Schedule of Events

Becoming Unstoppable

Using the behavior patterns of the most frustrating and powerful people in our lives, we can overcome our limitations and achieve greatness.  Understanding yourself and others in a simple three-part model allows for everyone, us included, to truly show up as we are.  Using our excuses, fears, and limiting beliefs, we can uncover our power and fuel ourselves out of our own way.  Using your closest stakeholders as tools, real collaboration can take place and our work can truly become unstoppable.  You get to choose to use your gas pedal for good or join the dark side.

Available in person, Live Streamed to Virtual Attendees and On Demand

Rise of the Machines: Using AI and Other Data Analytics to Improve Compliance and Deliver Better Products

The use of AI technology – machines and algorithms – to make predictions, recommendations, or decisions has enormous potential. Artificial intelligence is being used in an increasing number of applications in the background and tenant screening market. Learn how this technology and other data analysis techniques can be used to improve your products and services and reduce your compliance costs. We also will discuss regulatory issues around the use of AI, and strategies to address and reduce any regulatory risks.

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees

Expanding into Global: Operational & Technical Considerations

Are you ready to expand your screening offerings beyond your own country borders? This will mean more than just offering background searches from outside of your home country. Will you build a network of global suppliers, or rely on one or two? How will you deal with the vast differences in search types and ordering requirements? Join us to get answers from two people who have experience expanding globally.

Available in person, Live Streamed to Virtual Attendees and On Demand

Legal Marijuana and CBD: What CRAs Need To Know About the Impact On Employers

Federal law might still view marijuana as illegal, but states and public opinion see it differently. With most states now having some form of legalized marijuana on the books, employers are concerned about providing a safe workplace while also avoiding litigation and attracting talent in a pot-friendly market. This presentation will help CRAs understand how marijuana laws impact their clients, including a discussion of the legal landscape, best practices for drug testing and the science behind proving (or not) impairment, and what’s on the horizon.

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees

Preparing for your Deposition: A Primer from FCRA Defense Counsel

The presenters are two litigators heavily involved in vastly different types of FCRA lawsuits -- employment-related and financial services-related. Both will use their unique perspectives to walk the audience through the preparation and execution of a successful corporate deposition. They will cover all steps of the deposition process, from identifying the correct corporate representatives to tips and techniques for the deposition itself. The session will encourage and invite audience participation and will feature a mock deposition portion.

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees

* A Fresh Perspective on Reasonable Procedures to Maximize Accuracy: Practical Enhancements Acquired from the Litigation Trenches

The background screening industry operates in an imperfect world; the slightest “inaccuracy” in a screening report creates a litigation risk. This session provides an overview of strategies relating to reasonable procedures with the aim of enhancing accuracy on the front end and strengthening defenses on the back end. By providing “doable” strategies for all aspects of the life of a background screening report, meaningfully enhancing accuracy should not just be aspirational, it’s a must in the current environment facing members of PBSA.

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees

* Upgrading Your People Practices To Enhance Compliance

This session, led by Bill Simmons and Chad Kaldor of Littler, will discuss best practices in personnel management ("people practices") that can help CRAs ensure that their well-planned compliance practices are executed as intended by team members. Documented company objectives, training, performance monitoring and disciplinary counseling can go hand-in-hand with proving compliance and defeating liability claims. Chad and Bill will also pull back the curtain on "killer phrases" to avoid in such documents, which can drastically impact the value of a legal claim.

Available in person, Live Streamed to Virtual Attendees and On Demand

Recent Fair Chance Hiring Ban-the-Box Law Developments

Recent amendments to the Illinois Human Rights Act have sparked renewed discussion around ban-the-box and fair chance hiring laws in the employment context. With the potential for "aiding and abetting" liability for CRAs, Illinois' recent amendment underscores the need for CRAs as well as employers to closely monitor these laws. This session will look at some of the most recent developments to ban-the-box laws in Illinois, New York City, Philadelphia, and more.

Available in person, Live Streamed to Virtual Attendees and On Demand

What to Expect When You're Expecting....To Buy or Sell a CRA

Deciding to buy or sell a CRA is a complicated proposition, regardless of the size or complexity of the businesses involved. This panel is made up of experienced background screening professionals Elaine Rosenberg, John McTighe, Julie Hakman and Bruce Berg who all have recent experience buying or selling a CRA. Together they will walk through the process, from the initial decision through completion of the purchase, and share some of the thoughts and considerations that informed their choices and the lessons learned along the way.

