Consulting Court Records in Pinellas County for Background Checks

Employers face many challenges when selecting the appropriate applicants to hire. For those located in Pinellas County, thorough and reliable background checks are indispensable. As a significant part of the Tampa Bay Area, movement through and within the area is prevalent. Pinellas is also one of the largest counties on Florida’s Gulf Coast, with a population 960,000. The county borders Pasco and Hillsborough County, forming a large metropolitan area.

Pinellas is one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida. A burgeoning technology sector centered in St. Petersburg continues to attract newcomers. These conditions make background checks even more important. As employers seek to guard against negligent hiring risks, finding the correct information makes a considerable difference.

Florida does not have free public records; there is a fee for access. How do you run a background check on someone and look up their criminal records in Florida, specifically in Pinellas? Sourcing information from county court records should be on an employer’s to-do list. Let’s consider why and explore what solutions are accessible.

Why You Should Examine Pinellas County Public Records in Florida

Companies here can enjoy a lively labor market that continually refreshes due to the influx of newcomers. Individuals from adjacent counties may also travel for job opportunities. A large pool of applicants is a valuable resource, but it comes with a caveat. Remember, every applicant is a potential source of risk for your business until you know more about them.

Cover letters can provide a friendly introduction. Resumes indicate the skills and qualifications the individual claims to possess. Employers may even ask if an applicant has prior convictions on the job application. However, none of these steps provides concrete information on someone’s potential criminal past. Ensuring the safety of the public and current employees requires evaluating an individual’s record.

A thorough assessment of an applicant’s suitability requires access to the appropriate information. Searches should focus on what’s immediately available locally—Pinellas County court records. Why search county courts?

In most cases, the applicants will live in Pinellas County. Most relevant criminal records originate at the county court level. These courts are responsible for prosecuting crimes in the local area. If someone commits a crime in Pinellas County, there should be a record of it in the local courts. As Pinellas is part of the Tampa Bay metro area, employers should consider records from neighboring counties.

Regulations and Compliance Concerns to Note

Using background checks in hiring is helpful, but employers must exercise care to avoid potentially discriminatory actions. Neither Florida nor Pinellas County has ban the box rules, but maintaining the federal regulations that guarantee fairness in hiring is vital. The FCRA requires an applicant’s consent to perform a background search, and the Civil Rights Act defines the terms of employment discrimination.

Background checks are an instrumental part of the hiring process. However, they are subject to specific regulations. It is vital to follow these rules to avoid the potential pitfalls of noncompliance. Failing to comply with the law could mean allegations of discrimination or even costly lawsuits. In the most extreme cases, a company could face enforcement action from the federal government. What rules should employers know?

The FCRA

Chief among the regulations businesses must abide by is the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA). The FCRA regulates consumer reports, typically credit checks, but it includes background checks today. The FCRA lays out several requirements you must obey with every applicant:

• An appropriate, employment-related purpose for ordering the report.
• Provide applicants with a standalone disclosure. This disclosure must be separate from applications and other materials. It must inform applicants that their background check for employment will be scrutinized. It must also describe what information an employer will collect and list applicant consumer rights.
• Employers must obtain the applicant’s written consent to the check.

After obtaining the background check, the FCRA also has requirements to adhere to. If the results cause disqualification of a candidate, employers must provide a pre-adverse action notice. Applicants have a right to dispute findings they believe are in error and to provide evidence. For more information on FCRA compliance, visit our Resource Center page.

State Rules

What about state regulations? Florida does very little to constrain how employers handle their hiring process. There is no statewide ban the box or fair chance law in effect. Likewise, Pinellas County has no such regulations applicable to private employers. Employers in this area may still include criminal history questions on applications if desired.

Note that Florida mandates using E-Verify for all new hires in companies with 25+ people.

How Do I Conduct a Pinellas County Record Search?

Florida court records are searchable online. However, it is not the most efficient or effective way to obtain information about your applicants. With backgroundchecks.com, finding criminal records related to your applicant is easy. So, too, is accessing local county courthouse records.

Our service visits the source directly to obtain court records. This ensures we can access the most recent filings, which may not appear online or in state databases yet. We access the files at the court and begin to compile a report. We provide a full report based on this search within three business days.

There is also a fast and easy way to find court records from Pinellas, the rest of the Tampa Bay area, and farther afield. Our US OneSEARCH solution offers an instant database search that can provide results in seconds or minutes. This solution relies on the backgroundchecks.com database, which contains more than 650 million records compiled from court systems nationwide. This database includes Pinellas County. A comprehensive tool in its own right, the US OneSEARCH can also help target additional searches.

Backgroundchecks.com does not maintain the county or state databases we use to compile the database for the US OneSEARCH. Instead, those databases are the property of state and local authorities.

What Shows Up in Pinellas County Criminal Records?

Employers who order a US OneSEARCH report can expect to find information from sources that include:

• The Florida Department of Corrections: Felony records from 1989 – present, updated monthly
• The Florida Sex Offender Registry: Data from 1998 – present, updated monthly
• Pinellas County Courts: Felony, misdemeanor, and traffic records from 1990 – present, updated quarterly

These reports may contain a subject’s:

• Name
• Offense
• Case Status
• Disposition

Conduct a Pinellas County Record Search Today

Make hiring a less stressful and more informed experience with the proper vetting solutions. With support from backgroundchecks.com, you can find the records you need for more thorough Pinellas County background checks. Create an account today to explore ordering your first report and see how easy and fast the process is.

Learn more about our county background check options.