Inland Empire

The Inland Empire, a metropolitan zone characterized by its dense urban population and proximity to Los Angeles, is home to nearly 4 million people. Considered a fast-growing suburban home for many who commute to work in the Los Angeles metro, the Inland Empire consists of only San Bernardino and Riverside counties yet encompasses almost 30,000 square miles of land. Besides the major cities that lend the region’s counties their names, the Inland Empire hosts impressive communities in Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario, and Fontana. 

Once a major hub for Californian agriculture, the Inland Empire relies on the logistics industry and the service and retail sectors to support its large residential population. Major employers in the area include Amazon, Kohl’s, and Wells Fargo. Though the Inland Empire was hit hard by the Great Recession, a steady economic recovery combined with a more accessible housing market compared to LA mean the region consistently ranks as one of the fastest-growing in the state.

For employers in the Inland Empire, the region's proximity to another major metro and its large number of bedroom communities create unique concerns when vetting job applicants. There  is  a strong chance applicants will have diverse address histories. For example, a resident of Riverside County may travel to San Bernardino for work. A background check policy that focuses only on records available in San Bernardino could miss important details available from courts in Riverside County. Implementing a more robust approach enables improved decision-making, but any new policy must start with an understanding of your regulatory responsibilities. 

For employers across California, "ban the box" rules effective from October 2017 remain the most important consideration in any background check policy. All employers in the state, including private businesses, are prohibited from inquiring about an applicant's criminal history during the initial stages of the hiring process. Employers may not order a background check on an applicant until after making a decision on their eligibility for hire and preparing a conditional job offer. Only the final stage of employment review can hinge on a background check's results.

California further stipulates businesses follow certain guidelines when evaluating an individual's criminal history. Employers must weigh the facts of the crime, including the length of time since conviction, and consider their impact on the applicant's ability to perform appropriately and safely the duties of the job. Applicants can request a copy of the report and retain the right to appeal in the event the conditional job offer is revoked after the background check. 

Criminal history reports do not contain information on prior arrests (except when a trial is pending), and California directs employers to disregard marijuana convictions from 2 or more years ago. Likewise,  misdemeanors  that resulted in a completed program of probation or a pre-trial diversion should not factor into any decision. 

backgroundchecks.com can play an important role in your business’s efforts to improve and expand its vetting procedures. With instant results available for both Riverside and San Bernardino counties, accessing a metro-wide background check for the Inland Empire is easy.