User Panel
Posted: 2/9/2006 1:02:07 PM EDT
I've applied for a few jobs lately where you had to sign authorization for them to run a credit check on you. I think it's BS and they shouldn't be able to. What do you think?
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Employers should have the right to run a credit check on you with your consent. Employees should have the right to not provide consent. If you're asking "should the government prohibit prospective employers from running credit checks" my answer is "no".
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For professional positions. Yes.
If you cannot manager your money, I do not want you managing mine. If I am hiring a janitor then I do not care. |
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Doesn't the janitor have the keys to everything? |
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not to the safe. |
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I think another aspect is possibly that they feel someone with bad credit and lots of debt is more likely to steal from the company in some way.
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and if they are driving a truck, they may incur some liability to the company if they are irresponsible and cause an accident. Or, maybe log on a few extra miles to boos their pay. or..........whatever else they may think of.......... |
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While I don't run credit checks.....it is an important judge of character.
Whether it be an employee or (believe it or not) even girlfriend. (not that I would consider running a credit check on someone I was dating, but in my old age, I have noticed that girls with good credit are better "girlfriends". If that makes any sense to anyone except me.) |
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I had to go through a credit report just to be considered for work during a two week shutdown at a nuke plant. No big deal for me, but I can understand why some people might have a problem with it.
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I think turnabout is fair play. I want to see credit reports for everyone up the line from me in the chain of command. After all, if they can't manage their own money, how can I be sure my job will be there tomorrow? |
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Give this man a cigar! |
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An employer wants to know how you handle your money before they let you handle their money.
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If I'm hiring someone with cash management responsibilities, I'm running a credit check before hiring. People who have heavy debts and easy access to someone else's cash are a bad combination.
If I'm hiring a production employee who doesn't collect cash, doesn't sign checks or has any say in the financial aspect of the business, I really don't see the point. If I'm going to hire a guy to wash windows, I don't really care what his credit is like. |
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Those of you saying a credit report is a GOOD measure of character is wrong. I messed up on my first credit card and it took me a while to straighten it out again, going by my credit report someone might have thought I was untrustworthy. In actuality I am one of the MOST honest people you will ever meet. I have NEVER stolen EVER, not even as a kid.
My credit Is fine now, but I dont think what a computer says should be the true measure of a man. |
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I think we also need to know your sexual history. How many firearms you possess. Your marriage history. Your medical history. Now me, I've got nuthin' to hide...you? Is that even relevant? |
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Isn't that the damn truth these days. |
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YES Definitely and here's why:
A lot of professional positions attract "High Rollers" and you know exactly what I mean. They are people with champaign tastes and beer budgets. (Just about EVERYONE in a commission or base plus commission sales position qualifys for that statement.) You hire someone who likes to "flash the cash", drives a Lexus (gee, you were stupid enough to pay $60k for a CAMRY???), lives in the country club addition and is in hock up to their eyeballs. Bankruptcies waiting to happen, and when they do they will rip off YOU! You, as an employer will always be at fault no matter what a "high roller's" problem is...you're not paying him enough, you passed him over for a promotion, etc, etc, and he/she will steal from you to continue their lavish and undeserved lifestyle. I'd rather hire a person of modest means and then help them make themselves rich than hire a high-roller and have him suck me down with him. |
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I think a credit check is a smart idea for employers.
It can show a lot of things in a prospective employees background. |
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I said "better" measure, not "perfect" measure. Why would/should an employer take an unnecessary risk with their own money and property on somebody with bad credit? |
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Don't ever get in my industry then. Not only is it standard to run a credit check, but an FBI background check as well. As well as a 3yr work history verification and a educational background check. And if you have a DUI, forget it. Make sense if you are handling Million to billions of dollars for clients money don't you think. Companies are more and more relying of credit checks to establish character of the person they hire. |
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I think they should find out whether you know the difference between perspective and prospective first...
(J/K ) I'll have to agree with the very first response you got:
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i just encountered this last week. i did not check that box. the HR rep asked me why. i informed her that i hold a fully adjudicated TOP SECRET clearance with an SSBI investigation and that i didnt think her little engineering company needed to scrutinize my personal finances. she was ok with that and didnt press it. we'll see if they make me an offer.
