ICS Merrill How does this company still have clients, Internet

First let me start by saying I have never worked for ICS but am a manager with a competitor firm so I have knowledge of ICS and employ several of their former employees.

Really Doug...do you think for one minute your comments are believeable? It is a known fact throughout the industry how ICS continually does not pay their investigator's correctly or as was agreed to upon hire or respond to their concerns in a timely manner. The majority grin and bear it because they know if they say and/or do anything they become a pariah and are starved out of work. After reading the labor laws referenced in the earlier posting, I believe the author is correct so I hope Dave has some deep pockets.

I also find it interesting you do not address some of the earlier posts regarding your all star in Michigan. Again it is widely known his methods, while maybe productive, are illegal, immoral and totally unethical. And all the while he bashes ICS to whomever will listen. But again...ICS seems to bury it's head in the sand. It is any wonder you've lost several high profile, quality clients recently? Uh..No!

The hypothetical comments made by Do LOL are inaccurate.  ICS Merrill investigators are paid for their time worked consistent with the companys published pay plan programs. These programs are in compliance with applicable law throughout the various states and each investigator receives individualized training to ensure their understanding of them.

 

ICS Merrill encourages and rewards its employees for demonstrated efficiency in the performance of their responsibilities.  As always, we encourage anyone with a question about their compensation to contact Human Resources.  We will research the issue immediately and work directly with the employee to ensure a complete understanding.

I have heard that ICS Merrill and other similar firms require report writing and video uploading to be done from home, after the investigator arrives at home.  If this is the case, then the workday does not end with the last field surveylliance, but instead it ends at home AFTER  the report writing and report transmission along with video transmission is completed.

What's this all mean ?  According to US Dept of Labor, this means that the since the workday is not yet over before the commute home, that the commute time back to the house to do more work (report work) is included in the "work day" and as such must be paid travel time.  At present these companies do not pay for this, up to, one hour of travel time back to the house.

Do not trust what I tell you.  Contact the Wage and Hour Division of the US Dept of Labor.  They may only have jurisdiction over overtime pay, but they still require that this one hour a night be included in the calculation of overtime pay for the week..  Your State Dept of Labor should also have a Wage and Hour Division, and they may be able to enforce more than just the overtime part of this so called "commute" home time that you don't get paid for.  These agencies can go backwards in time for a certain number of months or years to enforce against violations, so even former employees should look into this ....which is another real RIPOFF that they may not even be aware of, in this myrad of ripoffs from these types of employers !   Depending on how many days you've worked for the company, you might be entitled to collect up to one hour of pay for each day worked, and if the DOL considers it a violation of law, I believe that in most cases the employer must pay "liquidated damages"  which means double what they would owe you.  I believe that, if you are found to be right in your claim, the employer will also have to pay YOUR legal fees in the matter !!

It's worth looking into....the sooner the better....maybe there's a law firm out there that wants to pursue this for the benefit of all employees, current and former....more power to them !! 

A big thank you to this web site for helping the little guy stand up against injustice and RIPOFFS !!!

 
I started with this company about 3 years ago and am a top investigator.  It is the summer and work should be booming but it isnt. Instead of increasing our sales staff to generate more work - the case manager and the regional manager hire a new investigator in my area to take work from us. The office gripes about overtime but we investigators arent even getting a regular 40 hours. This company has gone down hill since I was hired. I am a full time employee working barely 20 hours a week.  If you ask were the work is they send you on cases 4-5 hours from your house just to be jerks! they have investigators that cant even work a case without getting burned or losing the cliamant but they keep them busy with cases. They expect 100% loyalty from investigators but will piss on you everytime they can. There is anew investigator that refused to work a case. They didnt make him work it and he is still with the company. He bragged about refusing the case and how he is still getting new cases. Here I am sitting at home. I am looking for a reputible company to work for that will treet me with respect.            

As a former employee I was curious what others said about the company and want to say the last reporter hit the nail on the head.  This company definitely promises you the moon and stars and then comes no work.   You are told the work is coming, the work is coming and you continue to sit at home.   If you don't manipulate your cases to work for you, yes the company will screw you over.   Managers are useless.  Most have never worked a day in the field but then they will tell you what hours to work, if you claimant activity they will tell you discontinue for the day and come back later.  I have never heard of anything like this before.  When you go back and the claimant can not be located you are out the hours.  They tell you, you will get a $325 vehicle allowance every month. They don't tell you that you have to average 160 hours for the month, keep your fuel above the 15 mpg for the month or they deduct money. 

Someone finally addresses the "golden boy" from Michigan.   Like the last reporter what they said is true.  The 100% video just doesn't happen every month.ah It's common knowledge he makes fake sale signs of the claimant's vehicle, kitten fliers and posts them at a store, or says there is one just to get the claimant out.  Someone called you, wouldn't you go and look to see what was going on??   Can we say entrapment.  If they clients knew what he did the company would be out of business or have very few clients.  I know he use to be the trainer for his region.  I've been gone for a year so I'm not sure but I do know he did more trash talking about the company then he did actual training.  Atleast I can proudly say I obtained my video, not under false pretenses and was good at it.  The only reason I left was to get out of the PI business all together.  It wasn't worth sitting in the car on cold and hot days, rackign up the miles just to watch for some moron come out of there house and not be appreciated for it.   I was a good employee and left in good standing.   So, if you're considering working for the company make sure you read up, ask many questions.