Job Discrimination and Bankruptcy

[$$only4ever]

I know that this question has been asked a million times, but I may have to start searching for a new job. Do employers discriminate because you have filed bankruptcy? I know that it is against the law, but they can give any reason why they will not hire you. I also know that banks, etc will not hire you, but what about a government job? Any thoughts or advice would be great, thanks.

[coma]

A friend of mine got a state civil service job while in bankruptcy. It was in social services, so no money involved, but when she told me about the hiring process (because I'm going to go that route hen I graduate) I don't think they even checked her credit.

[Granny]

I have a friend who had filed Chapter 7 several years ago and then applied for a federal position. She was in the top running with professional certification, vet, etc and they suggested she might want to get the case dismissed if she wanted the job and the security clearance. So she did and she was hired.

[RBAllis]

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act I person should not be denied a job. I declined an interview because I was concerned myself of wasting my time trying for the job in question/

[workinghard]

it depends on the industry

I know that this question has been asked a million times, but I may have to start searching for a new job. Do employers discriminate because you have filed bankruptcy? I know that it is against the law, but they can give any reason why they will not hire you. I also know that banks, etc will not hire you, but what about a government job? Any thoughts or advice would be great, thanks.

I changed jobs and panicked when I heard "credit check" was involved. The hiring manager really wanted me tho' based on my skills. So, I was honest and told him that I was undergoing a "financial organization" so please don't judge me by my credit score. I did get the job.

On the converse, my husband is having a hard time finding work. I don't know if employers are discriminating based on the BK but all he hears is something vague like "we've chosen another candidate" or "the job has been filled" etc...

[helpless]

My husband changed jobs within a year of our Chapter 13. He is a branch manager and handles money and financing and they never once asked about the bankruptcy and we know that they did a credit check. BK was easy to explain, post 9-11 job in financial field, job cuts and took a job that was 1/2 of what he was making. We were ready for the answer, but never got the question. Still isn't making anywhere near what he was before 9/11.

[workinghard]

One employer told me that short of being a convicted felon they would hire. Another made me take a drug test which I had no problem doing that with but those are pretty common these days anyway.

I remain hopeful my old man gets a job.

[JollyGG]

My husband applied for a job as a database programmer with a cc company. He recieved a preliminary letter saying he was not being considered for the job due to information in his consumer report.

He called and talked to someone in HR. They agreed to reconsider his applicatoin and he got the job.

http://www.bkforum.com/showthread.php?t=13060

We didn't understand why it would have mattered since it is not a job handling money. Well, once he was hired everything made more sense to us. One of his job responsibilities is loading calling lists into the collection departments dialer when the main person with that job is gone. So I can see where someone with credit problems would not be an ideal canidate.

Now that he has the job he loves it and they seem pretty happy with him.

[chpxiii]

I only found this forum today and this thread prompted me to join.

I am in chpt. 13 bankruptcy right now. I filed in 2003, and am on the 60 month plan. I am due to be finished in summer of 2008.

About a year and a half ago (2005) when I was looking for a job, a recruiter for a company found my resume on Monster.com and called me for an interview. I went ahead and made an appointment. I then set about researching the company.

Guess what the company does? They are a law firm that represents the *creditors* in bankruptcy cases. Oh, the laugh my boyfriend and I had on that one! Some of their clients were Mazda American Credit, Wells Fargo...many auto loan companies, etc.

I decided to attend the interview figuring I could atleast get practice in the interview process and since I had been laid off, I was open to almost any opportunity.

Believe it or not, they offered me a job! HA! I accepted and went in to fill out the paperwork one of which was a credit check. "Cr*p!" I thought. I filled out that form anyway and when I went home I continued to look for another job thinking they'd recind the job offer.

Much to my surprise, they did not! I had gone in to fill out the paperwork on a Monday. I started the Wednesday of the same week. Yes, my boyfriend and I chuckled about the irony of that one. ;)

I am a computer programmer and so I had access to the database. About 2 weeks into the job I decided to look in the database for my name. Yep. There I was. All of my information regarding Mazda American Credit. Too funny. I worked there for 8 months and left for better opportunities elsewhere. But before I left, I told the 2 other developers to look in the database for a "particular" account number. I knew when one of them found it, and found me in the database, because I heard him laughing in his cube. He came over and said to me, "You never told us, this whole time!" hehe

I think it depends on the employer and what the job requirements are as to whether you'll be given a job offer. I wanted to share my story to give folks here a chuckle. I sure was amused the whole time I was working for that law firm!

[CindyLou]

Just to help clarify....that form that you fill out regarding permission to obtain your consumer report....its the SAME form a potential employer has to get signed in order to do a criminal background check. I am in management. We use that same form, but we do not ever check credit. We use a service that does a comprehensive sex offendor and criminal background. That company operates under the same laws a consumer reporting agency therefore the form is required for every applicant. So just because you fill the form doesn't mean they are actually checking credit.