(a) Telephone corporations, holders of a state franchise pursuant to Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 5800), and a video provider, as defined in Section 53088.1 of the Government Code, shall perform background checks of applicants for employment, according to usual business practices.

(b) A background check equivalent to that performed by the contracting telephone corporation, a holder of a state franchise pursuant to Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 5800), and a video provider, as defined in Section 53088.1 of the Government Code, shall also be conducted on all of the following:

(1) Persons hired by a contracting entity under a personal services contract.

(2) Independent contractors and their employees.

(3) Vendors and their employees.

(c) Independent contractors and vendors shall certify that they have obtained the background checks required pursuant to subdivision (b), and shall make the background checks available to the contracting entity upon request.

(d) Except as otherwise provided by contract, the telephone corporation, a holder of a state franchise pursuant to Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 5800), and a video provider, as defined in Section 53088.1 of the Government Code, shall not be responsible for administering the background checks and shall not assume the cost of the background checks of individuals who are not applicants for employment of the contracting entity.

(e) (1) An individual shall not, on behalf of a telephone corporation, holder of a state franchise pursuant to Division 2.5 (commencing with Section 5800), or video provider, as defined in Section 53088.1 of the Government Code, enter upon the premises of any individual unless he or she has had the background check required by subdivisions (a) and (b).

(2) Subdivision (a) applies to applicants for employment for positions that would allow the applicant to have direct contact with or access to the company’s network or central office and would require the applicant to perform activities that involve the installation, service, or repair of the company’s network or equipment.

(3) Subdivision (b) applies to any person that has direct contact with or access to the company’s network or central office and performs activities that involve the installation, service, or repair of the company’s network or equipment.

(f) This section does not apply to temporary workers performing emergency functions to restore the network of a telephone corporation to its normal state in the event of a natural disaster or an emergency that threatens or results in the loss of service.

(g) The provisions of this section apply only to applicants for employment who apply for employment on and after January 1, 2009, and to contracts entered into on or after January 1, 2009.

(Amended by Stats. 2008, Ch. 195, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2009.)