Private Security in Maryland - Case Study Example

Private Security in Maryland US Private Security in Maryland US According to existential psychology, security is one of the most significant needs the human race yearns to acquire. The development of humanity and the society is tied entirely to the ability to protect itself from anything that threatens its existence. From the local, national, and international platform, security is termed crucial and thus prioritized. In the US, the government focuses on the development of the security sector, the protection of the well-being of the citizenry, and the promotion of humanity. The federal, state, and local government seems relentless with the assurance of security. However, the development of the private security sector is equally important in the promotion of security. The private sector has, however, been faced with different challenges due to the different hiring policies that exist within the country. For instance, the private security sector in Maryland faces different effects due to the existing employee hiring policies in the State and the US in general. A scrutiny of the issue offers a substantial knowledge on the effects of the employee hiring policies on private security and the society. Effects of Employee Hiring Policies on Private Security in Maryland The employee hiring policies that exist in Maryland and the US in general influence private security to the core. The policies define every process of the development of the sector through a direct influence on all the functions of the hiring process. The Maryland Department of Human Resources concentrates on the promotion of fair practices in operation of any entity (Maryland Department of Human Resources, 2014). This affects the private security sector in the State significantly. The different policies determine how the hiring process is conducted, attaches restrictions that affect the sector immensely, and determines the wages and payments. In addition, the policies influence the employment terms and conditions, and affects issues of gender among other factors. The adoption and integration of the Job Applicant Fairness Act, an essential employee hiring policy in Maryland affects private security in the State in a major way. The Act plays a significant role in influencing the process of recruitment and hiring of security personnel. Most parts of the private security sector demand for highly experienced and able experts in different sectors. Secrecy and the acknowledgement of people’s privacy in the course of the performance of duties are highly adored virtues. As such, the recruitment and selection of specialists within the team demand the application of an all-inclusive method(s). Some of the methods call for intensive background investigation of the potential employees. The Act limits access to an individual’s personal information to a great extent, an issue that poses a challenge in the process of hiring. For instance, according to the Job Applicant Fairness Act, an employer may not access a person’s credit report unless they fulfil given requirements. They (employers) can only request the use of the information if the applicant has an offer for a job, the information will be used for other purposes other than employment, and only if the reason is job-related (OMalley, 2011). These issues may be deterrents to development of an efficient workforce in private security. The security sector is crucial for the development of the society and the promotion of humanity. All matters therein are directly linked to the existence of the society, and thus they ought to be taken with a lot of seriousness. In the hiring of security personnel, any information concerning them is crucial for the determination of whether they are fit for employment or not. During the hiring process, private security employers consider numerous issues in the determination of the best candidates for the different security positions. However, the existence of employee hiring policies in Maryland affects the process of the identification of the most suitable applicants entirely. For instance, the aforementioned Job Applicant Fairness Act affects employee hiring in the private security sector to the core. The Act prohibits the use of background information such as credit history and report among other crucial information in decision making. The Act prohibits the use of such information in the determination of whether an applicant is suitable for the job position or the evaluation of employment terms and conditions (OMalley, 2011).The sector dwells on information concerning an individual to determine if they are suitable for employment. Therefore, this leads to dire effects on private security sector. Through the Maryland Division of Labor and Industry, the State’s Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation strive to ensure the safety of every employee within it. In order to ensure the achievement of health working conditions and safety for every employee, the State adopts and implements different policies that govern corporations. The private security is governed by such policies which purpose on the assurance of the safety of every employee within the sector. For instance, the State of Maryland has adopted health and safety policies that seek to promote the health of every individual within it. The existence of health insurance policies that demand every employer to guarantee the safety and the promotion of every employee impacts heavily on the security sector. Health insurance for security personnel, who engage in diverse risky activities and assignments, affects the private sector immensely (MDLLR, 2014). Despite offering high payments and incentives, the sector must guarantee the protection of the safety and health of every employee. This is mainly done through the implementation of measures and strategies that limit chances of exposure to issues