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Since launching in 2020, GMI has supported over 2,200 students in 92 countries, including eight refugee camps. Seventy-six percent of GMI program graduates land a job within six months of graduating. Through this program, First Advantage employees will sponsor students through mentorship.

“I am proud our team members from across the globe are passionate about creating a stronger and more inclusive environment for all, inside and outside the workplace. With the launch of our volunteer program, FA Cares, our team members have been busy volunteering their time for a cause they believe in. Collaborating with GMI provides another opportunity to spark positive change and give back to our communities,” Michael Pilnick, First Advantage Chief Human Resources Officer, said.

First Advantage has developed fast and easy-to-use HR technology solutions for screening, verifications, safety, and compliance. GMI leverages digital resources to reach students globally who would not otherwise have access to quality soft skills development resources and one-to-one mentorship.

“First Advantage shares GMI’s vision of an interconnected world, where companies and nonprofits work together to create a more equitable future,” says Jon Browning, CEO and Founder of GMI. “With their focus on innovating through technology and their diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, First Advantage’s engagement is a great opportunity to amplify our shared social impact.”

The GMI mentorship program follows a comprehensive, 14-week mentorship curriculum developed by a team of educators and business leaders and proctored via a network of over 2,000 seasoned professionals from across the globe who volunteer as GMI mentors. All First Advantage employees will be able to register as mentors and take advantage of this easy, accessible, and fulfilling volunteer opportunity.

About Global Mentorship Initiative
Global Mentorship Initiative (GMI) is a registered 501 c3 non-profit organization which connects graduating college students from underserved communities with careers through structured, short-term, remote mentorship. GMI was born out of the Rockefeller Foundation’s Digital Jobs in Africa Initiative. The program is designed to create scalable, measurable impact. For more information about Global Mentorship Initiative, visit https://globalmentorship.org. To become a mentor, visit https://globalmentorship.org/be-a-mentor.

About First Advantage
First Advantage (NASDAQ: FA) is a leading global provider of HR technology solutions for screening, verifications, safety, and compliance. The Company delivers innovative solutions and insights that help customers manage risk and hire the best talent. Enabled by its proprietary technology, First Advantage’s products and solutions help companies protect their brands and provide safer environments for their customers and their most important resources: employees, contractors, contingent workers, tenants, and drivers. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, First Advantage performs screens in over 200 countries and territories on behalf of its more than 33,000 customers. For more information about First Advantage, visit the Company’s website at https://fadv.com.

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First Advantage’s vision to deliver innovative solutions and insights to help clients manage risk and hire the best talent, is a driving force behind the company’s continued success. Another key ingredient is the people — from team members to leadership to partners and customers. The following accolades are possible because of the entire First Advantage community. 

Best in Biz Awards 2022 Enterprise Product of the Year – HR Software – Silver Winner 

First Advantage has been named a silver winner in the 12th annual Best in Biz Awards, Enterprise Product of the Year – HR Software category. The program saw fierce competition among more than 700 entries. The winning companies highlighted visionary leadership, innovative strides, laudable workplace best practices, and continued investments in their environment and corporate social responsibility programs. 

Comparably Awards – Best Company Culture, Best CEO, Best Company for Diversity  

First Advantage has once again received an array of culture awards in the large companies’ category from Comparably, including Best Company Culture, Best CEO, and Best Company for Diversity. Comparably is a platform that provides culture and compensation data for public and private companies. The addition of these culture awards brings the total of Comparably Awards received by First Advantage in 2022 to nine. 

David Gamsey Named Atlanta’s Preeminent CFO of the Year by CFO Forum  

The CFO Forum, Atlanta’s premier professional organization for financial leaders, presented its fifth annual Preeminence Award to David Gamsey, Executive Vice President, and Chief Financial Officer for First Advantage Corporation. The award recognizes Atlanta’s most outstanding CFO for 2022.  

Joelle Smith Receives Bronze Stevie Award, Female Executive of the Year 

Joelle Smith, President, Data, Technology, and Experience has been named the winner of a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Female Executive of the Year – Business Services (more than 2,500 employees category) in the 19th annual Stevie Awards for Women in Business. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business honor women executives, entrepreneurs, employees, and the companies they run worldwide.  

First Advantage Receives Two Awards in Asia Pacific Region 

• • First Advantage has earned the Gold Medal at HRD Service Provider Awards 2022 for ‘Best Pre-Employment Screening & Psychometric Assessment’ in Australia. 

