdale, AZ |
| September 23-25 |
Online Learning 2002 Conference & Expo |
Anaheim, CA |
| September 25-27 |
HR Technology's 5th Annual Conference & Expo |
Chicago, IL |
| October 2-4 |
NEHRA 2002 |
Uncasville, CT |
| October 27-30 |
TechLearn 2002, The Masie Group |
Orlando, FL |
To view additional information about all upcoming events, visit the Genesys Events Page. The event listing provides you with links to the various sponsoring organizations. You are encouraged to visit these sites to learn more.
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