Using Pennsylvania Public Records

Screen job applicants with PA court records

Hiring a new employee is one of the most common reasons for using Pennsylvania public records. A small business may prefer to take advantage of the free information available online instead of hiring another company to perform this service.

Finding an applicant with the right job qualifications is only part of the hiring process. Background checks should be essential because the employer can be held responsible for an employee’s actions on the job. PA public records can help identify individuals that could be a poor choice due to their credit or criminal history. Employers must also specifically check people who will be working with children or the elderly for any history of abuse.

There are three types of public records of particular interest when performing background checks:

1. Credit reports that show current lines of credit, payment histories and declarations of bankruptcy.

2. Public records in Pennsylvania that show past convictions, births or divorces. These may also be useful in determining criminal history, residency requirements and alimony payments.

3. PA criminal records. Pennsylvania requires convicted sex offenders to be kept on a list for a specified period after their conviction.

 

Use Pennsylvania court records to get general information on individuals

A Pennsylvania record can include information on births, deaths and divorces. Many cities and counties in Pennsylvania have websites with this information that is freely available to the general public.
Try: The Greene County Government website has separate application forms for birth, death and marriage certificates. Westmoreland County allows free online searches for public records of civil courts, real estate and marriages.

Use Pennsylvania criminal records to get information on criminal history

Law enforcement agencies keep criminal records which may be publicly available. Laws vary widely by state as to the specific information you will be able to obtain. Some government agencies may also charge fees.
Try: The Pennsylvania Access To Criminal History (PATCH) describes the terms needed to access criminal history information in its database. The Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare details the steps needed to clear an individual for jobs in child care.

Use public records to conduct a PA criminal record check

There are many sites dedicated to performing background checks for prospective employees. These checks can also include Social Security number verification, education verification and reference checks.
Try: Veromi can perform a background check in Pennsylvania by name, address and phone number. EasyBackGroundChecks.com offers background checks in Pennsylvania along with people searches, reverse phone checks and employment screening.

 

• You will first need to obtain some basic information on the individual you are seeking Pennsylvania public records for. Job applicants will need to provide this information on the application form or on a separate form for the background check. Individuals must also grant permission for a background check in most cases.

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