• • First Advantage receives an HRFlag Award, an annual award that recognizes outstanding HR providers that re-define the HR Service industry, impact the industry’s future, and push forward sustainable development.  

The post First Advantage’s Commitment to Providing Innovative Products and Culture Excellence Leads to an Array of Awards to Close Out 2022 appeared first on First Advantage North America.

What does this mean for employer drug testing? It means trouble could be on the horizon, because if it’s impacting society, it’s impacting the workplace.

Fentanyl testing is just one of many trends covered in the annual employer survey, Drugs At Work, performed by Current Consulting Group. Here, we share the survey findings, including what’s happening today in employer drug testing and how businesses are shifting their drug testing programs amid a complicated landscape of changing marijuana laws.

First, let’s establish a baseline. The lion’s share drug testing reported in this year’s survey, 76 percent, came from smaller employers with 500 or less employees. In a distant second spot, the next highest volume, 7 percent, came from the other end of the spectrum—employers with 10,000-plus workers. Since most U.S. companies are small businesses, the 2022 Drugs at Work survey offers a highly representative sample of what’s happening in the American workplace.

The reasons employers are performing drug tests today are in synch with past attitudes, with the top motivators being to 1) promote a healthy and safe workplace; 2) comply with state/federal laws and regulations; and 3) minimize legal risks. Of note in the “other” category, employers also say they’re using drug testing to help boost productivity and improve their company’s image.

In terms of testing methods, lab-based urine testing remains “king of the hill” at 87 percent, with instant urine (42 percent) and hair testing (26 percent) placing second and third. These numbers mirror years past, with minimal changes.

Pre-hire drug testing is up. Last year’s survey uncovered a profound fact. There’s a correlation between pre-hire drug testing and post-accident testing positive rates. Specifically, when pre-hire drug testing dipped in 2020 due to pandemic-related issues, post-accident positivity rates soared. In fact, the post-accident positivity rates for companies that did not perform pre-hire testing were DOUBLE the rate of those that did. Yikes.

Fast forward to 2022 and nearly 37 percent of employers report that their pre-hire drug testing rates are higher than last year. While the hike is likely due to rebounds in hiring in early 2022, some businesses may be responding to the link between pre-hire drug testing and post-accident positivity rates.

In any case, pre-hire drug testing can help reduce the likelihood of placing workers engaged in substance abuse in high-risk positions, where they may go on to have higher accidents rates and compromise the health and safety of the workplace.

Two trends to keep an eye on. Within the “testing methods” category, there was a notable uptick in one area: instant oral fluid testing. Last year, it was mentioned as a trend to watch and, as predicted, it increased more than 2 percentage points from 12 percent to 14.4 percent. There are big reasons for this.

Instant oral fluid testing is fast, with results typically available in minutes. It’s also extremely versatile and candidate friendly, eliminating “ick” factors like shy bladder issues and uncomfortable collection observations associated with urine testing. Last, it’s a federally endorsed drug testing option that’s highly effective and legally defensible. Taken together, the speed, ease of use and peace of mind associated with instant oral fluid testing can help employers streamline hiring, making it easier for them to compete for and quickly hire candidates, especially during peak hiring cycles like the holidays.

The next trend pertains to fentanyl. As a powerful synthetic opioid that’s up to 100 times more potent than morphine, fentanyl played a leading role in the more than 107,000 U.S. drug overdose deaths reported between December 2020 to December 2021, according to the American Medical Association.

While it can be legitimately prescribed for pain, today’s drug dealers are mixing illegal fentanyl with other street drugs like cocaine and heroin as a cheap additive to increase addiction. Because of this, many people are unknowingly exposed to the drug and, as a result, accidently overdose or become hooked.

Given the tightening grip this deadly drug has on America, a new question regarding fentanyl was added to this year’s survey to help increase awareness. It simply asked: “Regarding Fentanyl, did you know that it is typically not included in a drug test panel that includes opioids?”

Surprisingly, just under half of respondents, 47 percent, admitted they were NOT aware that fentanyl is not normally included in a drug testing panel with opioids. Employers who are concerned about this drug and its potential impact on their employees and workplace should immediately ask their drug testing provider about the specifics of their drug testing policy and consider amending it to include fentanyl testing.

The cannabis conundrum continues. The evolving legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational at the local, state and federal level continues to confound employers.

When asked their position on testing for marijuana use in the workplace, most (75 percent) said they plan to continue testing for it; however, it was the remaining one out of four employers that caught our attention. Nearly 10 percent have either stopped testing for marijuana or are considering dropping it from their testing panel and another 15 percent aren’t sure what to do.

