The New York City Council’s Committee on Civil Rights recently debated a proposed bill that would ban employers from using credit checks to evaluate prospective employees. The bill, called the Stop Credit Discrimination in Employment Act (the SCDEA), would create a blanket ban on using credit information for hiring purposes, with a narrow exception only where employers are required to use such information by state or federal law. Proponents of the SCDEA believe it will curb employers’ discriminatory use of credit information, which they contend prevents potentially qualified individuals from being hired. Those who oppose the bill caution that it will impair employers’ ability to insure the integrity of certain positions, such as those in finance and insurance. The proposed bill must still be passed by the Committee on Civil Rights and then approved by the heavily Democratic City Council. If passed, employers who currently rely on credit information may be forced to alter hiring practices and seek alternative methods for ensuring the hiring of qualified employees.
