Kendall County, Illinois Court Records (Chicago Metropolitan Area)

Found west of Chicago in a quiet, semi-rural area, Kendall County has a population of about 132,000. It is a part of the Chicago metropolitan area. Nearby counties include DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, LaSalle, and Will. Notable employers include HEB, Walmart, and the Oswego School District.

Once the fastest-growing county in the nation, Kendall County exists on the edge of the Chicago metropolitan area as a slower alternative to big city life. With this consistent growth, employers should be mindful of local migration patterns. In large metro areas such as Chicago, exploring a candidate's past in counties in which they may have lived and worked is a prudent choice.

Federal and state laws describe appropriate ways to use background checks to maintain fairness while ensuring you can protect your business. In Illinois, this means following the state's ban the box law, which applies to all private companies with 15 or more employees. Violating this law could subject your business to fines and other actions. According to the rules, you must obey the following guidelines:

• You can't use job applications to ask about a candidate's criminal history. To ask any such questions, you must provide either an opportunity for an interview or a conditional job offer.

• You can't deny a job because of a prior conviction unless you can identify a "substantial relationship" between the crime and the position sought. Serious risks to public safety are also permissible reason to deny an applicant.
• You must use the EEOC's "Green factors" to individually assess all candidates with criminal records. The factors include the age of the crime, its nature, its relationship to the job, and rehabilitative efforts.

Federal law, such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act, also applies to using background checks for hiring. Remember to gather consent, provide a standalone disclosure, and follow all adverse action requirements if necessary. Neither Illinois nor Kendall County currently restricts how employers may use drug testing.

With a policy that complies with Illinois law on background checks, you can start ordering reports to continue considering your candidates. A far-reaching look at as many records as possible is an excellent way to begin your search. The US OneSEARCH looks for records we compile, and we keep updated from nationwide sources. For full details on our sources, visit our online coverage map. 

Not all counties make their court records available for third-party electronic search. In some cases, you may need to order a county-level court search for specific information. In Kendall County, you may also use the court's online search tool for name-only matching of criminal records. Employers should use caution with such tools. Our county court record searches are thorough, prompt, and reliable.

Background reports sourced from county court records may include the subject's:

• Name
• Offense/Charge
• Sentence
• Disposition

With a well-planned approach to vetting and hiring candidates, you can build a team that lets your business excel in its mission. Find out more now about building smarter background checks into your hiring workflow.