Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 87
87
turnover rate of 24%, down from 28% the previous year. · Increased training wages.
Employee referrals are a major component of the agency's · Paperless application process.
recruitment strategy. SPT employees receive notices of all job · The corporate Qualification Department reviews all appli-
announcements. Employees earn a $25 bonus if a referred cations and conducts criminal background and reference
applicant is hired and successfully completes 3 months of ser- checks. This department employs highly trained individu-
vice. In the 12 months ending in May 2009, 42% of the new als who support the contract locations by ensuring that all
hires had been referred by current or past SPT employees. applicants meet company standards before they are inter-
Thirty-six percent of new hires stated they learned about job viewed and possibly given a conditional job offer.
opportunities through the agency's website, job fairs, and other · Placement of 1-800 numbers on the back of company vehi-
media sources. Eleven percent of new hires were referred by cles that will provide information about hiring opportunities.
WorkSource, an agency that provides an array of employment · All dispatchers are trained in communicating with poten-
and training services designed to enhance the effectiveness and tial applicants.
coordination of employer and job-seeker services in the Seat-
tle area. Eleven percent of new hires were referred by a neigh-
boring transportation company. Comprehensive Pre-Employment Screening
In an effort to ensure the greatest coverage of information Pre-employment screening is needed to ensure that appli-
about SPT job openings, the agency advertises on 13 websites cants meet regulatory and contract requirements that often
and newspapers in the area. Websites include Solid Ground's apply to the provision of ADA paratransit service. Pre-
website, NativeChat.net, Craigslist, and Careerbuilder.com. employment screening is also an important part of identifying
The agency has also established free links with many other candidates who are most likely to be successful operators.
websites in the area. Effective screening can also help lower training drop-out rates
Job openings are regularly posted at seven technical and and reduce training costs.
community colleges as well as at three universities in the area. Comprehensive pre-employment screening can include ref-
Through email distribution, job opportunity notices are sent erence checks and verification of employment, credit checks,
to more than 100 local nonprofit agencies. In addition, job and education and credential checks. Research conducted dur-
opportunity bulk mailings are sent to more than 375 establish- ing this study revealed that systems also often require criminal
ments that include nonprofit agencies, community centers, record checks, motor vehicle records/driver abstracts, a DOT-
libraries, churches, schools, employment resource centers, and
physical, drug and alcohol testing, and sometimes a CDL
Seattle Housing Authority facility sites. The agency has also
license with endorsements. The literature search noted one
conducted recruitment fairs with paratransit agencies that are
example of a private company that requires candidates to sign
reducing their workforces.
a screening release to gain access to credit records and infor-
One unique recruitment strategy used by SPT is to credit
mation regarding DOT/FTA drug and alcohol testing viola-
employment hours from a former employer if a new employee
tions, including pre-employment tests. The literature also
has paratransit bus operator experience. Starting wages at SPT
noted two private companies that present standardized crite-
are based on hours worked as a paratransit operator. The
ria for determining a candidate's approval of all of the required
employee can request and provide payroll records of hours
background checks and offer conditional employment if the
worked from the previous employer and submit that informa-
process becomes time consuming (43).
tion to SPT. New operators with previous experience must still
In addition, two private companies reported conducting a
complete the same 6-month probationary period as all other
new employees do. pre-qualifications interview prior to the application process
which includes a pre-screening of driving experience, driving
A National Paratransit Contractor. One national pro- and criminal history, licensure, and age requirements. Ini-
vider of paratransit services supplied details about actions it tial applicant screenings are conducted through a telephone
takes to attract the best candidates for ADA paratransit vehi- interview. Both companies also include a review of the job
cle operator positions. The company states that the use of description with the candidate in its initial applicant screen-
these approaches may vary across operating locations depend- ing process.
ing on the unique characteristics of the labor pool or resource One provider of ADA paratransit service for the Denver
availability within each area. In addition to targeting health RTD uses the review of the motor vehicle record (MVR) as the
care workers and retirees, the company includes the following first pre-employment screening action. Previous job experi-
as recruitment methods: ence, types of jobs, and spelling and grammar on the applica-
tion are all noted. Because the computer for submitting appli-
· Employee referral bonus plan. cations is in the front office, the recruiter assesses how long
· Sign-on bonuses. it takes the applicant to go through the online application
