Consumer credit refers to the loans, credit cards, and financing options that allow individuals to borrow money for personal use, including everyday purchases, services, and major expenses. It includes both revolving credit (such as credit cards) and installment loans (like auto loans or personal loans). Lenders evaluate factors such as credit scores, income, and repayment history to determine eligibility and interest rates. Strong consumer credit helps borrowers access better financing options, while poor credit can limit opportunities and increase borrowing costs.

More states are restricting credit reports for employment purposes

Connecticut has joined five other states (Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Oregon, and Washington) that, with some exceptions, prohibit the use of credit reports in employment decisions. Effective October 1, 2011, S.B. 361 will ban many employers from using credit information in determining whether to deny employment to an applicant, terminate an employee, decide compensation, or evaluate other terms and conditions of employment. Financial institutions, as well as employers who are required to obtain credit reports under federal or state law, are excluded from the Act’s provisions

There are certain exceptions to the S.B. 361 prohibitions. Employers may request or use credit reports when such information is related to a “bona fide purpose that is substantially job-related.” The bona fide purpose exception generally applies to positions involving money handling or other sensitive job duties. If an employer requests or uses credit information for a bona fide purpose, it must disclose its intent to do so in writing to the employee or applicant.

As in Connecticut’s S.B. 361, employers in the other states that have passed employment-related credit report restriction laws need to ensure that their hiring, retention, and promotion practices fall within the guidelines of their legislation.

September 13th, 2011|Categories: Compliance Corner for Employment Decisions|Tags: , |

Dodd-Frank Act amendment for credit scores took effect July 21, 2011

The Federal Reserve Board and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued final rules to implement the credit score disclosure requirements of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. If a credit score is used in setting material terms of credit or in taking adverse action, the statute requires creditors to disclose credit scores and related information to consumers in notices under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

The final rules amend Regulation V (Fair Credit Reporting) to revise the content requirements for risk-based pricing notices, and to add related model forms that reflect the new credit score disclosure requirements. These rules also amend certain model notices in Regulation B (Equal Credit Opportunity), which combine the adverse action notice requirements for Regulation B and the FCRA.

For employers, this means that if a consumer report that includes a credit score is used to determine eligibility for employment, the employer will be required to disclose to the subject the usage of the credit score in an adverse employment decision and to provide information about the credit score, including the score itself, up to four key adverse factors in the score, and the identity of the agency that provided the score.

For credit transactions, creditors, including banks, credit unions, credit card issuers, and utilities, that extend credit on terms that are less favorable than those offered to other consumers because of information contained in a credit report, or if other adverse action is taken, will have to provide to the subject a “risk-based pricing notice” which discloses the credit scores and related information. Such notice will include: 1) the numerical credit score used by the creditor in making the decision; 2) the range of possible scores under the model used by the creditor; 3) the key factors that adversely affected the credit score; 4) the date on which the credit score was created, and 5) the name of the entity that provided the score.

In certain cases, such as for applications for a mortgage, auto loan, or another type of credit, a lender will have to furnish to the subject a “credit score notice” that lists the credit score and how the score compares to other consumers’ scores regardless of the credit terms offered. If no credit score is available for a consumer, the lender’s notice will identify the particular credit bureau which reported this information. Additionally, if a consumer’s annual percentage rate (APR) on an existing credit account is increased based on a review of a credit report, the creditor will have to provide an “account review notice.”

The Board and the FTC have stated that it is imperative to have the regulations and revised model forms in place as close as possible to July 21, 2011. This will help ensure that consumers receive consistent disclosures of credit scores and related information, and facilitate uniform compliance when Section 1100F of the Dodd-Frank Act becomes effective.

July 25th, 2011|Categories: Commercial Transactions Due Diligence|Tags: , |

More on credit reports for hiring decisions

According to September 2010 congressional testimony by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), credit checks are a useful tool to “assess the skills, abilities, work habits and integrity of potential hires.” However, SHRM states that only 20 percent of employers conduct credit checks on all applicants. Fifty-seven percent of these employers perform the checks only after contingent offers, and 30 percent after job interviews; 65 percent allow job candidates to explain their credit results before the hiring decision is made, and 22 percent accept explanations after the hiring decision.

A bill in the U.S. House, called the Equal Employment for All Act, would amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to ban the use of credit checks on prospective and current employees for employment purposes, with the following exceptions:

  • jobs that require national security or Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. clearance;
  • jobs in state or local government that require the use of credit reports;
  • supervisory, managerial, and executive positions in financial institutions.

The states of Illinois, Oregon, Hawaii, and Washington already have passed laws to prevent employers from using credit reports in employment decisions.

November 30th, 2010|Categories: Compliance Corner for Employment Decisions|Tags: , , , |

Illinois Employee Credit Privacy Act (096-1426)

Effective January 1, 2011, the Act will prohibit employers, in many circumstances, from inquiring about or using an employee’s or prospective employee’s credit history as a basis for employment, recruitment, discharge, or compensation. The Act also will prohibit an employer from retaliating or discriminating against a person who files a complaint under the Act, participates in an investigation, proceeding or action concerning a violation of the Act, or opposes violation of the Act. Pursuant to the Act, an employer will not:

  • Fail or refuse to hire or recruit, discharge, or otherwise discriminate against an individual with respect to employment, compensation, term, condition, or privilege of employment because of the individual’s credit history or credit report.
  • Inquire about an applicant’s or employee’s credit history.
  • Order or obtain an applicant’s or employee’s credit report from a consumer reporting agency.

Exceptions to the Act are as follows:

  • State or federal law requires bonding or other security covering the individual holding the position.
  • Duties of the position include custody of or unsupervised access to cash or marketable assets valued at $2,500 or more.
  • Duties of the position include signatory power over business assets of over $100 or more per transaction.
  • Position is managerial, and involves setting the direction or control of the business.
  • Position involves access to personal or confidential information, financial information, trade secrets, or state or federal national security information.

The Act also states that nothing in its provisions shall prohibit employers from conducting a thorough background investigation which may include obtaining a consumer report and/or investigative report without information on credit history, as permitted by the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA).

September 10th, 2010|Categories: Compliance Corner for Employment Decisions|Tags: , , , , |

What are “specialty consumer reports?”

“Specialty consumer reports” are compiled by specialty consumer agencies for targeted users such as insurance companies, employers, and landlords. The agencies collect information from a variety of sources and may include civil and criminal records, credit history, bankruptcy filings, driving records, business relationship information with banks or insurance companies, and even medical information.

Most consumers are unaware of the existence of a “specialty consumer report” unless they have been denied a job, insurance, or housing rental. The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) imposes certain obligations on the specialty reporting agencies, the users of such reports, and those that furnish information for the reports. (See  http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/business/credit/bus33.shtm for more information.) When adverse action is taken based on the information in the report, the FCRA mandates that users of specialty consumer reports provide to the subject an “adverse action notice” along with a free copy of the report. The subject also has the right to dispute inaccurate information.

June 30th, 2010|Categories: Compliance Corner for Employment Decisions|Tags: , , |
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