After filling out an application, can and do employers check your credit?

Question

what do they need you social security number for, before your are even hired? Identity yes, but your social security number should be sacred.

Answer 1

Yes they do. For some jobs it doesn't matter, but for others it does. If you refuse to provide the information, they can just hire someone who will.

Part of the rationale is that you may steal if you have money problems. Part of it is to see whether you're taking care of business at home, so are you likely to be taking care of business at work?

I know it sux, and I've lost out on jobs before when I had some hard times and my credit was down. If it's really bad, you can sometimes slide in as a temp worker, and when they see you doing a good job, they'll disregard the bad credit.

Answer 2

Interesting thought. So yes if someone gets hold of your application they have your address, phone number, SSN, and work history. Obviously more than enough for identy theft. I wonder why in this day and age with the whole identity theft thing nothing has been made of this. If you don't get hired they just throw it into the trash and someone could find it.

You could just "inadverdantly" leave this out if it is for retail, restaurant, etc. sort of thing. But many other sorts9 of jobs require it as they do a background check. Especially professional sort of jobs. They can tell a lot by your credit.

But think of this. You get a job working for say Sears. You fill out an I-9 to show that your are legal. You show a driver's license, birth certificate or passport. Now you have this file that has all of this information plus everything else which amounts to a starter kit to steal. Is it secure or just in a filing cabinet? Now a big company will keep all of this under serious lock and key..... but most don't.

Again, interesting thought.

Answer 3

SSN is for criminal background check before credit check. Your credit gets checked if you handle money or account numbers. As a salon manager, I ordered credit checks on my receptionists because we were a very busy salon and handled a LOT of cash. Employers are legally bound to keep SSN confidential and I would be careful. I don't give mine unless I want the job and we are talking job offer.

Answer 4

Many employers do a credit check. However, they should tell you that they are doing a check.