that threaten the well-being of the employees. Health insurance is such an activity, which affects the economics of the sector significantly. Concerning the issue of wages and payment, the State of Maryland has over the years adopted crucial policies that govern the processes. These policies have a direct influence on all business entities. The influence such policies have on security corporations and individual businesses are immense. For instance, the options that exist under the law of Maryland Wage Payment and Collection impact greatly on private security in the State. The law holds that every individual employee must receive wages/payments equivalent to the services they provide. With this, it is a chargeable offence for an employer to withhold an employee’s wages with the violation of the law that governs the wage payment within Maryland. According to the Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law, “An employee may file a lawsuit. Where a court finds that wages were withheld in violation of the Maryland Wage Payment Law, and not as a result of a bona fide dispute, the court may award damages of up to three times the amount of the unpaid wage plus attorney fees” (MDLLR, 2014). Due to the existence of such a law, the private security sector must ensure that the employees therein receive timely, reasonable, and constant payments for their services. This issue influences operations within the private sector significantly. The Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law tackle the issue of wages and payments extensively. The implementation of the law was done specifically to ensure the promotion of fairness at the workplace. In addition, the State government integrated the law in employee hiring and relation policies in order to promote the well-being of every employee in Maryland. Further from the aforementioned option, the law states that an employee has the right to file criminal charges against the employer for the violation of the Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law (OMalley, 2011). The law then can impose a criminal penalty if proven in the court of law that the employer deliberately failed to meet the obligations set by failing to pay the agreed wage to the employee without a lawful reason. This option is also applicable if lone can prove that the employer offered the job/employment while intending not to pay. The private security sector that interacts with employees with different expertise in law enforcement is greatly affected by the law. In cases where the employees fail to perform as expected the corporations must continue paying under the compulsion of the law (MDLLR, 2014). The influence of the Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law on the hiring process in private security companies is significant. Employers within the sector must ensure that prior to hiring the security personnel and professionals in the field that there is a guarantee of wages. While this is the case, the private security sector is faced with the challenge of assuring a constant payment of wages even where at times the employees fail to perform to the expected standards. What is more is that, employers within the security sector deal with experts from different law enforcement agencies. Their experience such individuals have in handling different cases, unearthing security mysteries, and in the policies that exist make them a threat to their employers. Most of the employees in private security are mainly retirees who have over the years in service acquired immense experience in handling the law. As such, the existence of the employee hiring policies pose a threat to the existence of private security as it offers chances that such employees can manipulate in the course of their service (MDLLR, 2014). Further from the aforementioned, the employee hiring policies that exist in Maryland influence the processes of recruitment and selection. The hiring process involves different functions. From recruitment and selection to training and matriculation, the hiring process is broad and complex. Every step of the process is crucial for the assurance of the employment of the most qualified candidates. Private security demands highly experienced, talented, and motivated workforce. As such, the candidates selected must depict the abilities together with determination and the zeal to work with minimal to no supervision. However, the employee hiring policies that exist in Maryland and the US in general impact greatly on the functions of the hiring process. These policies make it difficult for the employer to engage in extensive background investigation in order to unveil the details of each employee of interest (OMalley, 2011). Conclusion The different employee hiring policies that exist in Maryland and the US in general influence different business entities. The influence on the private security sector is, however, of great concern. The different employee hiring policies lead to immense effects on private security in the State. These policies influence all the functions of the hiring process from the recruitment and selection to training. Such policies like the Job Applicant Fairness Act, Maryland Wage Payment and Collection Law, the Health Insurance Act, among other policies define the face of the private security sector. References Maryland Department of Human Resources. (2014). Office of Employment and Program Equity. Retrieved December 31, 2014 MDLLR. (2014). DLLRs Division of Labor and Industry: Remedies for Unpaid Wages - The Maryland Guide to Wage Payment and Employment Standards. Retrieved from Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation: http://www.dllr.state.md.us/labor/wagepay/wpremedies.shtml OMalley, M. (2011). Job Applicant Fairness Act (House Bill 87). Retrieved from Laws of Maryland: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2011rs/chapters_noln/Ch_29_hb0087T.pdf Read More