Kern County, California

Kern County in Southern California contains the entire Bakersfield metropolitan area and a population of about 900,000. Nearby counties include San Luis Obispo, Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Inyo, Tulare, and Kings. Primarily an agricultural and petroleum center, Kern’s key employers include Chevron and Sun Pacific. 

With a population that has been sustaining consistent growth over the last decade, Kern County sees a steady flow of new arrivals seeking to put down roots in the region. Finding a local job is a critical part of that process, so regional businesses may not need to wait long to fill open positions. However, not all applicants have values or pasts that align with company culture. 

Separating the suitable applicants from the unsuitable is a tricky process—a thoroughly-planned approach to pre-employment vetting is your simplest solution.

California prohibits employers from asking questions about crimes during interviews, so you’ll need an alternative option to use during the hiring process. A criminal background check is an essential tool for gaining the insight to make a fully-informed decision about each applicant. For some positions, such as those involving the supervision of minors, background checks are a necessity. In most other cases, they represent due diligence. 

Be mindful about the legal complexities surrounding background checks in California based on the statewide ban the box law. Employers may not include criminal history questions on applications, and the law only allows background checks on applicants to whom you provide a conditional employment offer. You must also secure the individual’s consent to conduct a background check.

When evaluating a background report’s information, employers must consider multiple factors before they disqualify an individual. Such factors include the age of the conviction, the relationship that the crime has or does not have to the job, and rehabilitative efforts. Under California law, disqualified applicants have a right to appeal.

With an understanding of these legal requirements, you can select the proper tools for uncovering applicant information. With backgroundchecks.com, collecting data is straightforward. Begin with our county-level background check to examine an individual’s local history with Kern County courts. Broaden your view next with our US OneSEARCH for a clearer view of an applicant’s background across California and beyond.

These services pull information from state and local databases. Government authorities unaffiliated with backgroundchecks.com manage these resources, and data is subject to change. For hiring in sensitive positions or with urgency, we can provide direct courthouse record searches for the most current information. Results are available in up to three working days.

These products include information from the:

• California Department of Corrections – Felony records for offenders on parole, updated semi-annually
• California Sex Offender Registry – Updated bi-weekly
• Kern County Superior Court – Felony and misdemeanor records from 1988-present, updated monthly

These reports may contain a subject’s:

• Name
• Offense
• Sentence 

Continue hiring with confidence in Kern County with flexible support and in-depth vetting from backgroundchecks.com.

Learn more about our county background check options