Westchester County, New York Court Records (New York Metro Area)

Found to the north of New York City, Westchester County is a mainly suburban region with a population of over 1 million people. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. Nearby counties include Orange, Putnam, and The Bronx. Major employers here include PepsiCo, IBM, and Mastercard.

Due to its close relationship with New York City and the assemblage of corporate headquarters, Westchester County continues to attract people from all over seeking new opportunities. This means employers have a diverse and constantly refreshed labor pool for hiring new staff. However, it also means you will more often encounter unsuitable individuals and those with potentially troubling pasts. Using background checks is an important part of hiring in a metro area.

Even though Westchester is close to New York City and has deep ties to the metro area, it is not a part of the City's government. Westchester County employers do not need to abide by NYC's strict and complex fair chance laws. If you're based in NYC and hire out of Westchester, though, you may need to review those rules. Westchester also has its own "ban the box" law for private employers.

Under “ban the box,” you can't ask questions about arrests or convictions on job applications. You also have to use an individualized assessment before you can take adverse action. You can't use drug tests to detect cannabis usage, either. Applicants can ask for a written statement from you asking you to explain your reasoning for denying a job. 

Besides these rules, the Fair Credit Reporting Act also requires you to follow consent and adverse action guidelines. 

Most companies use their first criminal history search to cast a wide net. Candidates may sometimes leave behind a criminal record in another state. Our US OneSEARCH is the ideal tool for this job. With reports ready in minutes, you can search for your candidate in the database of records we compile and maintain from across the country. Our online coverage map has full source details.

However, we can't source records from everywhere, and we do not have records for Westchester County in our database. To background check here, you'll need to use the NY Office of Court Administration. This is a criminal history search of New York records that includes Westchester County. It costs $95. If you're hiring in New York City itself, there is a 12-county background check solution you should use instead. You can request these reports by mail or you can submit a request online to the OCA.

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

• Name
• Offense/Charge
• Sentence
• Disposition

Make the most of every hiring opportunity in Westchester County and the New York metropolitan area with a smart background check policy.