LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - June 8, 2006 - With the rapid change in pace in employee-hiring procedures as well as the expansion of government regulation in business, employee background screening is now a critical element in the success of any enterprise, said Mike Cool, business unit leader for Acxiom ® Information Security Services, a part of Acxiom Corporation (Nasdaq: ACXM).
"While it was always important for companies to conduct employee background checks and do so in a proper manner, it has now become imperative," Cool told a panel of the National Retail Federation´s Loss Prevention Conference. "With such government regulation as the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Equal Employment Opportunity and Sarbanes-Oxley, companies need a consistent, high-quality background screening program as part of an effective, legally defensible employee hiring policy.
"The right program begins with a real-world analysis of a company´s needs, including volume of hires, domestic and international locations, legal defensibility, connectivity, ease of administration and accuracy, followed by an in-depth review of the capabilities of different providers."
Cool, who has been a leader in the industry for nearly 10 years, also emphasized the importance of real-time screening as opposed to database search methodologies. "Without exception, real-time record searches aid in achieving the most consistent, legally defensible background screening program attainable," Cool said. "Although there is value to using database checks in a supplementary capacity, industry standards obligate employers to recognize the distinct differences in information quality."
About Acxiom Corporation
Acxiom Corporation (NASDAQ: ACXM) integrates data, services and technology to create and deliver customer and information management solutions for many of the largest, most respected companies in the world. The core components of Acxiom's innovative solutions are Customer Data Integration (CDI) technology, data, database services, IT outsourcing, consulting and analytics, and privacy leadership. Founded in 1969, Acxiom is headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, with locations throughout the United States and Europe, and in Australia and China. For more information, visit www.acxiom.com.
Acxiom is a registered trademark of Acxiom Corporation.
Media Contact:
Jonathan Portis
Acxiom Public Relations
501-252-6284