Many firms are using credit checks as a means of weeding out potential problem employees (translate that, thieves).  Of course, the major credit bureaus are selling credit histories as a profit center, arguing that the use of credit checks should be a major part of the hiring process. The article by the Times’ Andrew Martin says that retailers lose more than $30 billion per year because of employee theft, and that workplace violence costs employers more than $55 million per year in lost wages.The problem, however, is that there is no supporting evidence for the credit bureaus’ argument.  There is no indication that poor credit history is tied to subpar workers.  There is no research demonstrating a statistical correlation between credit histories and “job performance and the likelihood to commit fraud.”  And as the writer noted, Bernie Madoff had a fine credit history.  What’s really frustrating is that as a result of the Great Recession millions of Americans are nursing a poor credit history.  It unfairly tars people who have been laid off, caught with unpaid mortgages and medical bills.  As a result many states are introducing legislation to stop the credit bureaus.  Business, of course, is fighting back, hoping to keep the profit center.  What’s a person to do?  This is a tough one.  You don’t want to talk about a poor credit history and explain it.  Nor do you want to fudge your job application.  That’s even more serious.  If you’ve been hired and then someone comes to you wanting you to explain, that’s one thing.  But those situations are few in number.  It’s also very difficult to prove that you were turned down from a job opportunity because of a poor credit history.Forewarned is forearmed.  Anybody got any good ideas about how to deal with this issue?
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