Many of you that are Contract Investigators with Omnisec have seen the new compensation structure that Omnisec presented via email on Friday (12/23). Saying this new compensation structure is all smoke and mirrors is an understatement. I would argue this new compensation structure is similar to snake oil sold by an old greasy used car salesman at the local “Car Corrall” in downtown Detroit.
At first glance, the compensation seemed to be a step in the right direction and finally a vendor that is willing to pay professional compensation. Close to $50.00 per hour for certain contracts for CI’s for investigative and travel time in their car. But reading the fine print regarding this new compensation structure shows that mileage is no longer reimbursed and the mileage is built into the higher hourly amounts. Now, for Investigators living in metropolitan areas, taking subways to and from appointments, or only having to drive less than ten to fifteen miles to and from a close by government facility, this may seem advantageous, and it may even be an increase in earnings to some of you. But what happens when Omniplex asks you to drive sixty miles somewhere or what if that record or reference is a long distance away and the government contract requires you to do an in person interview. Your earnings are now decreased by at least 35-40-%.
Now let’s examine those that live in more rural areas in the country and that are required to travel great distances to conduct field work….has anyone done the math to determine the reduction in earnings from the old method of compensation (windshield time and mileage) vs. this new compensation method for driving great distances? By my calculations this is a twenty five to forty five percent decrease in what one would be paid for travel time and windshield reimbursement plus mileage depending upon the length of the trip and miles traveled.
I can only guess that this will force even more Investigators to turn to telephone testimonies and COVID-19 Investigator notes and telephonic record reviews to avoid having to travel which perhaps is the primary reason for this Omnisec new compensation structure to begin with which is a way for Omnisec to retain higher profits at the expense of the Investigator.
With the new compensation structure, Investigators having to travel distances greater than twenty miles doesn’t pay well enough for one to want to travel or go on a TDY assignment to conduct field work. So to say this new compensation structure hurts the rural driver in a remote location is an understatement. Expect Omni to have to TDY in their F/T or CI folks in order to conduct field work in remote locations. I don’t see a lot of Investigators that work cases in rural areas taking case work at a loss of anywhere from twenty five to forty five percent of their previous earnings unless many of them become desperate to survive financially which I am sure there will always be a few Investigators that will take work regardless if that work is financially beneficial to them.
Once again, the background investigation vendor wins and the Investigator is undervalued and under appreciated. This is the pattern of the contract investigative industry since the dawn of time. Take, take, and take away from the Investigator and increase profits to everyone but the Investigator.
Omnisec….if you have any integrity to your Investigators in the field doing the difficult work and lions share of the actual work, you’ll re-consider paying mileage for this investigative work.