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As I recall, there is usually a part of the application/interview process where they want to know about hobbies, if there are physical limitations, children, special accomodations, etc. They WILL find out what they want to know. They can also call your former employer and ask questions and know by what they are told (or not told) as to your work history. Much of this is irrelevant to ones work, but, whether someone may steal is. Credit history may be a good indicator. |
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Well you married her... While a few people will be victims of this it is correctable/explainable and there is a definite need to check the credit of potential employees in some businesses. |
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Dusty, can you clarify your question? When you say "be able to", do you mean to ask "should it be legal"? Or are you asking for an opinion of the practice in general, government involvement notwithstanding?
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One more step on the road to hell. I'm more and more convinced lately that the Social Security Number truly is the mark of the beast.
As for a credit check being a 'mark of character?' Bullshit. I know plenty of folks who were like I was up until a year or so ago. No credit rating. At all. Why? Because not only did I not make mistakes, I also didn't go financing shit, getting credit cards, etc. I lived quite comfortably saving my money for things I wanted, and paying my bills on time. Does the fact that I didn't have some arbitrary number assigned to my name make me 'irresponsible?' |
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Actually, Dusty, you've answered yourself. A job cannot check your credit on their own, for no reason. You have to sign a consent. Signing this consent is likely a condition to be considered for employment. Just like consenting to a pre-employment drug screening is usually a condition to be considered for employment. You have a choice at this point: A) Sign, and be considered, or B) Tell them to pound sand, and inquire about employment elsewhere. |
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If you are worried about you privacy....don't give them permission. It's that simple. They won't investigate your ability to run your own affairs before entrusting you with their business investments. You likely won't get the job....but you'll have your privacy. Ever hear the saying "cutting off your nose to spite your face"? I have to fax in an authorization form this very evening, allowing a Gentleman for whom I hope to go to work, to run a credit / background check on me. My credit is good. I have no skeletons in my closet...and I'm proud of it. Furthermore, I don't really give a flyin fuck who knows that I'm an upstanding citizen. The job I am seeking involves managing about $50 million dollars of the Gentlemans' business investments. I don't begrudge him making every effort to ascertain my charachter, ability to manage capital, or any other questions he can envision. Were I concerned with regards to what he may find out...I'd look for a job that requires less scrutiny. Hell, I'll bet even Wally World would hire me....but the job challenges and remuneration don't compare! |
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i dont believe its cutting off your nose. if youre a good applicant, with good references not allowing a credit check will not keep you from getting the job. it just means you need to be that much stronger of a candidate.
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As stated in previous posts...it depends on the position. A person hiring Computer techs, or airline pilots, likely won't put as much credence into what shape the candidates personal finances are in. They would most likely be scrutinized for security/criminal criteria. On the other hand, someone that handles cash, securities, or tangible convertable assets would likely require more screening to ascertain that they are unlikely to abscond with recipts and/or tangible easily converted assets. It would also depend on the autonomy of the position and the amount of audit supervision that can be maintained over that person. It's basic risk management. |
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My current employer everyone from the CEO to the file clerk goes through a rigorous background check:
- Criminal history run by a national firm - Credit history - Work history verification - Education verification - Every reference is called and grilled for 30+ minutes - Psychological profile and assessment |
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Apply for a government job, or one with a contractor.
The credit check is the least invasive part. |
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It should be 'prospective' not "perspective". Sorry man.
ETA: These days employers can't do a lot of asking questions about you with your former employers, so a credit check is about all they have to go on as far as evaluating your personal character, outside of a job interview. References are always going to be good, otherwise you wouldn't refer them. |
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I had a credit checks back when I was applying to be a Financial Advisor...For what the potential pay was I had no problems with it.
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If you are directly handling money I don't have a problem with it, otherwise, NO.
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I am all for it.
If you have bad credit you are a risk as an employee. It is certainly a more legitimate thing to look at then most of what HR does. I have yet to work anyplace where HR has a clue though. I've watched them hire more incompetent, lazy psychos than I could count and I had their number inside of 2 minutes. |
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Sorry, only *professional* references are grilled. If the professional reference is a technical dumbass, he/she/it gets removed and we ask for a new reference. Work history is different, see above. ETA both times I've outed frauds in a company I worked for they both had very shitty credit scores. Not all people with bad credit are frauds, but most frauds have bad credit. One went to prison, and I testified at his sentencing hearing towards his deceipt. I hope he likes taking it up the poop chute during his 5 year stay for his $80k take. If you're going to commit a crime, at least make the profit worth the penalty. |
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Depends on the position. If you'll be handling money, then it makes sense. Otherwise, it's none of their business, IMO.
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What? The janitor has access to everything in the building |
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I wish they would run a credit check on me....see my outstanding credit and offer me the fing job already!!!!
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