When preparing to apply for a new position you have a lot of things to consider. One of the important considerations should be for you to be prepared for the company you are interviewing with to conduct acredit checkas part of the employment background check process.
An employer may want to inquire about your credit before deciding to hire you for many reasons. First, according to research by the Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA), formerly, the National Association of Professional Background Screeners (NAPBS), about 16% of all companies conduct extensive financial checks on all candidates who come in for jobs.
Why do they conduct these types of checks? The following are some of the reasons:
These checks are especially important for employers if the job description involves responsibility for significant financial resources.
What Information May an Employer Access When Conducting an Employment Credit Check?
According to GoodHire, a leading background-checking provider, “Employment credit checks show a record of a person’s credit-to-debt ratio and past bankruptcies, providing insight into how someone has managed credit and bill payments in the past — an important indicator for positions where the employee will be handling or managing money. While credit checks for employment do not report credit scores, results may include:
What they cannot check is your credit score. This is not a part of the official report that an employer receives.
To What Extent Does a Credit Check Affect Your Employment Opportunities?
It is entirely possible for a negative credit check assessment to have an impact on the decision to hire or not hire you.
There have been numerous cases where an employee in the final stages of the employment selection process has been denied opportunities because of information provided in their credit history. This is despite research that has shown little correlation between a negative credit assessment and a person’s ability to perform a job.
This is primarily because employers use these checks as an indicator of financial trustworthiness and responsibility. Thus, an unsatisfactory report may affect your chances of being seen positively by any potential employers you’re hoping to impress.
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Is It Legal for An Employer to Conduct Credit Checks in Your State?
The legal ability of an employer to conduct a credit check during the hiring process is governed by state laws. With this thought in mind, it is important for you to find out if the state where you are applying for a position allows employees to conduct employment credit checks.
In continuation of a law passed by the House Committee on Financial Services, employers and managers in certain states are not allowed to use credit reports to make any decisions regarding hiring or firing. This same law also prohibits the use of any inquiries relating to credit checks in job interviews and assessments.
Listed below are the jurisdictions, states, and cities, that have passed laws that either prohibit employers from using credit checks on applicants/employees to make employment-related decisions or restrict the usage of credit history checks:
If you are applying for a position that is in one of the above states or cities make sure you fully understand the legal requirements that set the boundaries employers must adhere to if they want to conduct a credit check.
As a Job Applicant, What Are Your Rights?
While some states may allow more freedom to employers during employee background checks, it is not without regulations. They must follow certain rules before getting access to employee information. As a potential employee, keep these rights in mind:
Summary
The purpose of this article is to help you to be better informed about how employers may use credit checks as a part of the employment background check process.
If you need more information on employee screening, your rights, and advice on how you can manage issues related to them visit theEmployment Screening Advice Center blog.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is strictly for educational purposes and is not intended to provide legal advice. We accept no responsibility for any actions you take based on the information provided in this article. Before implementing credit checks on job applicants, you should consult a competent attorney with specialized knowledge of background screening.