Lee County, Florida

Lee County, the sole county in the Ft. Myers metropolitan area, has an estimated population of 770,000. Nearby counties include Charlotte, Collier, Glades, and Hendry. Major employers in the area include Publix Supermarkets, Home Depot, and Hertz.

Historically a center of winter tourism in Florida, Lee County experienced a real estate boom that transformed it into a large suburban region. Today, it records very high population growth decade over decade, leading to a high level of competition for jobs.

Employers in the region know that this fact is a pro and a con. On the one hand, locating individuals who sound ideal for an open position is much easier. On the other hand, there is no guarantee that a talented applicant won’t come with a concerning criminal record. 

When you can’t solely rely on an interview to establish trustworthiness, what can you do? The law gives employers substantial discretion to use in their hiring decisions if they remain within legal guidelines. Use that discretion and modern tools to make vetting candidates much easier.

These tools should include criminal background checks. Using criminal history reports to examine someone’s background is a simple way to reduce negligent hiring concerns. How do you implement such a process?

Employers should focus on their local area before widening their view. Your applicant may have moved in the past, and a broader search could turn up records in previous places of residence. Start with Lee County’s records, as you may prefer not to hire an applicant who has committed crimes in your area. A clean slate here is no guarantee, however: state and national records may produce additional results that are relevant to your search.

There are some rules that govern how you can use criminal history reports. Although Florida does not use a “ban the box” law to restrict when a business may inquire into an applicant’s past, federal law still applies. These rules include the FCRA, which requires an applicant’s consent for a background check, and the Civil Rights Act, which defines employment discrimination. Always conduct your pre-employment vetting in accordance with these laws.

When you’re ready to get started, a county-level criminal record search from backgroundchecks.com is the local snapshot that you need to judge an applicant initially. When it’s time to build confidence with a broader search, you can order the US OneSEARCH, an instant criminal record search of systems across the nation. From individual hiring to mass onboarding, these tools scale effortlessly.

These tools use information drawn from local authorities unaffiliated with backgroundchecks.com. Data is subject to change. For special situations, you may request an on-site search of courthouse records for the most current information. We make these results available within three working days.

These tools use information from the:

• Florida Department of Corrections – Felony records from 1989-present, updated monthly
• Florida Sex Offender Registry – Records from 1998-present, updated monthly
• Lee County Courts – Felony and misdemeanor records from 2005-present, updated monthly

These reports may include a subject’s:

• Name
• Arrest Date & Charges
• Sentence

Tap into Lee County’s continued growth and identify which applicants may be the ideal employees for the future of your business with help from backgroundchecks.com.

Learn more about our county background check options