Some employers asking for good credit

Does having bad credit make you a bad worker?

That’s a pivotal question for some job hunters. Companies increasingly are asking prospective employees to submit to credit checks. Amid a brutal recession, people who racked up bills while they were unemployed or lost their homes to foreclosure say they’re discriminated against when they look for a job.

“In today’s economy, the last thing you want is to create any more hurdles for employees to get a job,” said California Assemblyman Tony Mendoza, a Democrat. “In my opinion, a credit report does not determine a person’s work ethic or trustworthiness. If employers want to see who people really are, a background check will take care of that.”

Mendoza is sponsoring a measure that would restrict employer credit checks except for jobs that involve handling money.

Associated Press