Disqualifying Job Applicants based on Credit History

Long Term Care Columnist / Guide · Dec 21, 2002

Here's another injustice: I have a really bad credit history, but I'm a reliable employee AND a good driver, 20 years without a single moving violation and no accidents. Guess what--insurance companies determine your rates based on your credit report! I probably pay more for my auto insurance than my neighbor, who has several tickets but whose wife makes a ton of money so they have no financial problems. It stinks on ice, I tell you......but then, I've never been denied a job because of my credit rating, maybe because I tend to seek jobs at dysfunctional facilities that have financial troubles of their own. That, however, is a story for another day. :rolleyes:

Vsummer1 · Dec 21, 2002

Oh please. This started over a $700 debt that someone felt they couldn't pay. So they didn't bother, thinking it would never find them. What did you do, throw the bills away without even calling the creditors?

This is gonna sound really callous, and I FEEL callous becouse of the minimal amount of money this thread started over. Want to hear the boo-hoo sob story???

I had it made. I had credit, a house, I was golden. Shit happened. Between the house, the car and all the rest it wasn't like a mere $700 this all started with. PLEASE. I wish it was only $700. The fact of the matter is, you signed a contract. Legally binding to pay a debt -- you charged that card according to the terms. And you failed to make even the slightest effort! And people blame "interest". Sorry, you use other people's money, you get charged according to the contract you agreed to by using their money.

Why do I know this? Because after 48 weeks of chemo I was in debt over $40,000. Not a mere little $700. If I could manage to work menial jobs after I was well, while going to school to keep a JUDGEMENT in court off my record by MAKING THE MINIMAL EFFORT of calling my creditors weekly anyone could. Did you decide you shouldn't call them when the bill came in? Perhaps filing it away in the trash would make it go away?? I had serious debt which you could never comprehend. We are talking UNSECURED debt of 40K and not even the car, the house etc. I almost lost my LIFE.

Sorry to sound so mean, but those creditors were on my behind, which I worked off to pay them. I never filed bankruptucy. I worked all my life and all was taken away with a doctors' visit.

What did you buy with your mere $700 of debt? I bought my LIFE and paid for my medication using other people's money. I didn't get a nice pair of shoes, or a new sweater. And I managed to be a single person who LIVED and worked to pay off those 40,000 of debts. In fact, last month I made my final payment on the last of the credit cards I lived off of while I was unable to work due to the chemo. So all this whining about shopping too much and building up debt really has me rather in a tizzy.

Flame away, I don't care. I lived through hell and I am on the other side -- with my debts paid because I talked to my creditors and didn't file them in the trash with the rest of my life when it went to hell.

Teshiee · Dec 21, 2002

I have to disagree what does your credit have to do with your job performance. First of all it is a private matter for one. A job is not giving you a loan or buying you a damn thing. You work for them and get paid. I know people who are very responsible at their job and may have credit problems. Lets face it some of us have been divorced and our spouses have screwed us. Credit reports are bias not fair and doesn't make you who you are. I would never work for a company that wants to know my credit rating.

Vsummer1 · Dec 21, 2002

I was going to add to my other post but felt it best to post another in case someone wanted to misquote me and blame it on an edit:

see my tag line for my philosophy on all of this. Martyr's don't make it with me, I could of died one, but still didn't fail to take care of business.

emily_mom · Dec 21, 2002

I've heard (my friend is in HR) they do it b/c they think if you have bad credit, you may steal from patients and also meds. They consider you high risk...it's almost like people with bad credit are less honest people. A bunch of crapola if you ask me. I have bad credit, which I am working to correct, but I would never be dishonest about it. I'm not going to start stealing Vicodin and selling it on the black market to pay off my bills...:)

Kristy

Flo1216 · Dec 21, 2002

VSUMMER-I am sorry...what thread were you referring to? I can't find it. You sound very angry . I am sorry about what happened to you and I hope you are healthy now. I still however, do not think that your credit should disqualify you from getting a job. Like you said, shit happens.

sunnygirl272 · Dec 21, 2002

Originally posted by Flo1216
VSUMMER-I am sorry...what thread were you referring to? I can't find it. You sound very angry . I am sorry about what happened to you and I hope you are healthy now. I still however, do not think that your credit should disqualify you from getting a job. Like you said, shit happens.

https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=27725&highlight=credit

mattsmom81 · Dec 21, 2002

I agree...shit happens sometimes...I can relate as I have quite a few medical bills to pay myself.

People look at poor credit history and think 'here is a person who doesn't meet their responsibilities...who does not keep committments". Often this is an unfair assumption.

Employers look at this info because they can get away with it. HR folks are often control freaks anyway...nurses make more $$ than them and some resent that so they like to put the screws to nurses' applications.

Many hospitals feel all their problems would be solved if only the 'right' nurses are hired to work for them...and they define what is 'right'. HR puts nurses through the mill many times...'specially when we get older. God help us if we've had a documented work injury or health problems...that makes us bad prospects too.

Makes me laugh about this 'shortage' when they can be so so picky, eh??

2banurse · Dec 21, 2002

Originally posted by Vsummer1
Oh please. This started over a $700 debt that someone felt they couldn't pay. So they didn't bother, thinking it would never find them. What did you do, throw the bills away without even calling the creditors?

This is gonna sound really callous, and I FEEL callous becouse of the minimal amount of money this thread started over. Want to hear the boo-hoo sob story???

