EEOC Files Suit Regarding Credit Checks
Credit checks are becoming a discriminator in selecting job applicants. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commision has taken notice. The EEOC filed suit against Kaplan Higher Education Corporation. See report. Since 2008, Kaplan has rejected applicants based on their credit scores.
The issue for the EEOC is that relying on credit score will adversely impact minorities. That adverse impact coupled with a lack of a business necessity makes the lawsuit viable. Credit score has little relevance to a persons qualifications. It might have some relevance to character issues, but there are other ways to assess character. So, yes, it could be an interesting lawsuit. Here is the EEOC's news release regarding the lawsuit.
Tom, if you're interested, I recently posted an article about Oregon's recent ban on employer use of credit history information. http://portlandoregonemploymentlawyer.com/2010/12/can-oregon-employers-consider-your-credit-record/