Clearly, the issue is crippling many employers with indecision, particularly those with a nationwide presence across multiple jurisdictions with different laws. Just weeks ago, as a result of the November 2022 elections, two more states—Maryland and Missouri—joined the growing list of jurisdictions that have legalized recreational marijuana, bringing the total to 21 states, the District of Columbia and two other U.S. territories. The point being, it’s a highly fluid compliance environment and employers are rightly confused on how best to proceed.

Further complicating matters, a handful of states—including the recent addition of Missouri—have passed laws impacting an employer’s ability make hiring or firing decisions based on a positive marijuana test result, even though marijuana testing for employment purposes remains legal in most states.

The bottom line is this. Marijuana is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. It has a high potential for abuse and can impair employees for several hours after use. Employers with a vested interest in promoting workplace safety are strongly encouraged to continue testing for marijuana and consult with their in-house legal counsel on evolving screening restrictions and guidelines.

When asked, as part of the survey, why employers would consider removing marijuana from their drug testing program, two responses lead the pack. Roughly half, 55 percent, said they can’t find new employees due to marijuana-positive drug tests. An equal number, 55 percent, cited a privacy issue, saying that what employees do in their own time is not the employer’s business.

This is interesting for many reasons. The whole point of drug testing—and background checks in general—is to identify “known risk.” It’s not about eliminating candidates due to prior offenses or behaviors; instead, it’s about better understanding candidates and the potential for risk in the workplace. This includes the risk to other employees, customers and, of course, the risk to the company’s brand reputation and bottom line. Think: negligent hiring, internal fraud, etc.

For example, survey respondents said their top concerns about legalized marijuana are safety (61 percent) and productivity (59 percent). Yet, knowing in advance about an employee’s risk potential can help employers protect the broader business by placing workers in the right position based on a more holistic understanding of their strengths and weaknesses. Likewise, employers can proactively offer substance abuse support to help nurture employee health and well-being, improve worker potential and productivity, and the list goes on.

Looking ahead, as the country quickly shifts from a tight employment market to an atmosphere of increased layoffs heading into the holidays, it’s never been more important to work with a qualified, knowledgeable drug screening provider to help optimize the screening and hiring process, and deliver the best-possible candidate experience. Having a modern, flexible drug testing program informed by the latest trends and trusted expertise can help employers reduce risk, better understand employees and best position their workforce and their business for future success.

To learn more and see other drug testing trends—including the latest alcohol testing statistics and other critical program benchmarks—view the webinar presentation slideshow.

For questions about your drug testing program or any of the trends discussed in this article, please contact First Advantage to get started.

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Before Tuesday, 19 states, the District of Columbia and two other U.S. territories had legalized recreational marijuana in some form. Now, Maryland and Missouri can join that list – as amendments to approve recreational use, as well as bring some changes in criminal law, were passed on November 9, 2022. Employers in Missouri will need to pay special attention to the employer-related impacts.  There were also a number of failed cannabis legalization measures, namely in Arkansas, North Dakota and South Dakota where voters rejected their state’s legalization proposals.

Maryland Recreational Cannabis:

Maryland Question 4 passed on November 9, 2022, permitting recreational cannabis in the state and charging the legislature with providing for the use, distribution, possession, regulation, and taxation of cannabis. Beginning in July 2023, Maryland residents will be able to possess up to 1.5 ounces of cannabis.

There is currently no guidance with respect to employers, anti-discrimination laws, or screening prohibitions. However, it is widely anticipated that employer guidance will be provided prior to the July 2023 enactment.

Missouri Recreational Cannabis:

Missouri Amendment 3 (“Amendment”) passed November 9, 2022, permitting recreational cannabis in the state and prohibiting the discrimination on the basis of medical cannabis use.

This Amendment becomes effective on December 8, 2022 and legalizes the purchase, possession, consumption, use, delivery, and manufacture/sale of cannabis for those 21 and older. However, municipalities can still bar recreational cannabis through public vote and employers are not required to permit or accommodate conduct that is permitted at the workplace or on work property. Employers can still discipline employees for working while under the influence of cannabis. Employers can refuse to hire, discharge, discipline, or take other adverse employment action against individuals in terms of hiring, tenure, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment because said individual was working while under the influence of cannabis.

