Employment Screening: A look back at 2013

a tradition on this blog, as we come to the end of another year we’d like to take the opportunity to look back on the last twelve months – both for Mind Your Business, Inc. and for the employment screening industry as a whole. There have been some significant political and economic issues in 2013 that have affected employment – and the employment screening industry – heavily, in addition to a few key milestones for us a business.

Industry Issues

We can’t look back at 2013 without touching on the government shutdown. The failure by Congress to prevent the shutdown meant that hiring took a serious hit in the US during that period, partly due to the fact that employers were unable to make use of the E-Verify system. Later in the year we then saw new security enhancements implemented to help E-Verify deter employee fraud, and protect employers from hiring risks. This represents a significant step forward nationwide. The EEOC found itself in the news time and again this year, with nine Attorney Generals taking action against the new strategic enforcement plan (and the lawsuits rendered by the EEOC as a consequence) implemented by the EEOC earlier this year. Whether the EEOC crossed the line with their strict regulations is yet to be decided, with litigation brought by the State of Texas yet to come to a conclusion. Finally, one of the most significant industry trends we’ve seen in 2013 is the “ban the box” movement spreading across the country. Ten states and over fifty cities and counties across the United States have approved legislation the bans the box on job applications, despite a wave of critics as to how this could put employers at risk. We expect this trend to continue in 2014.

Mind Your Business, Inc.

Most excitingly for us this year, we were accepted as a participant in the U.S. Small Business Administration’s (SBA) 8(a) Business Development Program. This was – and still is – huge news, and we’re so excited to see the progress  that will be made over the nine year program. We also launched a new product – EEO investigations – to commercial clients, having rolled this out successfully to government agencies in 2012. As usual, MYB team members were in attendance at various tradeshows and industry events throughout the year, pursuing information and relationships that we know will aid progression and positive development for both MYB and our clients. Last, but certainly not least, we wanted to highlight our work in the community this year. It’s so incredibly important to us, as a business, to give back to the community that has provided our team members so much over the years. From sponsorship of the Boys and Girls Club of Henderson County, to participation in Relay for Life, to our partnership with the Blue Ridge Humane Society, it’s an honor and a privilege to be a part of the local community in this way. All in all, despite some concerning and turbulent industry trends, 2013 has been a fantastic year for us here at MYB. We can’t wait to get started in 2014, and look forward to working with current and new customers as the new year rolls in. Wishing you all the best, and a prosperous 2014!]]>