I had it made. I had credit, a house, I was golden. Shit happened. Between the house, the car and all the rest it wasn't like a mere $700 this all started with. PLEASE. I wish it was only $700. The fact of the matter is, you signed a contract. Legally binding to pay a debt -- you charged that card according to the terms. And you failed to make even the slightest effort! And people blame "interest". Sorry, you use other people's money, you get charged according to the contract you agreed to by using their money.

Why do I know this? Because after 48 weeks of chemo I was in debt over $40,000. Not a mere little $700. If I could manage to work menial jobs after I was well, while going to school to keep a JUDGEMENT in court off my record by MAKING THE MINIMAL EFFORT of calling my creditors weekly anyone could. Did you decide you shouldn't call them when the bill came in? Perhaps filing it away in the trash would make it go away?? I had serious debt which you could never comprehend. We are talking UNSECURED debt of 40K and not even the car, the house etc. I almost lost my LIFE.

Sorry to sound so mean, but those creditors were on my behind, which I worked off to pay them. I never filed bankruptucy. I worked all my life and all was taken away with a doctors' visit.

What did you buy with your mere $700 of debt? I bought my LIFE and paid for my medication using other people's money. I didn't get a nice pair of shoes, or a new sweater. And I managed to be a single person who LIVED and worked to pay off those 40,000 of debts. In fact, last month I made my final payment on the last of the credit cards I lived off of while I was unable to work due to the chemo. So all this whining about shopping too much and building up debt really has me rather in a tizzy.

Flame away, I don't care. I lived through hell and I am on the other side -- with my debts paid because I talked to my creditors and didn't file them in the trash with the rest of my life when it went to hell.

Val, it isn't over just $700 and it wasn't for a sweater or such, it was probably for groceries or medicine for myself as well. You are very condescending...when you have a mess of debts and your rent and car payment are also due? which do you pay...I'm sorry but as I chose not to be homeless, my rent is the first thing I have to make sure that I have. How do you chose between buying bread and milk and paying for a credit card? As I had mentioned numerous times, I am not proud of this and if I had been able, I would have paid this off. I'm sorry you are having such a tough time...but since you have no idea of my total situation, I think that you can't assume things you have no knowledge of.

Kris

KMSRN · Dec 21, 2002

Your credit report is a reflection of the choices you have made over the past 7-10 years. It is a reflection of your integrity because it shows how honest and reliable you have been in repaying your debts. That debt is not mysterious amounts some unknown entitiy has unfairly dumped on your shoulders. It is money (someone else's) that you have chosen to use, for your benefit, and made a commitment to repay in a timely manner. When you sign for a loan or credit card you are giving your word that it will be repaid in the manner specified in the contract - usually a certain amount monthly until it is paid in full. When it is not paid per the contract you are in default, you have broken your word and damaged your credibility. In the future credit will be more diffcult to obtain because you have demonstrated that you are untrustworthy.

Bad things do happen. When you have debt you are unable to repay due to unforseen circumstances you contact your creditors and explain the situation and try to renegotiate terms. And/or you go to a consumer credit agency, give them your information and let them help you set up a new payment plan. Your credit may still be damaged but the damage will be limited and will show that you have made a good faith effort to pay your debt. And the sooner you limit the damage, the sooner it can be repaired.

I suspect that most poor credit reports don't indicated a catastrophic event but show a long term pattern of poor choices and spending beyond one's means. When you don't pay your debts as promised, it suggests a lack of honesty and reliability. And this is why your credit report is relevant to hiring. If someone is not reliable in one area of their life it is much more likely that they will not be reliable in other areas.

p.s. This applies to all areas of life. We are not in our current circumstances, good or bad, because of "luck" or uncontrollable circumstances. Our situations are a direct result of the choices we have made. (You chose that husband, that friend, to buy that new car, to save money or not to save money, etc)

hoolahan, ASN, RN · Dec 21, 2002

Val, exactly the point!! If an employee had pulled a CB on you, at your lowest financial point, it would have made you look...? Like a bad credit risk? Like an irresponsible person, which clearly you are NOT, but how would they know that by looking at a peice of paper?? Or make you look like a bad nurse??

Pulling a credit report is NOT a complete indication of your ability to perform at a job. There may even be a nurse or two out there who is using 2 SSN's, but taking excellent care of his/her pt's.

I still say, I would rather have a psych eval, a polygraph, and a criminal background check, but my financial status is NONE of my employer's concern....PERIOD!!!! As Val points out, she would have looked like a horrible risk, yet she managed to get herself out of debt, even nif it took a while. Taking a CB is looking like one peice of a puzzle, you cannot see the whole picture!!

sjoe · Dec 21, 2002

kmsrn writes: "We are not in our current circumstances, good or bad, because of "luck" or uncontrollable circumstances. Our situations are a direct result of the choices we have made. (You chose that husband, that friend, to buy that new car, to save money or not to save money, etc)"

Exactly right, IMHO.

Here's a quote from Martin Kantor: "It is reassuring to blame the world instead of blaming yourself because you feel less responsible, and as a result you feel less guilty. But sooner or later, instead of feeling guilty you feel hopeless. Now the bad news begins. You feel more depressed because you feel that since you aren't the problem, you can no longer control the situation, take charge of your life, and come up with a solution."