BRADENTON, Fla., June 4, 2007 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Gevity (Nasdaq:GVHR), which serves as the full-service human resources department for small and mid-sized businesses, announced that its clients used its partner, USIS, a worldwide provider of total client solutions in investigations and security services, to conduct over 40,000 background checks for its client employees last year. This is a critical service for all businesses in light of the Small Business Association's assessment that poor hiring decisions account for 30% of all business failures.
Nearly every day there's another news story about a security breach, violence in the workplace or employees misrepresenting their educational and/or professional experience. Everyone knows the old adage that "good help is hard to find." Gevity is now making that a lot easier by working with USIS to provide small businesses access to employment screening and verification services, helping thousands of small businesses find good, reliable talent to lower the possibility of future employment-related litigation.
"At Gevity, we understand that people are critical to a business's success, particularly small businesses," explains Michael J. Collins, a Senior Vice President at Gevity. "To be successful, companies need to hire people who are going to be a good organizational fit, who share the same values and work ethic. To make sure candidates are who they say there are, and can do the job you hire them to do, it's important to screen them, in accordance with employment laws. That's why Gevity has teamed with USIS, to provide our customers with the best employment screening services currently available to businesses in any industry. It's just one part of our Gevity Edge(tm) solution, a comprehensive set of services that help clients streamline HR administration, optimize HR practices and maximize people and performance."
Through USIS, Gevity clients are able to access:
* Criminal history reports, including county and state criminal record searches; and the USMA National Theft Database, a retail- specific database that includes shoplifting and employee theft incidents * Motor vehicle reports (MVRs) for every state, which allow employers to review an applicant's driving history * Verifications, including education, employment and professional license verifications * Drug and alcohol testing
"Effective hiring, to drive growth and meet business objectives, begins by proactively implementing a comprehensive employment screening process tailored to fit a company's specific industry and employee base," states Tim Dowd at USIS. "USIS, a leader in employment screening and risk mitigation services, offers a comprehensive suite of screening products and risk mitigation solutions. To date, we have helped more than 33,000 commercial clients in industries such as transportation, healthcare, retail, insurance, gaming, financial services and manufacturing find the right talent. Now, through our collaboration with Gevity, we are able to help many more businesses, which in the past may not have taken advantage of these important services."
Already, a number of Gevity clients have benefited from the relationship, using Gevity's USIS-provided screening services to help them find employees who will be a good organizational fit.
Jeanine Ciecko, the Business Manager at 16500, a lighting agency and manufacturers' representative in Oakland, California says, "16500 is like a big family. Most of our employees are people who have been in the industry a long time, people we know. Occasionally I hire someone off a job board, who I don't know -- and I don't know what his or her background is. Being able to run a background check through Gevity's partner, USIS, is very helpful."
Indeed, research has shown that employers who conduct thorough background screening, including reference checking, have higher employee satisfaction levels and lower turnover; experience better attendance rates; have fewer incidents of employee theft, fraud, embezzlement and shrinkage; and reduce the risk of accidents, criminal activity and violence.
About USIS
Established in 1996, USIS (www.usis.com) is a leading provider of pre-employment and screening services to corporate and government clients. With more investigators in the field than any other company in North America and top IT technology solutions, USIS provides background investigations, drug screening solutions, and security training and staffing services. Headquartered in Falls Church, Va., USIS employs more than 7,000 associates that support business operations in all 50 states, U.S. territories, and overseas.
For more information about USIS, contact Amber Remke at 918.664.9991, x2668, or by email at amber.remke@usis.com.
About Gevity
Thousands of small and mid-sized businesses nationwide leverage the flexibility and scalability of Gevity's human resources (HR) solution to help them maximize the return on investment in their people. Essentially, Gevity serves as the full-service HR department for these businesses, providing each employee with support previously only available at much larger companies. Gevity delivers the Gevity Edge(tm), a comprehensive solution comprised of innovative management and administration services, helping employers to streamline HR administration, optimize HR practices, and maximize people and performance. This solution enables both businesses and their employees to achieve their full potential, giving them an edge over competitors. Gevity's unique approach features Gevity OnSite(tm), experienced HR Consultants based in local markets backed by nationwide resources and easy-to-use technology, including Gevity OnLine(tm) and Gevity OnCall(tm). For more information, call 1.800.2GEVITY (1.800.243.8489) or visit gevity.com.
A copy of this press release can be found on the company's Web site at www.gevity.com.