Did you know that potential employers CANNOT do a credit check on you?

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In some states, including California, as of February 1st, 2012 it is illegal for any employer to do a credit check as a term for employment. Background checks are ok as long as credit info is not included. Too many quality people have been victims of the economy or laid off. By having their damaged credit held against them, finding new work was doubly difficult. If you suspect that an employer has pulled your credit whether a hard pull or soft pull, you can now claim discrimination if you did not get the job and your state has passed the law! Of course it is a little more complicated from a legal standpoint, but I am sharing the jist or spirit of this fairly new legislation. It is obvious that a bunch of employers do not know about this law or are pretending not to know. If you see a job listing that mentions a credit check, let em' know they can no longer do this!
Good luck to those still looking while you work on building your IM career.
#credit check #discrimination #goodnews #new jobs #work
  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    It would be helpful to include a link to either the legilation or a list of the states or both.
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  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    In a lot of ways, it never was legal. Unreasonable search, violation of privacy, violation of some credit laws, discrimination on non material information.

    STILL, NEVER STOPPED THEM! In LA they made it ILLEGAL to smoke in many places, yet they DID.

    GEE, Even when I had my operation, I never gave INFORMED consent. They never told me material things.

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Kay King
    Seven states have passed some credit check restrictions for employers - mainly since the economic downturn has damaged the credit of such a large number of potential employees.

    However, employers did not randomly run check before this. They were limited by the FCRA and had to alert you to the possibility of a credit check or obtain your permission.

    It also isn't true "they can't do this" because for some job openings, yes, they can. No employer is going to hire someone who will deal with confidential or financial information - or money - without a credit check. You can argue legalities but they simply won't hire you. Some employees must be "bonded" and that will also require a credit check.

    Insurance companies run credit checks repeatedly - and most people don't know that either. Policy rates can go up for someone with bad credit. In fact almost any company you sign up with for a service - phone/electric/satellite TV, etc will run a credit check when you apply for service.

    What needs to happen is to put more restrictions on the credit reporting agencies. They have too long to reply to errors and omissions and have too much control overall.
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Steve, I have to agree with you on the operations,and on the drugs they give us.
    If I had known the lasting effects of warfarin/Coumadin before I started taking it I dont think I would have. It has been almost 2 months since I stopped taking it and I can still have someone just bump into my arm and 5 minutes later I have a 1-3" bruise appear.
    And my cancer operation? Never would have done that either had I known the adverse results.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by KimW View Post

      Steve, I have to agree with you on the operations,and on the drugs they give us.
      If I had known the lasting effects of warfarin/Coumadin before I started taking it I dont think I would have. It has been almost 2 months since I stopped taking it and I can still have someone just bump into my arm and 5 minutes later I have a 1-3" bruise appear.
      And my cancer operation? Never would have done that either had I known the adverse results.
      WOW, I don't recall how long YOU might have been on it, and don't know what INR you might have had. The OFFICIAL word, that I was told by health pofessionals that have been brainwashed is that warfarin lasts over 2 weeks. They told me LIES, that they may not have known were lies, and who knows WHAT other lies they told.

      MY experience is that it starts to normalize after 1 day and may normalize within 3-5 days. The 3-5 is just an educated guess based on experience of a day. If you are healthy in that way, and don't need an INR over 1, eat kale, spinach, and other good greens and take a NORMAL daily vitamin. Senior vitamins cut back on vitamin K. BTW K can apparently be either K1, K2, or less likely, K3. ANOTHER lie the industry tells is that warfarin does NOT affect K metabolism. The list of potential side effects seem to disagree. So THAT might be your problem. Poor K metabolism can(a fact they DON'T tell you) affect the blood vessels and skin in a way that you will tend to bruise easier. This SOUNDS like warfarin, but is different.

      WARFARIN will start out showing where the impact was, and is likely BIG AND DARK! One on my leg started out effectively invisible and grew to be over 2 feet in diameter. It grew around my leg and made me unable to walk! A blood vessel/skin problem may start out with a bigger bruise(bigger at the start. Maybe .5-3.5") that doesn't grow NEARLY as big, and may be more the color of a bruise in the final stages of healing than one that looks like you just fell from a skyscraper. The vitamin K COULD maybe improve things within a week, but try giving it a few months. It will speed up the metabolism of what warfarin apparently inhibits. It MIGHT make your skin a bit thicker and more resistant to damage, and do the same with your blood vessels.

      ALSO, according to the side effects, experience can vary. It can go from ME. I don't get the bruising YOU talk about until my INR is like 4! To FAR worse than YOU, with NECROSIS! Be happy you didn't get THAT! As I understand, it can show as large ulcerations in the skin that make bruises seem like NOTHING!

      At least you didn't take toprol. They gave me toprol because I supposedly had high blood pressure. One of the side effects? VERY VERY VERY HIGH blood pressure if you go off of it.

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author KimW
    Kay, I agree with most of what you said,but you are right,they didn't randomly do the checks,they routinely did/do the checks. I don't know the last time you filled out a job application,but almost all of the have the statement that you are aware and allowing them to do such a check.
    Restrictions need to be put of the credit reporting agencies but also on the employers. I agree if the job you are applying for requires someone who will deal with confidential or financial information - or money ,then they have both the right and possible need.

    Credit information should only be allowed to be given wto those with a real need,and most service companies do NOT have that need.

    As far as insurance companies, I actually just read that today about automobile insurance companies,but I am sure the other types run them too.
    Basing rates for certain things because of a credit report should not be allowed.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    In my experience, legality has not much to do with what a lot of larger corporations seem to be able to get away with.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      Who Checks Your Credit Score And Why | PrivacyMatters.com

      Actually, legality has a lot to do with release of financial information. My point was the OP is saying you may not know potential employers might check credit. I don't agree as it is stated on app forms (sometimes in the small print) and often a separate release of information form must be signed during the application process.

      Employers have a big pool of applicants today - they aren't going to risk legal consequences by unlawful credit searches. They don't have to as most applicants will agree to a credit check. They may not like it - but they need the job.
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      Please do not 'release balloons' for celebrations. The balloons and trailing ribbons entangle birds and kill wildlife and livestock that think the balloons are food.
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      • Profile picture of the author KimW
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        Who Checks Your Credit Score And Why | PrivacyMatters.com

        Actually, legality has a lot to do with release of financial information. My point was the OP is saying you may not know potential employers might check credit. I don't agree as it is stated on app forms (sometimes in the small print) and often a separate release of information form must be signed during the application process.

        Employers have a bit pool of applicants today - they aren't going to risk legal consequences by unlawful credit searches. They don't have to as most applicants will agree to a credit check. They may not like it - but they need the job.
        Ah,then I misunderstood you Kay and we are in agreement.
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  • Profile picture of the author GforceSage
    Kay,

    The new law means the business is NOT supposed to even ask for your permission to run your credit. I think we can all see why they might want to if you are handling money or working in the finance department, but there have been so many complaints going in many directions as well as class action threats that something had to be done. Employers in California are not supposed to even ask for a credit check anymore because if they did, they would simply want to ask for permission and throw out those who say no to a credit check. There is now some legal meat for the applicant, however, proving you were discriminated against is another story.
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