You better have good credit

I received this email from a recruiter in regards to a TEMPORARY 1.5 month short term position.

"Offers for employment with *** are contingent based on results of the following: *Criminal History Check (federal/state/local) last 7 years *Credit Check cannot have “3” or more accounts past due totaling 3K or more. Example, if you have one past due account in the amount of 50K, or two in the amount of 100K, you will pass. If you have three accounts with more than 3K past due, you will not pass. *Education Verification –highest level completed *Employment Verification – last 7 years *Drug Screening (Hair tests for all employees, Urine tests will be offered in states where Hair testing is illegal – Maine, Hawaii + Iowa). *SSN Verification* *Denied Parties Check List*"

While I know I will pass this background check, I am disgusted that these jobs even have the gall to tell potential employees that if their credit is messed up, they may be out of a job. It is a never ending cycle. The better paying jobs typically do a background and credit check, and if one is qualified but has bad credit, well it sucks to be him or her now, doesn't it? This hypothetical person who is qualified but has bad credit will have to settle for a job paying less money a year. Let's just hope said person can pay their bills, which--if they cannot--will mess up their credit even further. Get the gist?

I believe this practice should be illegal and I am definitely going to write my congressman and everyone above him about this matter. With the economy the way it is, credit checks should not be a determining factor for whether a man or woman (or he/she for that matter) is deemed "hireable". Credit check for a house, car, or credit card? Maybe. Credit check for a job? No.

I will be writing a congressman and anyone above this congressman about this crap, because it is ridiculous. I urge anyone who agrees to follow suit.

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