Of important note, this Amendment also includes a new anti-discrimination provision that applies to medical cannabis users. The Amendment states that employers may not discriminate in terms of hiring, termination, or any condition of employment if the discrimination is based upon 1) an individual’s status as a medical cannabis patient or primary caregiver. This includes the patient’s legal use of medical cannabis off of the employer’s premises during nonworking hours unless the patient was under the influence of medical cannabis on work premises or during work hours; or, 2) a positive drug test for cannabis or cannabis metabolites if the individual is a valid qualifying medical cannabis patient unless the individual used, possessed, or was under the influence of medical cannabis on work premises or during work hours.

Arkansas Recreational Cannabis:

Arkansas Issue 4, which would have legalized adult-use cannabis statewide, failed on November 9, 2022.

North Dakota Recreational Cannabis:

North Dakota Statutory Measure 2, which would have legalized up to one ounce of cannabis for adults 21 years and older, failed on November 9, 2022.

South Dakota Recreational Cannabis:

South Dakota Initiated Measure 27, which would have legalized the possession, distribution, and

use of marijuana by those adults 21 years and older was defeated on November 9, 2022. If you’ve followed the previous blog postings on this issue you’ll note that South Dakota had previously passed this initiative but it was later found unconstitutional by the State’s Supreme Court and send back as a ballot initiative, which has now failed.

Recommendations:

Due to the short compliance timeline, Missouri employers should review their drug testing policies to comply with the new Medical Marijuana amendment and well as await employer guidance from Maryland.

The foregoing commentary is not offered as legal advice but is instead offered for informational purposes. First Advantage is not a law firm and does not offer legal advice.  The foregoing commentary is therefore not intended as a substitute for the legal advice of an attorney knowledgeable of the user’s individual circumstances or to provide legal advice. First Advantage makes no assurances regarding the accuracy, completeness, currency or utility of the following information. Regulatory developments and impacts are continuing to evolve in this area.

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While nothing has changed in this instance, we are always monitoring all IRS guidance on WOTC and other federal and state tax incentive programs, and we work very hard to ensure our clients are well-informed on any and all IRS releases. Please ensure you are subscribed to our Tax Alerts to stay informed! If you have any questions, please contact your First Advantage Tax Consultant or your legal counsel.

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Our ACA team works very hard to ensure our clients are well-informed and fully up-to-date on all federal and state level ACA regulations and guidance. Please ensure you are subscribed to our Tax Alerts to stay informed! If you have any questions, please contact your First Advantage account manager or your legal counsel.

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From customer service to warehouse positions to delivery drivers – 2022 seasonal hiring is in full swing with employers dashing to fill open positions in time for the holiday rush. The pressure is on: An NRF survey of 2,000 consumers conducted in late September found that 62% of holiday shoppers agree that it is important to spend on holiday gifts and celebrations.  

Approximately thirty-one million people or about 20 percent of U.S. employees — work in the retail and hospitality sectors. Retail employment has increased by more than 800,000 in the last two years and is up more than 2.5 million since the peak of the pandemic. One of the number one reasons for working in these sectors is flexibility, especially in selecting the days and times when they work. It’s no surprise that retail is particularly attractive to individuals balancing work and school or family care. Plus, rising inflation has led some individuals to take on second jobs; yet, given multiple talent pools, retailers still regularly face the challenge of replacing more than half of their store staff every year.  

There are also immovable calendar-driven, peak-shopping events that impact business outcomes. For example, many retailers report that most of their revenues are generated during the holiday season. Capturing and converting holiday foot traffic into sales is crucial and can make or break both Q4 and annual results for many retailers.

So, while speed is of the essence when recruiting and hiring frontline employees who can make a difference in customer satisfaction, no organization can afford to take shortcuts and compromise screening job candidates.  

With significant tension to grow already lean post-pandemic teams to address short-term requirements and drive long-term positive outcomes, seasonal hiring necessitates partnering with a solutions provider that can combine speed and effectiveness. 

First Advantage offers applicant background checks and screening solutions for every type of business. From small, mid-market to enterprise and large global organizations – and for every industry: retail, hospitality, healthcare, financial services, higher education, non-profits, and many more – First Advantage enables companies to Hire Smarter and Onboard Faster. 

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Join us on Thursday, December 15, at 1 p.m. ET, for our Give Me a Break webinar to learn about who and what qualifies.

Don’t overlook valuable tax credits and economic incentive programs for which you may be eligible.

Maximize dollars received without adding time to your application process.

Come see for yourself the who, what, and how of hiring tax credits – register here!

Speaker

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