Overview of The Idea of Credit Rating in The Hiring Process of a Worker

Credit Score in Relation to Employment

Introduction

Once upon a time there was no such thing as a credit score. Individuals had contracts and traded for goods and services, but there was no technology or tracking of an individual’s private data, such as their employers, social security numbers, amount of loans, or payment history. Today, not only do we have credit score, but they are the primary deciding factor in whether or not an individual can own a home, a car, or a boat. If an individual does not have an adequate credit score or enough cash on hand to purchase what they want, they simply cannot have it. There are no hand shake deals or deals sealed by someone’s honor or good family name. Credit scores are more available than ever and are being utilized as a determining factor in employment and medical services. The utilization of credit scores as well as the importance of credit scores has sky rocketed and given power to institutions over nearly every aspect of an individual’s life.

In the past, an individual was considered for and hired into a position based on their education and/or experience levels. An employer might have also asked for references or a drug test, but they could not and/or would not try to obtain an individual’s credit score as a part of the applicant considerations. Prior to typed resumes and fax machines, there was US mail that could send information about applicants or students, but any background checks took more than a push of a button. Now background checks, which often include credit checks and credit history can be obtained online through the push of a button at little to no cost to individuals and employers alike.

With the growth and speed of technology, there is less and less privacy. Employers will soon know anything and everything they wish to know about any applicants without meeting or speaking with the candidates. There is a loss of personal relationships and individuals that have the enthusiasm or will to do a job will be left unnoticed because of what a computer summarizes about them. This is not to say that individuals should not be considered based on their employment history or education. An employment history and education level documented is very different than a credit score. Credit scores and payment histories do not determine who an individual is or what they are worth. Neither do employment histories and education levels, but at least these two come closer to illustrating what a person is capable of.

Credit scores are affecting by so many variables that it is unfair to judge an individual based on this factor. People sometimes fall behind on payments for reasons beyond their control, so to determine an individual should not be in the running for a high paying job simply because they fell on hard times or faced a family emergency, illness, or natural disaster is absurd. Banks and financial institutions often cite the ability to manage money as a pre-requisite to obtaining a job and can thus justify using credit scores as justified. Other employers cannot.

The topic of this research paper is the controversy in credit scores being taken into account when hiring an individual or considering an application in the hiring process. The research question is, how does an individual’s credit score affect their ability or inability to attain a job and keep it and should it be a determining factor? This paper will address the following subtopics:

1. How common is it for employers to check credit scores?
2. Laws regarding discrimination based on credit
3. Objections to credit checks for employment.
4. Why employers check credit scores.
5. Alternatives to checking credit scores.