Attorney Find Blog » Employment Law and Employment Lawyers http://blog.attorneyfind.com Fri, 30 Jan 2009 15:17:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 Washington State Senator Seeks to Limit Employer Access to Credit Reports http://blog.attorneyfind.com/2007/02/07/washington-state-senator-seeks-to-limit-employer-access-to-credit-reports/ http://blog.attorneyfind.com/2007/02/07/washington-state-senator-seeks-to-limit-employer-access-to-credit-reports/#comments Wed, 07 Feb 2007 09:41:43 +0000 Tiffany Sanders J.D. http://blog.attorneyfind.com/index.php/2007/02/07/washington-state-senator-seeks-to-limit-employer-access-to-credit-reports/ It’s become fairly routine for prospective employers to check an applicant’s credit report as part of the screening process, but recently some citizens’ groups have begun to protest the practice, pointing out that it limits the ability of people with past financial problems to make positive changes, and often on grounds that have nothing to do with the jobs they’ve applied for. Other consumer advocates point to studies indicating that at least 25% of credit reports contain serious errors.

A 2004 survey indicated that about 20% of employers conducted credit checks before extending any offer of employment, but other data indicates that the number has increased dramatically in the short time since the survey was conducted.

Now, Washington State Senator Steve Hobbs (D, Lake Stevens) has introduced a bill that would prohibit employers from using credit reports as a screening tool except in specific industries, like financial services and public safety.

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