Credit checks?

caseyann

I am just curious to ask has anyone ever come across this before?
A young man i know has recently gone to apply for a job with 3Stores in Dublin.
As he was going through the steps of filling in the online application,he came across one spot he didnt feel he should answer or they had a right to ask about.
They wanted details and permission to do a credit check on him?
I personally never heard of it and personally think no one who is hiring someone for work has right to ask for such information.
So i am curious anyone else heard of this?

caseyann

So far it seems this is a pretty alien thing lol
Mods is this in right place to be discussed? Thanks

markpb

I think I've heard of banks and other financial institutions doing the same for new staff but it seems odd for a retail position.

caseyann

markpb wrote: »

I think I've heard of banks and other financial institutions doing the same for new staff but it seems odd for a retail position.

I know i would understand if banking position or along them lines to see if the person is good with finances.But even then isnt a persons credit private unless getting a loan or mortgage or the likes.
He has refused now to continue with the application and has decided to go elsewhere looking for work.
Is that ethically allowed to ask such personal information? Wouldn't that be in breach of a law of some sort?

Irish_Elect_Eng

I think that it is not an unreasonable question for any position involving the handling of money.

It is certainly not illegal, after all they asked his permission didn't they?

While I am sure he could refuse, they would then be free to draw conclusions from that refusal.

But if he did not want to share that information with the company, then as you said he should seek to work elsewhere as he is not compatible with a company that would ask for such information.

caseyann

Here is the link if anyone wants to have a look.
http://www.jobs.ie/ApplyForJob.aspx?Id=1136715

Please provide the following information so, if required, a credit check can be completed:
Title *

She Devil

To me that is terrible, I wouldn't even show my best friend my bank statement, never mind someone I may or may not get a job from!
It makes no difference how much I have in my bank account on how I would perform at a job!

Irish_Elect_Eng

She Devil wrote: »

To me that is terrible, I wouldn't even show my best friend my bank statement, never mind someone I may or may not get a job from!
It makes no difference how much I have in my bank account on how I would perform at a job!

A credit check does not provide that kind of information, it focuses on your CREDIT history:

http://www.icb.ie/credit_rating.php

Most lenders in Ireland send information about borrowers and their repayments to a central agency, the Irish Credit Bureau (ICB). The ICB holds information about borrowers and their loans for 5 years after the loan is closed. This information is held in an individual credit ‘report’ that is kept by the ICB about each borrower.

Your credit report includes:

• your name, date of birth, address(es) used by you in relation to financial transactions
  
• the names of lenders and account numbers of loans you currently hold, or that were active within the last five years;
  
• repayments made or missed for each month on each loan;
  
• the failure to clear off any loan;
  
• loans that were settled for less than you owed; and
  
• legal actions your lender took against you
  
• So, the ICB reflects a full picture of your credit history, good and/or bad.

She Devil

I know it doesn't show your bank statement, but I still would not be comfortable with that!
It seems they could use your credit history as a factor whether you get a job or not! That is wrong in my opinion.

caseyann

She Devil wrote: »

To me that is terrible, I wouldn't even show my best friend my bank statement, never mind someone I may or may not get a job from!
It makes no difference how much I have in my bank account on how I would perform at a job!

Exactly and i believe they have no right at all to ask such information about any person.They are paying them not the other way around.

Irish_Elect_Eng wrote: »

A credit check does not provide that kind of information, it focuses on your CREDIT history:

http://www.icb.ie/credit_rating.php

Most lenders in Ireland send information about borrowers and their repayments to a central agency, the Irish Credit Bureau (ICB). The ICB holds information about borrowers and their loans for 5 years after the loan is closed. This information is held in an individual credit ‘report’ that is kept by the ICB about each borrower.

Your credit report includes:

• your name, date of birth, address(es) used by you in relation to financial transactions
  
• the names of lenders and account numbers of loans you currently hold, or that were active within the last five years;
  
• repayments made or missed for each month on each loan;
  
• the failure to clear off any loan;
  
• loans that were settled for less than you owed; and
  
• legal actions your lender took against you
  
• So, the ICB reflects a full picture of your credit history, good and/or bad.

What for the love of god has their credit payments and money problems have to do with a job.They get a job to make payments and pay bills,So i fail to see what business is it of an employer what the finances of their employee are.

Irish_Elect_Eng

On side of the arguemwnt

For positions handling money, credit checks are done to see if you have a pattern of handling money responsibly, or whether you have a checkered history that might impact your integrity and reliability when it comes to the company’s cash.

For other types of positions, some people think that a credit report can show patterns of poor decision-making or lack of responsibility — using it almost as a character reference.


On the other hand, an interesting Article (USA)

http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2009/07/29/should-your-credit-report-cost-you-a-job

Irish_Elect_Eng

One other point, companies use the same forms for many different positions, so the same form may be used for their accountancy or other positions where money handling is more significant.