Licenses. A license is employed by governments, usually states, to regulate the practice of many professions to protect the public from specified threats. An example of this is out of state contractors who come to Florida after a hurricane, collect money on a service that they never complete, and disappear. This was one of the prompts for Florida to issue a license for mold assessors and another for mold remediators. In the case of Florida, the license requirements do not meet the industry requirements for safe, healthy, and professional service. An example of this is the lack of any requirements regarding compliance with occupational safety and health standards related to many mold remediation procedures, or the courts and industry’s defined conflict of interest policies. Consequently, fraud and abuse continue to be a problem in Florida, impacting all materially interested parties. (Afterall, if they cannot or will not protect themselves from hazards, how can you expect them to tend to the protection of your interests, like health and safety?) 

Certifications. A certification attests to an individual’s capability to perform a defined task or related series of tasks, commonly referred to as a body of knowledge, without being constrained by political boundaries like a license or certificate may be. Certifications require a sufficient period of experience acceptable to the certifying body and successful completion of an examination. Many also require a collegiate degree in a particular area of study. Certifications are issued for a specific period of time and must be renewed periodically. All accredited certification programs require evidence of continuing professional development and education as a condition for certification renewal. In general, certifications are harder to acquire and keep than are licenses and certificates, as the certifying body represents an authority to oversee the certified professional’s performance in relation to a defined code of ethics. Examples of certifications include the Council-certified Indoor Environmental Consultant (CIEC) and the Council-certified Microbial Remediation Supervisor (CMRS). Each of these certifications goes through the processes above-mentioned and are accredited by the Council of Engineering and Scientific Specialty Boards (CESB).

Due to the number of fraud and abuse cases in the State of Florida, it is important that you ask questions of those who propose to work for you. One of these questions has to do with their competency to do the work that you require of them. Along with everything else they give you (e.g., authorization to perform services from your Insurer, an estimate, or a recommendation from someone else), ask them who will be performing the work if they are hired, ask them to provide you their credentials (e.g., a copy of their license with the State of Florida and any certificates and certifications they may hold), and ensure their certificates or certifications have not expired. In the case of certifications and some certificates, you can contact the certifying body to ensure the certification has not been revoked or expired. To help you, here are some of the certificates and certifications you may be presented when seeking (or having assigned to your insurance claim) an assessor or remediator in the State of Florida: