i was offered a job at the hospital and they said they wanted to run a credit check?
why do they do that ?
What are they looking for?
I have one bill in collections which has a duplicate- any one know what i can do?
the collection amt is $567.00 -which i just paid. i settled with the creditor and they said it will show up on my credit report i 30-90 days. its a AT&T bill long ago
Specializes in ER, ICU, Infusion, peds, informatics.
i have had a credit check run on every job application i have submitted since i was 16 yrs old. this includes health care and non-health care industries.
since i was 16, i have had varying credit scores, from poor (when i was young and didn't have credit) to very good (last year after i paid off a bunch of bills). after college, i had several "late" entries on my report; i'm not sure what my rating was then, but is wasn't great at that time.
i have *never* been denied a job based off my credit rating. potential employers use credit reports in ways that are totally different than how potential lenders use credit reports. my dad did quite a bit of hiring/firing at his old job (recently retired), and he always checked a credit report before he hired someone. it was rare for him to deny someone a job based only off the credit report.
like others have said, he wasn't looking so much at overall score, but for historical information (such as addresses) and general patterns. how bad the credit report had to be to trigger a "no hire" depended on the position. if the job required cash handeling, then he would pay more attention to the credit report. if the job didn't require cash handeling, he was checking more to make sure the applicant wasn't lying.
I applied at a hospital that, if I recall correctly, stated on the application that they may run a credit check. I am assuming that that is a good reason I didn't get the job; my credit is unfortunately horrific.
I think it's seen as a testament to your character. If so, I'm Jack The Ripper. Between student loans, dozens of medical bills, and old credit card debt, I often feel like I'm drowning and don't have a clue where to begin...
I hear you! Mine is pretty bad too, although I'm trying to fix it. I find that if I'm honest and let them know that it's bad, but I'm trying to remedy the situation..that goes a long way.
The nurses mentality that a credit check only relates to their spending habits is a grossly inaccurate misrepresentation of the facts and it doesn't adequately address or reflect the many unrealized ramifications and/or complications associated with conducting such credit/background investigations.
I am horrified and appalled that United States hospitals can do credit checks on prospective employees. What about human rights? What about privacy?
Maybe prospective employees should do credit checks on employers to make sure they can pay their wages? Now that would be something.
Before you get bent out of shape, I don't have a source, except for a long work history in upper-level management and attending tons of seminars that teach management why certain tests are given, credit checks are made, etc, given by the companies that offer the services. That's how I know.
Keep in mind that insurance companies have done the same thing for years. Everything is based on statistics...that is why men pay more than women, sports cars are higher to insure than regular sedans, your marital status is a factor, the COLOR of some cars will make a difference in your premium, and in my state, if your CREDIT is bad, you pay a higher premium, because statistically, you are more likely to make a claim.
It has nothing to do with character. That is why I clearly stated that I didn't agree with the practice, but if you want to know why, that's why.
MLOS, I think you are completely missing the point.
You would "think" that it would be a simple process but the background check/ credit history practice is discriminatory in practice when it involves foreign nationals residing in the US.
...
A potential employer may have the option of personally contacting previous employers as a form of verification of previous employment, however conducting a credit check is not going to reveal any information at all.
You have to consider whether the employer is going to go through all the trouble of doing this on your behalf or is the HR department just following a policy that relies on the "brain dead" system of using the background/credit check system as a matter and method of pre screening applicants instead? Are you merely a checklist of various criteria before you are even called in for an interview?
What if the Canadian credit report doesn't reveal your previous US addresses. Will the Canadian employer think you are lying and automatically discard your application based on this "erroneous" and inaccurate information you have provided your potential employer?
My Best.
Patient_Care_Asst, I think we've somehow gotten stuck on what I consider to be a "duh" point. I appreciate the fact that you see the credit check for what it typically is: a means of fact-checking which is not typically focused on financial info, at least in the context we're discussing which is hiring for the health-care field.