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees

* Tenant Screening Basics

Time for a refresh on the Fair Credit Reporting Act and tenant screening. Learn about how the FCRA applies to tenant screening, special rules related to the use of credit scores in decisioning, avoiding pitfalls in providing ancillary services (like adverse action notices), and best practices for dealing with public records. We also will discuss strategies for dealing with ever changing fair chance and housing laws.

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees

* Defending FCRA Willfullness Claims and Request for Punitive Damages

Companies facing FCRA lawsuits face the prospect for uncapped punitive damages awards for a "willful" violation of the statute, which can include a "reckless" or "intentional" violation of the law. FCRA lawsuits continue to increase, including those seeking punitive damages, and important willfulness decisions have recently been issued by courts.

Such high stakes warrant careful thinking about how best to defend against such claims, which is a strategy that begins before any lawsuit is filed.

Available in person, Live Streamed to Virtual Attendees and On Demand

What's The Best, Fastest and Cheapest Way To Increase Sales Client Surveys!

Client Surveys. B-O-R-I-N-G. We think of them as sleepy, static questionnaires where we ask clients if our turnaround time is fast enough and if they like our customer service. Yawn. But client surveys can be the most powerful weapon at your disposal to efficiently, quickly and dramatically increase sales. Attendees will learn how to ask the right questions, how to collect the right answers, and how to use the results to build a better business and beat the competition!

Available in person, Live Streamed to Virtual Attendees and On Demand

You can't consent to that! Consumer Choice and the Evolution of Consent

Processing personal information for screening in many countries requires the ‘consent’ or ‘authorization’ of the individual being screened. In other countries, consent may not be sufficient grounds to collect personal information, especially in an employment context. This session will provide participants with a layperson’s guide to the role consent plays in screening and the way the concept of consent has evolved in different jurisdictions. We’ll also discuss how to handle source-required consents when the end user or screener doesn’t have consent.

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees

Monitoring - The New Frontier in Screening

 Monitoring has been a buzzword in our industry for years but yet it is still a misunderstood afterthought for CRAs. What monitoring solutions are CRAs selling? What data do they provide? How can the concept of monitoring be sold, and implemented? All of these questions are still being asked on a daily basis. We will walk you through the most common options available in the marketplace and how to make monitoring a core piece of your offering, not an afterthought.

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees

* Screening Trends in the Gig Economy: How to Keep Up, Stay Compliant, and Drive Change

As more of the workforce seeks gig engagements, there is an ever-increasing need for background screening for gig workers. That demand has resulted in growing interest in continuous monitoring/screening, information sharing, and compliance with the nuances of gig-economy screening. In this session, we will discuss the screening needs of the gig economy, collaboration and innovation among end users in the gig economy, the best practices for staying compliant with the FCRA, DPPA and other laws, and emerging litigation trends surrounding screening of gig workers.

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees

Stretching Your Outside Counsel Dollar: Strategies for Maximizing Your Legal Budget

Trying to figure out ways to stretch your legal budget but don't know what you can ask for? Join two experienced legal practitioners as we talk about different strategies for maximizing your legal spend. This panel will address a variety of cost strategies, from flat fee and other alternative fee arrangements for compliance projects to different approaches to litigation pricing. We also will cover how to prioritize your legal needs to focus your budget where it is most important.

Available in person, Live Streamed to Virtual Attendees and On Demand

How to Leverage Automation to Improve Turnaround Time and Accuracy

Technology is rapidly progressing helping to minimize the stressful, slow, and expensive nature of manual background checks. What once had to be done by an individual can now be done faster and more precisely with automation. Learn about the types of automation available and how it's impacting your data supply chain to improve your processes.

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees

Criminal Record Checks in Europe: Navigating the Murky Waters of Article 10

Under Article 10 of the GDPR, criminal history information is subject to special protections. How does this play out in practice for screeners, and where do the responsibilities for compliance lie? What conditions must be met to process criminal record information, and how do they differ from country to country?

Available in person, Live Streamed to Virtual Attendees and On Demand

The New Frontier in Resume Verifications: Standing still is not an option

The background screening industry has innovated for years taking a completely manual process to one that is now highly automated. Yet the one area that drives us to distraction is the manual approach to employment and education verifications especially when this static information has already been verified. The costs are spiraling, and the turnaround times cause our clients to question our abilities. How do we work together to achieve the same success with verifications as we have with all other background screening offerings?

Available in person to:
Annual Conference in-person attendees