A Free Government Program That Will Improve Your Hiring Practices

'Free', 'Government', and 'Improve' are never used in the same sentence.  Until now.  Yep.  If you are not using E-Verify as part of your employee hiring process, you are missing out on a great tool to help ensure you get a legal work force, who plan to be with you for the long run.

What is it?  It is a program from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Social Security Administration (SSA) that verifies the legal working status of employees in just a few seconds. 

Why will this help you?

• Hiring a person with a legal working status means no worrying of someone leaving with no notice and under unusual circumstances.
• Makes sure that all members of your work force will benefit from being a part of the Social Security program.
• Helps you make sure the person you have hired is actually who they say they are.
• Illegal workers job-hop at five times the rate of legal workers.
• Prevents possible legal action against you and your firm for not properly checking I-9 forms and backgrounds.

This is not a question on how you feel about immigration, legal or otherwise.  Having properly documented workers will give you a more reliable workforce.  This allows you to train and teach employees to a greater extent, knowing they can be with you for the long-haul.  If you do federal government contract work, and in some states, you are required to verify all employees as well.

I read about this in a magazine and decided to try it.  I went to: www.dhs.gov/e-verify to see the site.  It was easy to navigate and was not written by a bureaucrat.

I decided to register my consulting company and the whole process took about a half-hour, including a well laid-out tutorial program.  I have one full-time hourly employee, and in entering her information, I instantly received a confirmation that she is authorized to work in the US.  Now, I know she is legal, as this is my wife, but nonetheless, the process was fast, easy, and came back to me in a flash with her passport picture, allowing me to verify who she is.

No costs, no credit card numbers and a perfect correct response.  I also went to some of the 'paid' sites on the Internet who offer the same services.  Don't confuse these with the free site from DHS.  You should not be paying for this service under any circumstances.

It is illegal to prescreen candidates.  You should only enter the candidates info after they begin employment and fill out the I-9 form.  You can not be held liable if you release an employee that does not get verified.  But you can work with a new hire to either correct information in the database or get the proper credentials.

This is a tool to help you hire people that can grow and stay with you.  Use it to improve your hiring and you and your whole company comes out ahead.

What I Learned At The Glass Expo On Long Island

I learned about graphical glass.

I learned about software and hardware, store fronts and glass cleaner, shower doors and front doors.

I learned that a few people do think they are getting more business at reasonable pricing.  I learned that most people love to complain.  I learned that not many people wake up early to hear seminars, especially after the St Patrick's day party.

I learned that it is better to listen than talk.

And here is a story I heard that is just wonderful.

Barry Borgen has been in the window industry in New York, for a lot of years.  Some years were great, others were not worth remembering.  When the economy fell apart in 08, he, like all of us, said, "What are we going to do to stay in business?"  Barry wasn't sure what to do.  But he had a job with aluminum that needed painting, and couldn't get a reliable source. 

So, Barry did some homework, and found out that with the strict New York City environmental laws, there was one type of painting that he could do himself.  He did, finishing his job, and suddenly the moment hit when he realized that he could do painting as well as make windows.

Half of his business now is from environmentally safe Zinc Metallizing and powder coating.  And he is making a buck that he never would have made if he hadn't thought outside the box.  Way to go Barry.

The moral of the story is this:  Don't cry about business being slow.  Look around and see what is lacking in the industry wherever you are...and fill that need.  The economy is off 10%, let's say.  That means that 90% is still there...you just have to think and then find your niche to get a portion of what is left.  It won't come to you, but it is right in front of you, right now.  All you have to do is look, take a risk, and if you are like Barry, ride out the rest of the slow times with a new product line.

You have to go for it.  Now.

Larry Tumminia Is An Economic Genius

Sure, as glass man, Larry knows his stuff.  He is the partner of Tom Zaccone in Northeast Laminated Glass, and worked for years to make himself known as Mr. AFG in the Northeast.

But an economist?

In a recent email exchange he gave me the greatest economics idea I have heard during the current recession.  It started with a simple hello and how are things, from Larry.  I replied that things were slow all over, and wondered when the business would pick up.  Larry replied, kind of toungue-in-cheek that it will pick up on May 7.

That's when the lightbulb went on over my head. (yes, it was a compact flourescent)  You see, we are all waiting for the economy to recover before we invest in growing our own businesses.  But without investment in plant, equipment and people, the economy won't grow.  Which means we will not pull out of the recession on our own.  We have to wait for the government to stimulate us.

So, if we all followed Larry's advice here is what will happen.  Everybody in the US economy declares May 7th, as the day the recession will end.  We all start investing to be ready for the morning of the 7th.  And that will, in itself, start the economy going.  It is a perfect circle.  This is true for all industries in all facets of our economy.  If we all did it, it will work!

It is so simple and yet so elegant.  Larry solved the economic issue of the decade.

So, when you need economic advice (or even lami), call Northeast Laminated Glass and ask for Larry.

I am getting ready to attend the Northeast Glass Expo on Long Island---hope to see you there.

The Top Ten Reasons To Go To The Glass Expo on Long Island

David Letterman has nothing on my blog.  In fact, I am reasonably sure that I had invented the top ten list before David did.  Unfortunately, he stole my idea and is now a genius.  Oh well, life does have its ups and downs.

The Glass Expo on Long Island is March 17th & 18th.  We are expecting a large crowd and you should be part of that crowd...here is why:

• 10     There are 49 different vendors signed up.  You will learn from each one, compare pricing with your current sources and pick up new products and make new friends.
•   9     You will get a least one free shopping bag and enough pens to last you for a year.
•   8     Meet hundreds of glaziers from around the region.  Discover that the guy who took your last quote is really an OK person.  Ask questions of the people who do the same work as you.
•   7     There is a cool web site with all sorts of info about the expo:  usglassmag.com/gene/
•   6     There are ten great seminars, some on business, some on architecture of glass, some on the basics of running a glass shop.  You will get many great ideas and tips about running your company.
•   5     Business is slow---what else are you going to do anyway?
•   4     Key Communications is sponsoring door prizes throughout both days-- Ipods, cameras, big screen TV's and more.
•   3     Enjoy the St. Patrick's Day Cocktail Party right on the show floor, on Thursday, the 17th.  Be sure to wear green!
•   2     Find that one new product you can sell in your area that will start your business growing.  It will be there.
•   1     I am giving a seminar on Friday morning.  It is your chance to be there and if you don't like what you hear, you get to throw a banana cream pie in my face. 

I look forward to seeing my old friends from Long Island and the New York area, and to meeting new friends.  See you there at the Windwatch Hotel in Islandia.