Porter Industries, Inc. earns IMAGE Certification
Many people agree that our country needs to address comprehensive immigration reform. Until that takes place, U.S. employers currently have a non-discriminatory way to help insure that they are employing a legal workforce: it’s called IMAGE Certification.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the Office of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), offers this outstanding program (ICE Mutual Agreement between Government and Employers). You can find more information about this partnership between government and employers here: http://www.ice.gov/partners/opaimage/index.htm
In September of 2008, Porter Industries, Inc. became the first cleaning company in the U.S. to receive IMAGE Certification. The certification process took approximately six months. It is my hope that other companies within the cleaning industry will join us in applying for this certification. While there are numerous requirements which a company must agree to in securing this designation, IMAGE Certification is a significant way to level the playing field and help insure that all cleaning companies compete by the same rules.
Unfortunately, some companies may be reluctant to work towards IMAGE Certification because this process requires that employers turn over I-9 documents (Employment Eligibility Verification) on each of their current employees to ICE officials. ICE then reviews these I-9 documents for accuracy and legal compliance. During this review process ICE audits the employer’s HR policies while also certifying that the company only employs legal workers.
Porter Industries chose to pursue IMAGE Certification because we are committed to doing everything possible to ensure that all of our employees have the legal right to be employed by us, and that we have accurate and comprehensive background information on every employee. Our customers have entrusted us with the keys to their businesses. We take that trust very seriously.
Some estimates indicate that more than one million undocumented workers are presently employed in the cleaning industry. Besides being against current employment laws, there are other troubling reasons why employers should not hire undocumented workers.
Consider these dangers. With undocumented workers:
- It is difficult or impossible to secure accurate background checks.
- It is not possible to know if the individual has current outstanding warrants.
- It is not possible to confidently secure an accurate past work history.
Porter Industries, Inc. is committed to shielding their customers from these possible risks.
All current IMAGE-certified member companies (including Porter Industries, Inc.) are listed here: http://www.ice.gov/partners/opaimage/members.htm
Porter Industries, Inc. IMAGE Certification was highlighted in “Contracting Profits”, a leading publication in the contract cleaning industry.. http://www.cleanlink.com/cp/article.asp?id=10136
Further question about the IMAGE program can be directed to:
Steve Hendrickson, President/CEO
Porter Industries, Inc.
steveh@porterindustries.com
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