Credit And Background Checks

Today It's A Different Game. Landlords And Businesses Are More Cautious. Ergo, Credit And Background Checks Are Often Mandatory.

Ever since the terrorist attack on New York City attitudes have changed from everyone being trustworthy to massive security. From airline travel to landlords to business hiring practices, your life can become an open book via credit and background checks. From working for the government or a local factory in your city, chances are pretty good you will be subjected to an employment background check to verify what you say is the truth. Better yet, what your resume' says is true. You can't blame an employer for being skeptical. It has been estimated that over 55 percent of resumes submitted for employment contained false or misleading information.

However, the employee does have some rights thanks to the Fair Credit Reporting Act which has set the standards for employment. The employer must notify you and get your permission in writing. Since a background check has now become part of any hiring process, you should keep a positive mindset in advance, and expect that it will happen to you. Security concerns and credit checks on job applicants and those proposing to rent an apartment or home have blossomed in the last decade or two. There was a time when all a renter was required to have to move into a residence was the first and last month rent, maybe a damaged deposit, and sign a one-page rental application that had no mention of any credit or background check requirement.

Today, that's the first thing any wise landlord will do. What's in your credit report can also be a major deciding factor in getting a job or not. Bad credit can be an issue. Another concern about background checks in relation to criminal behavior, is that some states don't allow application questions regarding arrests or convictions up to a certain point. Finally, by law, an employee is required to prove legal residency status in the USA, and an I-9 Form kept on file by the employer.