Allied Universal

Allied Universal is a facility services company based in the United States. It also offers security systems solutions, janitorial services and staffing. It is a combination of earlier companies - Barton Protective Services, Spectaguard, Initial and Allied Security.^[1] In 2016, the company merged with Universal Services of America and was named Allied Universal.^[2][3][4]

History

Allied Security, Inc. was founded in 1957 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The company provided contracted security guards and related services.^[5]

In 2000, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based, Spectaguard acquired Allied to form Allied Security and as a result became the fourth largest security company in the United States.^[6] Three years later, in 2003, Allied Security acquired Professional Security Bureau.^[7] Within a year, in 2004, Allied acquired Security Systems Inc. (SSI) of Malden, MA and Barton Protective Services to form AlliedBarton Security Services - creating the largest American-owned contract security services company in the United States.^[8] Two years later, in 2006, AlliedBarton acquired Initial Security for $73.6 million.^[9]

In 2015, Wendel, a Paris-based private-equity firm, acquired AlliedBarton Security Services for US$1.67 billion.^[10][11]

In 2016, AlliedBarton and Universal Services of America announced their intention to merge, pending regulatory commission approval. The merger was completed in August 2016, with the combined company being called Allied Universal. After the merger,

Allied Universal was considered the largest security company in North America.^{[12][13][14][15]}

Allied Universal was included on the Forbes 2014 and 2017 America's Best Employers list.

In 2018 the radio program This American Life ran an hour-long feature story^[16] about a sexual harassment case at Allied and the company's lack of response to it. The program includes an interview with Chief Executive Steve Jones, who fields questions about the company's reassignment of supervisors accused in numerous lawsuits and formal complaints about sexual harassment and racist language.

In response to the allegations, Allied Universal reaffirmed its commitment to a workplace free from discrimination or harassment of any type by adding training, HR resources and making personnel changes to maintain the trust and confidence of its employees and clients.Independent investigations regarding the allegations are ongoing.

On July 16, 2018, Allied Universal announced the purchase of Georgia based US Security Associates along with its affiliate Staff Pro for $1.5 billion.

Through its Hire Our Heroes® program, Allied Universal is committed to hiring veterans and reservists, who possess the leadership qualities and skills needed to provide the highest level of security services to clients. The company makes this practice an essential part of its hiring strategy. Since 2013, Allied Universal has hired over 25,000 heroes.^[17]

In February 2015, claimant Robert Stone, a former employee of Universal Protection Service filed a claim with the American Arbitration Association alleging that Universal Protection Service failed to pay overtime wages for all hours worked as well as minimum wage. Additionally Stone asserted claims against UPS for meal period violations, rest period violations, waiting time penalties, and more. These alleged illegal business practices were in direct violation of California and federal law regarding the payment of wages and other wage and hour issues. Universal Protection denies all allegations and any wrongdoing and maintains that it has paid its non-exempt security professionals in compliance with applicable laws. The company specifically agreed to the $30 million settlement to avoid the cost of proceeding with litigation.The Universal Protection Service Unpaid Overtime Settlement was granted preliminarily approval on November 22, 2017.^[18]

Allied Universal, payed $90,000 and furnish other relief to settle a religious discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced. According to the EEOC's lawsuit, the security company refused to accommodate the request of a Muslim security guard who sought a modification to the company's grooming standard. The company fired him two days after he made the request, the EEOC said. Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits religious discrimination and requires employers to make reasonable accommodations to employees' sincerely held religious beliefs so long as this does not pose an undue hardship. The EEOC filed its suit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California (EEOC v. Universal Protection Services, LP, dba Allied Universal Security Services, Case No. 3:17-cv-02436-BEN-NLS) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. As part of the settlement, in addition to paying $90,000 to the employee, Allied Universal will retain an equal employment monitor; review and revise its religious accommodation policies and practices to comply with Title VII; provide annual EEO training for employees, supervisors, and managers who are involved in the religious accommodation process; post an employee notice; and undertake record keeping and reporting to EEOC. ^[19]

References

External links

• Roumeliotis, Greg (Mar 5, 2015). "Exclusive: Blackstone seeks sale of AlliedBarton Security Services - sources". Reuters.
• Shelly, Jared (Mar 2015). "AlliedBarton could be sold, says report". Philadelphia: Business Journal. Blackstone Group mulling sale of Allied Barton
• Glassman, Carl (Oct 27, 2015). "Private Security Firm Hired to Replace Most Battery Park City 'PEP' Officers". Tribeca Trib.
• Graveline, Dave (March 17, 2017). "We Discuss Hiring Military Veterans with Allied Universal". Into Tomorrow
• Cogan, David (September, 2017). "Steve Jones Allied Universal 150000 Employees". Elliances
• Jones, Steve (September 18, 2017). "Security Professionals – The Unsung Heroes Help in Times of Disaster". Huffington Post
• Peltz, James F. (August 4, 2016). "How the Nation's Largest Security-Guard Firm Adapts to Changing Threats". Los Angeles Times
• Steve Jones Interview on Hiring Veterans
• Inc. 5000 2017: The Full List
• An Everyday Challenge: Tackling Trash Cleanup on Skid Row