In the financial industry -- yes, it's fair. Plus, it's extremely important that you know how to handle your money and keep yourself out of debt if you are trying to get others to do the same. But checking credit for a first job out of college to be a secretary at a lawyers office is just stupid. It depends on the job.

no - i don't like that. i completely understand some of the background checks that they do but i really don't understand what credit would have to do with how well you'd perform your job. some people just had some messiness in the past that they are trying to clear up and it'll be reflected on their credit score - and that doesn't mean that they aren't stellar devoted employees.

No I don't think it's fair. And I agree with ilanac, what does that have to do with job performance? I mean, I understand the idea of being responsible, but ultimately a few bad financial mistakes in college shouldn't mean you can't get a good job.

Also, is there research that shows that people with bad credit scores are actually poor job performers? I would think if there wasn't valid and reliable research on this, then potential employees could probably sue a company for using this against them.

I really disagree with this, I am one of those who made a few bad mistakes and don't have a great report. I would love to get a better job so I can more quickly fix those mistakes but have been sent letters saying that "even though I had the job qualifications, my credit was deemed insufficient" or something like that. I work really hard and my credit is slowly getting better, but I know I could do a better job than many of the other people that get hired. But I will say thank you to the bank teller who accidentally gave me an extra $50 when I cashed a check last month. HA! HA! to all those fees you threw at me last year!

The answer would depend on what the desired job is. Like Chrstne said, if the person is looking for a job in say the capital management of financial advisory area, a credit report should be mandatory, but not the end all say all of a candidate. Give the candidate a chance to explain.

In the military, a married solider with kids, with mountains of uncontrolled debt might be persuaded to do something that could threaten the lives of his squad if an outside force paid him handsomely.

If someone came at me and wanted to be a fashion designer but didn't purchase a single thing from Bloomingdales ever. If someone wanted to become a top BMW salesman yet had three consecutive leases out on Audis.

I feel the practice of credit reports totally unfair! If I was going to handle money, or use a company credit card thats a different thing. But in this time, MANY people are losing , or have lost their jobs, and many people cant stretch their dollars, and many are losing their homes! How do we get OUT OF DEPT if the jobs industry WONT let a person have a job because of their credit!! Its like a dog chasing their tail!! THIS SHOULD BE STOPPED! iT IS AN INVASION OF PRIVACY, and a chance for IDENTITY THEFT!!

I understand why companies would want to do this - but judging a canadite by looking at their credit score is borderline profiling. You have NO idea why that person's credit is the way it is. Perhaps it was due to something out of their control - such as identity theft or a previous crisis. When I was 18, I moved out of an abusive house and was never taught the importance of credit or anything in that realm. A few months later, I was in a hospital with no insurance. Due to being unable to fully pay the bill during the time they wanted, they sent my file to a collector. That ruined my credit and for years I was trying to dip up out of it. A potential job doesn't need to know that about my history if I don't want them to know it.