For immediate release –January 2008
Written and published by Mike Gibson and Ron Sturgeon, autosalvageconsultant.com, email to mikeg@autosalvageconsultant.com. To register for future free issues, visit http://www.autosalvageconsultant.com. Don’t forget to watch for our management articles monthly in Recyclers Power Source Magazine, or posted at our web site.
This Month’s News
Copart to Lobby on Salvage Industry. Copart Hires McBee Strategic to Lobby About Issues Geared Toward Auto-Salvage Industry, CNN Money.com, January 08, 2008
NEW YORK (Associated Press) – Copart Inc., a seller of salvaged and used vehicles, hired McBee Strategic Consulting LLC to lobby the federal government. The firm will provide general representation on issues affecting the salvage business, according to the form posted online Jan. 2 by the Senate’s public records office. Among those registered to lobby for the Fairfield, Calif.-based company are Rick Desimone, former chief of staff to Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Casey Sixkiller, Murray’s principal policy adviser on transportation, housing and other issues; Holland Patterson, former deputy White House liaison in the Defense secretary’s office and Sam Whitehorn, deputy staff director and general counsel to the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.
The popular automobile parts website Automotix.net is launching a new website section that will offer a central location where users can both buy and sell salvaged cars and car parts, Mission, KS, SBWIRE), 12/28/2007
Automotix.net is a website that strives to be all-inclusive when it comes to offering automobile related services. Automotix.net is a great place for buying and selling vehicles and vehicle parts through the use of classified ads. Automotix also offers a constantly growing article section with an endless supply of useful information, and most recently, the addition of an automobile salvage section on the website as well ( http://www.automotix.net/autosalvage.html ).
Insurance Auto Auctions Opens in Las Vegas Market
Westchester, IL, BUSINESS WIRE), January 21, 2008
Insurance Auto Auctions, Inc., a leader in automotive total loss and specialty salvage services in the United States, today announced the completion of the B&E Auto Auction (“B&E”) acquisition in Henderson, Nevada and will immediately begin servicing the entire Southern Nevada region which includes the greater Las Vegas area. The Ellis family will continue to own and operate the towing division which will be managed by Don Ellis. Robert Ellis will continue to be active in the business, providing IAA with consulting services with respect to the salvage pool activities and will continue work on federal and state legislation affecting insurers and the salvage vehicle industry.
Some Management Tips this Month
Steer clear of these 10 illegal job interview questions, Tech Republic, Suzanne Thornberry, September 17th, 2007.
Although HR departments should be aware of questions that are illegal to ask prospective employees, some hiring managers aren’t so savvy. Many illegal questions are easy for just about anyone with elementary social graces to avoid, but others might surprise you. In general, you should not ask interviewees about their age, race, national origin, marital or parental status, or disabilities. Note that this list offers only some very broad guidelines and is not exhaustive. Check with your company’s HR department to see if your state or locality, or even your company, has additional restrictions on what you may ask.
#1: Where were you born? This question might seem like small talk as you get to know a person, but it could also be used to gather information illegally about the candidate’s national origin. Although it may seem more relevant, you should also avoid asking, “Are you a U.S. citizen?” You can ask whether a candidate is authorized to work in the United States, but avoid asking about citizenship.
#2: What is your native language? Again, the problem is that this question could be used to determine national origin. You can ask whether the person knows a language if it is required for the job. For example, if job responsibilities include supporting Spanish-speaking customers, it’s fair to ask whether the candidate speaks Spanish.
#3: Are you married? Here’s another question that would seem innocent in most settings, but definitely not in a job interview. Because you can’t discriminate on the basis of marital status, this question is off limits.
#4: Do you have children? This might sound like small talk, too — an innocent question in most settings — but not in a job interview. It’s covered by a general prohibition about discrimination over parental status.
#5: Do you plan to get pregnant? In the past, employers sometimes asked this question to weed out women who might take a maternity leave. It has always been rude coming from a casual acquaintance, and now it’s illegal as well.
#6: How old are you? Some companies used to avoid hiring older workers for a variety of reasons, ranging from a fear of higher healthcare costs and absences to a social bias in favor of youth. But age discrimination is clearly illegal, and you should avoid this question. Don’t try to get the information by asking when the person graduated from college, either.
#7: Do you observe Yom Kippur? You can’t discriminate on the basis of religion, so this question is illegal, as would be asking about Good Friday, Ramadan, or the Solstice. If you’re concerned about the candidate’s availability, you could ask whether he or she can work on holidays and weekends, but not about the observance of particular religious holidays.
#8: Do you have a disability or chronic illness? This information is not supposed to be used as a factor in hiring, so the questions are illegal. If the job will require some specific physical tasks, such as installing cables in walls and ceilings, you may ask whether the person could perform those tasks with reasonable accommodation.
#9: Are you in the National Guard? Although some managers may find it disruptive when employees leave for duty, it’s illegal to discriminate against someone because he or she belongs to the National Guard or a reserve unit.
#10: Do you smoke or use alcohol? In general, you can’t discriminate on the basis of the use of a legal product when the employee is not on the premises and not on the job.
Tip: To avoid asking the wrong questions, develop an interview form and use a copy of it for each candidate. It will document that you asked each interviewee the same questions. Failing to do so may establish a pattern that could seem discriminatory. For example, if you ask only women about their willingness to travel, thinking that the responsibilities of childcare would make them balk at business trips, you could establish a pattern of discrimination.
How’s Business?
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” John F. Kennedy
AutoSalvageconsultant.com was formed in 2001 to help recyclers improve their businesses. With over 50 years of experience in 3 staff members, the group is THE definitive source for recyclers’ management and training needs. Mike Gibson and Tammy Sturgeon joined the team in 2003, and bring a wealth of experience to the team, plus more resources, as there have been more requests for help than Ron could meet. The founder, Ron Sturgeon is past owner of AAA Small Car World. In 1999, he sold his six Texas locations, with 140 employees, to Greenleaf. In 2001, he founded North Texas Insurance Auction, which he sold to Copart in 2002. In 2002, his book “Salvaging Millions” was published to help small business owners achieve significant success, and was recently reprinted and published in Chinese. In June 2003, he joined the new ownership and management team of GreenLeaf. He also manages his real estate holdings and investments. You can learn more about how to help your business at www.autosalvageconsultant.com. Mike can be reached at 628 SW Rand Drive, Burleson, TX 76028, (preferably) mikeg@autosalvageconsultant.com, or 817-925-8430.