My experience both applying for jobs as a tech & nurse, and for many years in my life-before-I-became-a-nurse is this: resumes/applications are screened, some number of candidates are selected for interviewing, and then the background check process begins on those candidates who are actually being considered for hire. No matter what form it takes, it does take time & resources and it would be costly & unproductive to verify info on candidates whom the organization has no interest in even bringing in for an interview. So yes, I believe that all but the most brain-dead organizations will say, "duh - of course Mr./Ms. X has spent time living and working in Canada/Russia/Outer Mongolia and therefore that info cannot be verified with a credit report obtained from US companies. We'll have to use other means of checking Mr./Ms. X's background if we are seriously interested in him/her as a candidate."
A lot of posters are giving justifications as to why an employer would want to check your credit rating. For me this isn't the point. I don't care what benefit they see in it, I find it offensive and will not allow it. As I said, it hasn't hurt my employability so far.
As for checking past addresses, that's easily enough done in a criminal background check. I've updated the list of my addresses yearly, and since I've been a traveler for 11 years, it's quite a list! For employment history, it's not that difficult to contact previous employers, in my case only 3 different employers in the last 25 years and I'm pretty sure the state of Maryland and the Federal government are still in business, as well as my current agency. So nothing they need to gain by checking my credit rating.
Specializes in Med/surg,Tele,PACU,ER,ICU,LTAC,HH,Neuro.
A lot of posters are giving justifications as to why an employer would want to check your credit rating. For me this isn't the point. I don't care what benefit they see in it, I find it offensive and will not allow it. As I said, it hasn't hurt my employability so far.
As for checking past addresses, that's easily enough done in a criminal background check. I've updated the list of my addresses yearly, and since I've been a traveler for 11 years, it's quite a list! For employment history, it's not that difficult to contact previous employers, in my case only 3 different employers in the last 25 years and I'm pretty sure the state of Maryland and the Federal government are still in business, as well as my current agency. So nothing they need to gain by checking my credit rating.
Since I will be returning to nursing soon, I too find this practice offensive also and have been running scenarios in my mind..
The one I like has me playing the dumb blond..it goes.
Prospective Employer: "Nurse L, we would like to run a credit check on you, is that alright?......."
Nurse L: "Oh No, I am trying to buy a car and don't want my credit checked. This is not necessary for this job anyway right?."
Prospective Employer: " Oh, It doesn't ding your credit."
Nurse L: " That is what the last five Department Stores and Credit card companyies told me..They were not telling the truth."
I would prefer to just say NO, but I fear it would DING my chances of getting a job...sigh>:angryfire
personally, i refuse to allow a credit check for employment. as long as my job doesn't involve handling money (or other negotiable valuables) i don't feel that my credit rating is any of their business. i've consented to employment history, criminal background checks and urine drug screens, but this is where i personally draw the line.
as long as most people continue to tolerate this invasive behavior it will continue and worsen.
i agree that this is a hatefully invasive practice. life in america has become frightfully orwellian - nothing is private anymore. that said, how have you been able to deny them access to your credit records??? don't they just need your ssn to get into them? thanks for the info
And yes, employment does show up on a credit report. So do previous addresses.
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Wrong!!!!!!!!!!
I previously lived and was employed in Canada for most of my life. Do you think any US credit agency has this information available on file?
No. Because in Canada I used a Social Insurance Number. In the US I have a Social Security Number. Two completely different numbers.
Credit checks do not extend beyond borders. The information provided by US credit agencies are limited only to US boundaries in scope.
In addition, US employers never ask me for my SIN number. They only ask me to verify my SSI number for conducting these background checks. In fact they have no legal authority to ask me for my SIN number or to conduct a Canadian credit check. It's against the law even if I give them permission. The laws pertaining to this employer practice are quite different in Canada.
So I am a "ghost" with no previous credit or work history although in Canada, I had perfect credit, owned several homes, attended 4 colleges, have been employed for 30 years in the reality of things.
On the other hand according to my US credit history I have only lived at one address for my entire life, I have only been employed at one place for 2 years, I never went to any schools, I never owned a home and I have zero credit history. ...Neat huh?
Result?: Employers think I am lying about my previous addresses and employment history because it doesn't show up on any credit or background check report! You don't even have the opportunity to make it into the interview to explain the situation. Your so called "erroneous" application is automatically rejected and discarded into the round file because of these pre employment credit/background checks. Talk about frustrating!
