[Peter B]

Where were you denied employment due to your credit score?

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

So being recently unemployed..I think just look around and sooner or later I will find a job..

And then I am told because I have negative or "BAD" credit I cannot be hired??

So now I am forever unemployable?

WTF sense does that make? How does my credit reflect the type of employee I am??

For that matter why is it used to base my insurance rates??

Cause I have "BAD" credit I might cheat??

Isn't that discrimination at the very least??

People with bad credit are more likely to....do bad things???

[Blue Grass Fever]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

So being recently unemployed..I think just look around and sooner or later I will find a job..

And then I am told because I have negative or "BAD" credit I cannot be hired??

So now I am forever unemployable?

WTF sense does that make? How does my credit reflect the type of employee I am??

For that matter why is it used to base my insurance rates??

Cause I have "BAD" credit I might cheat??

Isn't that discrimination at the very least??

People with bad credit are more likely to....do bad things???

Welcome to the wonderful world of economic eugenics.

[zthatzmanz28]

I signed a consent to background check (criminal) and it had a clause stating the employer could also do a credit worthiness check that could be considered in their decision to hire me or not.

I asked what effect a low score (negative) could have and was told it was typically company policy not to hire people with detrimental scores.

My wife has also been denied a job as well...so I guess we could always drive a few blocks over to Detroit and open a "business" to pay our mortgage right?

[malamute]

It may be discrimination but it's not the kind of discrimination that is covered by race, gender, religion.

Now many landlords want to do credit checks before having you sign a rental agreement.

I think part of it has to do with the idea that someone handling money or company assets should have a good record. Banks for example try to not hire someone who is very deeply in debt maybe because they believe the temptation to embezzle is less when someone can pay his bills.

It's another good reason to pay your bills, not get in debt that you can't handle, not live far beyond your means.

[zthatzmanz28]

Originally Posted by malamute

It may be discrimination but it's not the kind of discrimination that is covered by race, gender, religion.

Now many landlords want to do credit checks before having you sign a rental agreement.

I think part of it has to do with the idea that someone handling money or company assets should have a good record. Banks for example try to not hire someone who is very deeply in debt maybe because they believe the temptation to embezzle is less when someone can pay his bills.

It's another good reason to pay your bills, not get in debt that you can't handle, not live far beyond your means.

OR BECOME UNEMPLOYED...if this happens you may never get ANOTHER JOB until you fix your credit which you cannot do unless you have a job which will not happen until you fix your credit,,(I sense a cycle starting)kind of like playing

GLOBAL THERMO-NUCLEAR WAR--

[Cliffie]

Originally Posted by wanderer74

Or in my case, we didn't have the recommended 6 months of savings in the bank when my husband lost his job and couldn't find another one for 10 months, and his unemployment checks were only enough to keep the roof over our heads. In this current economic climate it does seem that credit checks as a criteria in offering jobs is particularly unfair, especially for jobs that don't involve any access to money (although I can see how it could be an issue for someone trying to get hired in the banking industry).

They've upped the standards. You now want to have TWO YEARS' worth of living expenses in the bank.

Or if the poster who started this discussion is representative of unemployed job-seekers, SEVEN years, because you won't be hired until your TRW is clear!

[dragon_fly_12]

And, to add to this.... the credit scores are not even tallied on a fair scale.

If you're a cash buyer who lives within your means and doesn't rely on revolving credit to furnish your house or put food on your table, you have no credit score (and are high risk).

If you're a credit card holder who pays their credit card bill in full every single month because, again, you live within your means, you have a poor credit score (and are high risk. again.)

If you're a credit card holder and are robbing peter to pay paul, have multiple revolving accounts, and living paycheck to paycheck well beyond your means - BUT, every payment is made on time every month, you have GREAT credit as long as your debt vs income ratio is within a certain percentage (and are medium - low risk).

Makes perfect sense.

To the OP: yes, I sympathize with you... I've been denied employment over mediocre - bad credit (*ahem* no credit because I pay cash and don't spend what I don't have). Its not fair, but they can justify because its a buyers market right now. Just gives them yet another tool to thin out the field.

[Peter B]

Lets try again. Where were u denied employment due to your credit score?

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

I signed a consent to background check (criminal) and it had a clause stating the employer could also do a credit worthiness check that could be considered in their decision to hire me or not.

I asked what effect a low score (negative) could have and was told it was typically company policy not to hire people with detrimental scores.

My wife has also been denied a job as well...so I guess we could always drive a few blocks over to Detroit and open a "business" to pay our mortgage right?

[wigirl920]

Originally Posted by zthatzmanz28

So being recently unemployed..I think just look around and sooner or later I will find a job..

And then I am told because I have negative or "BAD" credit I cannot be hired??

So now I am forever unemployable?

WTF sense does that make? How does my credit reflect the type of employee I am??

For that matter why is it used to base my insurance rates??

Cause I have "BAD" credit I might cheat??

Isn't that discrimination at the very least??

People with bad credit are more likely to....do bad things???

I wouldn't say you are forever unemployable but it can limit your options. There are plenty of jobs out there that don't require you to have good credit. Credit checks are a way to determine responsibility, both fiscally and otherwise. I don't necessarily agree with it either but that's the way it is. Only way to change it is to lobby for a change.

As for insurance rates, that all goes back to responsibility as well. Insurance companies are banking on the fact that you're a responsible person and won't cost them tons of money. Yeah, driving and paying your bills are two entirely different things but irresponsibility tends to branch out to several facets of a person's life.

Don't give up...there are lots of employers that could care less what your credit score is.

[zthatzmanz28]

Originally Posted by Peter B

Lets try again. Where were u denied employment due to your credit score?

yes.