Travis County, Texas

Travis County, the location of Texas’s state capital of Austin, has a growing population of approximately 1.2 million people. Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, and Williamson counties are adjacent to Travis with only Blanco county falling outside of the Greater Austin metro area. The county’s thriving economy includes a robust technology and healthcare sector and notable employers such as AMD, IBM, and Amazon.

With one of the fastest-growing populations in Texas, the Travis County employment market is vibrant, attracting job-seekers from far and wide. Though this commuting trend is advantageous for companies seeking the most diverse talent possible, it is not without risk. Attracting a generous pool of qualified applicants from around the region simplifies the need to fill positions, and increases the likelihood of employers encountering unsuitable applicants. How can you identify good fits?

Background checks are one tool that you can use to develop an answer. With a thorough vetting process in place, you reduce the potential of making a risky hiring choice. 

Acquiring reliable information for the decision-making process is a must for any background check policy to be successful. Our suggestion is to use a county-level criminal history search to develop a basic understanding of an applicant’s history within Travis County. Significant results here may form the basis for moving on to another candidate swiftly. A clean report does not necessarily reflect an applicant in the clear, however; next, you should begin looking at records maintained in adjacent counties, where you may discover that your applicant with a clean record in Travis has an alarming history in Bastrop or Hays. 

Conducting background checks comes with responsibilities—you must take laws and local regulations into account before implementing any policy. Federally, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the FCRA specific reference the usage of background checks, and locally, the city of Austin has implemented a “ban the box” ordinance within its borders. Businesses with 15 or more employees hiring within Austin must delay criminal history inquiries until after the extension of a conditional employment offer. Austin employers must also individually assess each applicant’s criminal history.

Once you understand the requirements for legal compliance in your employment background check policy, your next step is to acquire the appropriate tools for the job. backgroundchecks.com offers a robust array of options to suit nonprofits, religious and youth sports organizations, and businesses alike. 

Use our county-level background check to access Travis County and develop a baseline understanding of your applicants. Next, broaden your view through the US OneSEARCH with instantly-available reports that include records from Bastrop, Blanco, Burnet, Caldwell, Hays, and Williamson counties.

These reports pull from data maintained by state and local agencies in electronic databases. backgroundchecks.com does not maintain these resources, but rather provides access to their information. Therefore, records are subject to change. For the most current copies of records available, request an on-site record search: our court runners provide results for these requests within three business days. 

Resources that contribute to instant background check results include the:

• Texas Department of Public Safety - Felony and misdemeanor records, 1975-present, updated weekly
• Texas Sex Offender Registry - Records from 1951-present, updated bi-weekly
• Travis County Court - Felony records from 1998-present updated weekly, misdemeanor records from 1974-present, updated monthly

Such reports may include a subject’s:

• Name
• Filing date
• Charge and charge level
• Disposition

Take full advantage of the talent-seeking opportunities that abound in Austin and across Travis County with powerful, informative vetting tools powered by backgroundchecks.com.

Learn more about our county background check options