Some States May Ban Credit Checks for Employment

[flyinbroke]

There are so many ways to weed out undesirable workers: criminal checks, background checks, MySpace/Twitter/Facebook pages that credit is a nonissue. I can see if I was in a position dealing with $$$, and even then a pristine score is no guarantee (maybe they have a pristine score because they were skimming at their last job to pay bills.) I don't work anywhere near finance. I don't mind background and drug tests. They fit the scope of my job. Credit? Not so much. As an aside...I don't think employers get an entire picture of what you owe and what you spend. I still don't think it should be the end all and be all.

However, I had been denied jobs (with a good score) and can come to many conclusions: wrong fit, too little education, more education than the hiring manager, hated my suit, just got dumped by a bodaciously built brunette, boss' mistress applied for same job. There are way more reasons people don't get hired, some good ones and some plain stupid. With the economy in the tank, I would venture to see more people with less than stellar credit getting work.

[Faust]

There are so many ways to weed out undesirable workers: criminal checks, background checks, MySpace/Twitter/Facebook pages that credit is a nonissue. I can see if I was in a position dealing with $$$, and even then a pristine score is no guarantee (maybe they have a pristine score because they were skimming at their last job to pay bills.) I don't work anywhere near finance. I don't mind background and drug tests. They fit the scope of my job. Credit? Not so much. As an aside...I don't think employers get an entire picture of what you owe and what you spend. I still don't think it should be the end all and be all.

However, I had been denied jobs (with a good score) and can come to many conclusions: wrong fit, too little education, more education than the hiring manager, hated my suit, just got dumped by a bodaciously built brunette, boss' mistress applied for same job. There are way more reasons people don't get hired, some good ones and some plain stupid. With the economy in the tank, I would venture to see more people with less than stellar credit getting work.

Not to mention, whatever happened to interviewing and getting to know someone on a personal level to see if they are fit for your company?

It's pure laziness.

[momisery]

It is a problem because my personal life is none of their business that is why any more than theirs is mine. I don't drink, I don't smoke, I don't party, and I am not a hooker.. I work free OT many times for my boss and I am a stand up citizen.. I do not like my rights being violated by people deciding that I can not manage my credit. I can manage it it is just illness and stupidity on the part of walls street that I can not manage. If we are going to have a free for all instead of a society let the party begin by all means. People have rights to their privacy next they will not want to hire us because we are a health risk.. oh, wait they do that already based on age... You are hiring a person to do a JOB.. not to be a part of your FAMILY.

[momisery]

The rights of our nation are for its PEOPLE not its BUSINESSES.. they are not people.. they are JOBS>>> You may not want someone over to your house because they have a tatoo that is your business but to deny them their rights to earn a living based on what you think is appropriate behavior makes no sense. Employers want to be Gods and Judges in one swope.

[OhioFiler]

There are so many ways to weed out undesirable workers: criminal checks, background checks, MySpace/Twitter/Facebook pages that credit is a nonissue. I can see if I was in a position dealing with $$$, and even then a pristine score is no guarantee (maybe they have a pristine score because they were skimming at their last job to pay bills.) I don't work anywhere near finance. I don't mind background and drug tests. They fit the scope of my job. Credit? Not so much. As an aside...I don't think employers get an entire picture of what you owe and what you spend. I still don't think it should be the end all and be all.

However, I had been denied jobs (with a good score) and can come to many conclusions: wrong fit, too little education, more education than the hiring manager, hated my suit, just got dumped by a bodaciously built brunette, boss' mistress applied for same job. There are way more reasons people don't get hired, some good ones and some plain stupid. With the economy in the tank, I would venture to see more people with less than stellar credit getting work.

What if you are in a position dealing with assets? Or how about a position dealing with goodwill? How about reputation? Access to information a competitor would pay huge sums to have?

If we keep taking screening tools away from employers they'll keep refraining from hiring.

