Credit checks in hiring takes next step

There has been no end to the debate regarding the role credit checks should play in pre-employment background screening, with the majority of consumers and job applicants believing that credit checks have no place in the hiring process. On the other side of the argument, employers believe that someone with personal financial issues may not be completely reliable as part of their organization. It seems that the process is gradually progressing in favor of the consumer, with a bill limiting employment credit checks gaining approval in Maryland. The bill has passed both houses of the General Assembly and is on its way to Gov. Martin O’Malley’s desk, where the lead sponsor of the bill believes it will become law. “I have no reason to believe the governor won’t sign the bill,” Delegate Kirill Reznik said Wednesday, going on to re-enforce his belief that the legislation is also good for the economy. A poor credit history shouldn’t stop someone from getting a job, he said. “Bad credit is not a reflection on the ability to do a job,” Reznik said. “We have heard numerous stories about people who have gone through a lot of financial hardships in this economy, this recession, in the past two years. They lose their jobs and get bad credit through no fault of their own.” Melissa Broome, a senior policy advocate of the Job Opportunities Task Force, reported something similar: “In these difficult economic times, job-seekers are behind on their bills because they don’t have a job, but they can’t get a job because they’re behind on their bills. Passing this legislation will stop a vicious cycle by allowing Marylanders the chance to obtain a job and begin rebuilding their credit. People shouldn’t be passed over for jobs just because they’re behind on a bill”. This is one huge step forward for the unemployed in Maryland, and perhaps even across the nation. With various other states considering similar legislation, there will no doubt be some relieved job seekers across the country.]]>