Another reason why these credit/background checks are completely bogus, discriminatory and don't reflect accurate information.
My Best.
Understand and feel your pain. Though background checks may serve useful purposes for those of us with legit hard to verify info it is frustrating not to mention if erronous info shows up.
Can you imagine how long it would take to clear that up!
I used to have perfect credit but upon becoming ill and spending all my paychecks on meds I got behind on my bills. Thus, my credit is not great. If it comes up, explain.
It's a catch 22 - you need the job to pay your bills but they're leery of hiring someone with bad credit.
I see their reasoning behind the credit checks, but I find it an invasion of my privacy. Why do they need to know that I owe $5000 to a hospital even though I make monthly payments on time? Does that somehow effect whether or not I provide good care?
If they are worried about reliability, then they need to do more thorough background checks, like days missed, did you work extra, etc.
And with the housing market and the mortgage problems, I don't see how they can say no to every person who has bad credit. The housing market is a fiasco right now.
My experience both applying for jobs as a tech & nurse, and for many years in my life-before-I-became-a-nurse is this: resumes/applications are screened, some number of candidates are selected for interviewing, and then the background check process begins on those candidates who are actually being considered for hire.
Try this.
Apply online to any hospital of your choosing. Notice the information and other particulars they ask about you.
Years ago when I was actively involved in Nursing (1984 -1999) I could just submit a CV/Resume and that was that. I used to bring in my resume, my educational credentials into the hospital of my choosing, they would quickly glance at them, look back at me briefly, pause and say something like, "uh, hold on a second..." they would come back a minute later, request me to take a seat and indicate that someone will be with me shortly.
Those days are gone!
The way things are done in HR today is most hospitals are making it mandatory to apply via electronic online application. Most hospitals no longer accept applications in person or the very idea of a potential candidate showing up to apply for the job. (I have tried this!)
They instantly redirect you to their "website address." This is the only option available for applicants to apply. You "must" submit your application online no if's, ands, or buts!
Electronic online applications are wonderful aren't they? Especially the disclaimers at the bottom indicating you give them specific permission to conduct a background/credit check "before" you ever get your foot in the door. They will require you to submit your SSI# "before" you are considered for employment and before you ever make any human contact with anyone.
You might disagree with that way of doing things however this has become my own experience and the reality of things in 2007.
It really doesn't bother me so much since I am successfully self employed however, I can see how this unfairly places limitations on some people seeking employment in the field of Nursing.
It's my opinion that HR's have become lazy and prefer to filter applicants out using the latest and greatest new HR tools/ gizmo / Windows XP software which pre filters humans like ground coffee. HR's like to call it "pre screening applicants" for the best potential candidates if you will. Your digital application is "lost" in our database for processing mentality. This usually includes the idea of conducting all the customary credit and background checks in advance which is supposed to save HR departments a great deal of valuable time and money.
A lot of posters are giving justifications as to why an employer would want to check your credit rating. For me this isn't the point. I don't care what benefit they see in it, I find it offensive and will not allow it. As I said, it hasn't hurt my employability so far.
..."So far" is the key and critical element you stated in this discussion.
Say, not to get off topic or anything but has anyone ever seen the movie 1984?
CritterLover, BSN, RN
929 Posts
i have had a credit check run on every job application i have submitted since i was 16 yrs old. this includes health care and non-health care industries.
since i was 16, i have had varying credit scores, from poor (when i was young and didn't have credit) to very good (last year after i paid off a bunch of bills). after college, i had several "late" entries on my report; i'm not sure what my rating was then, but is wasn't great at that time.
i have *never* been denied a job based off my credit rating. potential employers use credit reports in ways that are totally different than how potential lenders use credit reports. my dad did quite a bit of hiring/firing at his old job (recently retired), and he always checked a credit report before he hired someone. it was rare for him to deny someone a job based only off the credit report.
like others have said, he wasn't looking so much at overall score, but for historical information (such as addresses) and general patterns. how bad the credit report had to be to trigger a "no hire" depended on the position. if the job required cash handeling, then he would pay more attention to the credit report. if the job didn't require cash handeling, he was checking more to make sure the applicant wasn't lying.