Does Bad Credit Equal Bad Employee?

There’s an old saying: the best way to get a job is to have a job.

If you're unemployed and suffering from bad credit, a growing number of states' lawmakers want to remove one barrier between you and a new job: a credit check. Many job seekers in the country are in a Catch-22: they’re behind on their bills because they don’t have a job, but they can’t get a job because they’re behind on their bills.” A significant number of elected officials nationwide now believe that in a difficult economy, a poor credit history shouldn't be a determining factor for job applicants.

What a novel ideal- I’m unemployed, so I can’t pay my bills, and because I can’t pay my bill, I can’t get a job.  So, tell me how the hell am I supposed to get off this frigging downward spiral? In an avoidance of the creation of a permanent underclass we now have struggling consumers who are unable to improve their financial situations. The Black populations has complained, for quit sometime, to each other about this discriminating tactic.  Now, that unemployment is in the double digits range, and this no longer just affects “just us”, but “them” too, it’s a problem

The latest screening and hiring trends by human resources firm ADP showed that 41 percent of credit records screened in 2008 showed a judgment, lien, bankruptcy or referral to a collection agency- it could potentially prevent you from getting a job primarily based on your credit history. As unemployment continues to hover near 10 percent, a loss of income often leading to unpaid bills, unemployed borrowers find themselves struggling with financial problems. Reliance on credit report information in hiring decisions can also lead to people being penalized for mistakes made by others. Job seekers could be impacted by errors on their credit reports- errors that a consumer wouldn't know about unless they checked their credit reports

In Chicago Alderman Ameya Pawar (47th Ward) wants to ban discrimination against the unemployed. Alderman Pawar wants to update the Chicago Human Framework to prevent companies from redlining applicants because they’re unemployed, or have bad credit. “Employers have been discriminating against job applicants on the basis of credit history and employment status, and as a result, deny qualified applicants jobs,” Pawar said. “Even with the overwhelming data showing there is no connection between job performance and credit history, employers are consistently weeding out applicants based on credit histories Pawar’s ordinance would allow the city’s Human Relations Commission to take action against companies that discriminate against the unemployed, and will specifically add “employment status (as to unemployment)” to the Chicago Human Rights Framework. It will also prohibit employers from including the phrase “Unemployed need not apply” in Help Wanted ads. (Employers would still be allowed to inquire about employment gaps.) At the state level, Illinois State Rep. Jack D. Franks' introduced a bill -- which still allows for credit checks involving police, financial institutions and insurance companies, among others -- that was signed into law by the state governor in August 2010 and effective January 2011.

A central absurdity of using credit checks in today's economy: some job applicants may be turned away by the same corporations that, amid their own financial troubles, have left workers jobless. "Many of the companies that are using these credit checks are ones that have filed for Chapter 11 themselves. People may have worked for these same companies”. Rep. Franks says. Companies should be the ones answering questions. Employers must be able to justify their reasons for requiring this information and how it directly relates to the position. Since many employers require job applicants to waive their right to privacy, applicants have no other choice than to submit to a credit history inquiry.

Now check this out-In October 2001 the Enron scandal, revealed, and eventually led to the bankruptcy of the Enron Corporation and the dissolution of Arthur Andersen, which was one of the five largest audit and accountancy partnerships in the world. Shareholders lost nearly $11 billion when Enron's stock price, plummeted to less than $1 by the end of November 2001. Many EXECUTIVES at Enron were indicted for a variety of charges and were later sentenced to prison. Enron's auditor, Arthur Andersen, was found guilty in a United States District Court.

If the so called premises of bad credit equates to bad employees; thus justifying employers use of consumer credit checks against prospective and current employees for the purposes of making adverse employment decisions- or worse, a corporate criminal . I presume Enron and Arthur Andersen HR personnel didn’t get the memo to run credit checks on its executives!

 Why wasn’t this perceived as an issue our so-called social and political leaders did not address a long ass time ago including — the narcissistic clergy who live on the tithes of the impoverished while standing aloof or Politicians’ who campaign slogans are based on creating jobs, and yet once elected sit on their butts and pretend not to notice.

Sorry, Rev. Pastor Preacher and Mr. Vote for Me Politician, but if I ain’t got no job, I can’t tithe or give campaign contributions. Can’t help you. Don’t ask for my vote. Don’t ask for my dollars. Poor people have enough problems as it is.


Where They Do That At?