[momisery]

Not always. I use to be an auditor for a large chain and we found a ring of employees stealing stuff and selling it for cocaine. Proving it is the hard part of course.. but what they did was quit willingly with no charges and went to work for another jewelry chain.. There are not always charges bought up, it is normally cheaper to simply let these people quit and get them out of your hair and file and insurance claim, typical in business to do this and it saves them money too.

[OhioFiler]

The rights of our nation are for its PEOPLE not its BUSINESSES.. they are not people.. they are JOBS>>> You may not want someone over to your house because they have a tatoo that is your business but to deny them their rights to earn a living based on what you think is appropriate behavior makes no sense. Employers want to be Gods and Judges in one swope.

Yes they are!

[OhioFiler]

Not always. I use to be an auditor for a large chain and we found a ring of employees stealing stuff and selling it for cocaine. Proving it is the hard part of course.. but what they did was quit willingly with no charges and went to work for another jewelry chain.. There are not always charges bought up, it is normally cheaper to simply let these people quit and get them out of your hair and file and insurance claim, typical in business to do this and it saves them money too.

Had your employer filed charges another company may well have been spared from their thieving ways. I say your employer had a responsibility to society to see to it these criminals were prosecuted.

[Faust]

Had your employer filed charges another company may well have been spared from their thieving ways. I say your employer had a responsibility to society to see to it these criminals were prosecuted.

Totally agree. To not prosecute is irresponsible.

[momisery]

Employer kick you out the door and replace you with cheaper younger labor too and they don't give you a two week notice to do it. We have to give one or it goes on our record. I of course have no problem giving that but it would be fair to be given a couple weeks before they cut staff to find a job too. A guy use to work for our bank and was two months away from retirement and they fired him..... happens all the time.. employees have few rights in a right to work state and employers abuse that in some cases. My whole point is that I have a right to privacy even if I have nothing to hide... in this case I guess I would that would be my BK.. but if I did not file a BK my other choice was to steal the money those are the people they should worry about would be the ones who chose to steal. So viewing my credit even when it is good is none of their business because I am not applying for a loan only a job with them. My score was 800, I have never bounce a check or not paid a bill until this BK and I am 60... so now, I am the bad risk here?? Really??? Based on a credit score?

[momisery]

In a perfect world your correct. But laws do not protect just innocent people always, and sometimes business is not ethical at all, but more worried about their bottom lines.. Per many conversations I have heard, the job of business would be to make money, not to always be the watch dog for society.. so why should they care what happens to their competitors they are in the business against them not to help them..

[momisery]

But wait.. Business is there to make money not to help their competitors or to spend money that they can avoid spending.. So, either they should adhere to the laws of a good society, or they are profit makers only,, or does it depend? Not being nasty.. just thinking out loud...

[flyinbroke]

What if you are in a position dealing with assets? Or how about a position dealing with goodwill? How about reputation? Access to information a competitor would pay huge sums to have?

If we keep taking screening tools away from employers they'll keep refraining from hiring.

OK, I'll bite. Look at those arrested for espionage in the later years. Interestingly enough, if you look at the pattern it was not those in serious debt who became spies. They got in debt because they relied on spy money and lived way beyond their means...meaning the money had to come from someplace. They lived larger than their checks allowed. And no one asked questions. IMO, someone who filed BK is a lower risk than someone who drives and lives way beyond their paygrade. Spies and people who buy trade secrets like people they can blackmail. BK is already out there.

As for assets and reputation, Madoff had a sterling rep and access to all the credit in the world. In its heyday, Enron had a sterling rep (and sterling credit and investment ratings.) Turns out they were all smoke and mirrors. I once read that Warren Buffett has a credit score in the 600s; is he riskier?

[momisery]

No, the owners of the business are people with the same privacy rights as I have.. the business is not flesh and blood it is a building hence the reason it has a difference status.. it does not have children, go to church, or visit message boards etc.

[Faust]

But wait.. Business is there to make money not to help their competitors or to spend money that they can avoid spending.. So, either they should adhere to the laws of a good society, or they are profit makers only,, or does it depend? Not being nasty.. just thinking out loud...

So the company you work for didn't press charges because they wanted some other company to hire thieves?