I came across this article explaining that more and more states are considering banning the practice of employers running credit checks on applicants–and I, for one, am all for such a ban. Job hunting in and of itself can be a demoralizing activity where rejection seems to outdistance approval by a good three or four miles.
While I understand the theory behind the practice, to me it seems just another way to take some of the responsibility off the person doing the hiring, and placing it more on the system. A way not to take the blame, because you never have to take a stand. In many ways it mirrors the zero tolerance policies in many schools that send elementary kids out in handcuffs for writing on a desk or home with a week’s suspension because mom packed a butter knife in the lunchbox.
Not actually doing any hiring may make my stance a little easier, but it doesn’t seem right to deny a person a second chance–weather they’ve blown up their social standing or simply bounced a few checks and paid some bills late during some lean times.
States May Ban Credit Checks on Job Applicants (USA Today)
It’s hard enough to find a job in this economy, and now some people are facing another hurdle: Potential employers are holding their credit histories against them.
Sixty percent of employers recently surveyed by the Society for Human Resources Management said they run credit checks on at least some job applicants, compared with 42 percent in a somewhat similar survey in 2006.
