•
Is the company licensed by the State?
All
security companies must have a PPO License Number issued by BSIS. The license
number must appear on all advertising, business cards, letterhead, brochures,
etc. Some local municipal governments may require additional licenses and/or
permits.
•
Are the branch offices, if any, also licensed?
Each
branch office must be licensed and the license certificate prominently displayed.
•
Does each of the company’s Security Officers have a valid “Guard
Registration Card”?
All
Security Officers must have in their possession a valid “Guard Registration
Card” and picture identification in order to work.
VERIFY
GUARD CARD LICENSE
• Can the company provide proof of Worker’s Compensation
Insurance?
State
law requires employers to provide Worker’s Compensation for all employees.
If an Officer is injured on your property and the security company does not
have proper insurance, you could be liable. It is a good idea to have the insurance company mail the certificate
of insurance directly
to you.
• Can the company provide proof of General Liability Insurance?
Check
the amount of coverage. The security company and its Officers are acting as
your agent. If the security company is not properly insured you could be held
liable for any wrongdoing on their part.
It is a good idea to have the insurance company list you as additionally insured
and mail the certificate of insurance directly to you.
• Does the company conduct drug screen tests of its employees?
Most
businesses today conduct drug screen tests of prospective employees and many
conduct reasonable suspension and post accident checks after hire.
•
What is the uniformed appearance of the company’s Security Officers?
Section
7582.28 of the Business and Professions Code states that a private patrol
licensee, or officer, director, partner, manager, or employee of a private
patrol licensee wearing a distinctive uniform shall wear a patch on each shoulder
of his or her uniform that reads “private security” and that includes
the full name of the private patrol company by which the person is employed
or for which the person is a representative and a badge or cloth patch on
the upper left breast of the uniform. The badge must also include an identification
number or the words “private security”.
A
Security Officer at your place of business represents you and your company.
A sharp, well-uniformed Officer reflects favorably on your business.
•
Does the company pay its employees legally?
State
law requires employers to pay all employees a minimum wage of $6.75 per hour
and overtime under the following conditions:
•
Over 8 hours in a day and/or over 40 hours in a week must be paid at 1.5 times
the normal hourly rate.
• Over 12 hours in a single day must be paid at 2.0 times the normal
hourly rate.
• The first 8 hours worked on the seventh consecutive day of a workweek
must be paid at 1.5 times the normal hourly rate.
• Over 8 hours on the seventh consecutive day of a workweek must be
paid at 2.0 times the normal hourly rate.
An
employee, who is working for a company that is not paying in accordance with
the law, may indicate that the employee is not able to work legally as a security
officer because of a criminal background or an illegal immigration status.
It may also indicate that the employee has a poor work history and is unable
to gain and maintain employment. An employee that is not being paid legally,
is being taken advantage of by a company willing to disregard the law.
•
Do you believe the company can perform as promised at the price quoted?
All
security companies have similar fixed costs in terms of doing business. Payroll
expenses, insurance costs, licensing fees, maintenance and overhead are just
some of the factors, which help determine the price a security company charges
for its services.
If
a security company charges too low of a price for its services, more than
likely, they are not properly licensed, insured or paying their employees
in accordance with the fair labor standards act. Costs are being cut somewhere,
possibly at the expense of the customer, the employee and/or the service they
are providing.
The
old adage “You get what you pay for” is just as true in the security
industry as it is in any other business.