Ask HN: Should I sign doc to let prospective employer check my credit?

9 points by g8gggu89 10 years ago | 10 comments

Credit checks are common for finance companies or any positions that deal with money. Usually it is not a huge deal they just want to see if you have any huge outstanding financial issues that would indicate that you can't manage your own finances. The higher up in position you go (Director+) the more you may encounter this when you have budget responsibilities.

You can always say you have no problem doing this when you are at the offer stage and both sides think it is a fit.

Broken_Hippo 10 years ago | |

There are some laws for higher-ups when they are dealing with finances, mostly because of liability issues.

Other than that, this is really common in entry-level jobs (When I was young and didn't have a handle on finances, I nearly got turned down for a gas station job, on the premise that bad credit meant that I was more likely to steal stuff). Never really know if it is a big deal to the company or not, really.I'd have been pissed off if I had bad credit due to hospital bills or something else out of my control like so many people, but that particular stuff was entirely my own fault and stupidity.

But most times, it is just a formality, you know, because they can.

chatmasta 10 years ago | | |

What are these laws exactly? Are you saying that, e.g. CFO, requires a minimum credit score, by law?

g8gggu89 10 years ago | |

> You can always say you have no problem doing this when you are at the offer stage and both sides think it is a fit.

Thanks, that sounds good.

ApolloRising 10 years ago | | |

You are welcome.

davismwfl 10 years ago |

It isn't an uncommon request if you are in the position of responsibility over money or people. At the same time I have had a lot of employers ask for the form to be signed and they never actually pull your credit.

Also, you should know that an employer pulling your credit does not affect your credit score or profile to banks, credit cards etc, it is a different type of request just like car insurance. It doesn't count as a "hard pull" either which can lower your score.

philiphodgen 10 years ago |

I can tell you (because I am in the process of writing an employee manual and hiring procedures) that the three critical factors are: will this person have access to a customer's name, date of birth, and Social Security Number?

If so, a credit check is warranted for the potential employee.

There are other factors as well. But for lower level positions, access to information (legitimately or otherwise) is the key factor.

I am not telling you this is the law. I am not telling you this is the right thing to do. I am telling you this as someone who has had an employee embezzle from our company and who is working with an experienced HR consultant and a labor lawyer to put the right structure in place -- for all of the usual reasons.

kafkaesq 10 years ago |

Depends how much leverage you feel you have.

(Same with any of the various other humiliations employers like to think they can force on us, just because (think) they can: drug tests, personality tests, NDAs, non-competes, putting your mugshot on their website, etc.)

chc 10 years ago |

How desperate are you for this particular job? I definitely wouldn't, because that's a ridiculous request, but I also wouldn't be out on the streets if I turned down a job.