Would you trust a babysitter you met this way?

[CBEMT]

CBEMT, thats why you should carry two pillows and two blankets (there is room in the main O2 compartment). You never know when one will become lost, stolen, used, or soiled.

A. You assume I can even get two. I just told you I couldn't even replace the one I had.

B. The main O2 compartment is for.... the O2. I have linen cabinets that work just fine.

[akflightmedic]

Out of curiosity, would you let applicants run checks on your credit?

I am the employer, not the employee.

Do you ask potential employers if you may run their credit when submitting your own for the hiring process?

[spenac]

I am the employer, not the employee.

Do you ask potential employers if you may run their credit when submitting your own for the hiring process?

With the state of the economy that might not be a bad idea. Hate to take a job and then not get my money.

[mrmeaner]

With the state of the economy that might not be a bad idea. Hate to take a job and then not get my money.

Which is exactly one of my points. I don't remember where I read it, but most families were 1 to 2 paychecks away from not being able to pay their bills (at not time should you think that any situations are directed at you personally, AK). That was before the economy went to hell. From my experiences, the baby sitter is paid at the end of the day, week, two weeks, whatever. Essentially, they are extending a line of credit to the family. They could end up getting shafted on the payment when the could have been watching other kids and actually getting the check. Especially in cases where the babysitter has been watching the kids for some time and has a more than business relationship with the family. They would likely let the family pay them the extra money next time in an attempt to be courtious. If the family is unable to pay that would likely end the working relationship.

According to the definitions I've found, you are correct in that the family is an employer. If the family is legally an employer, then I believe the babysitter would be able to become a first line creditor in the case of their bankruptcy. However, most likely they would argue that they are not obligated to the traditional laws regarding employee rights and it would take a long time for the families bankruptcy to be official if they filed at all. Businesses however, would be easier to prove employment and the companies responsibility of payment as there would be employment records, past pay stubs, W-4 and W-2 information, punch clock slips, etc. With babysitting, you have a verbal agreement and maybe copies of checks.

To answer your question, no, I would not ask a company for their credit history. I know I'm protected by workers rights, so there would be little point to a credit check. Typically, if I'm looking for a job, I already know someone who works for the employer so issues like getting stiffed on paychecks would have already been brought to light.

Personally, I would not work for a company or person that requested either my credit information or my medical history. Neither of them are any of their business and are highly protected pieces of information that I'm not willing to give to just anyone. That is why the work and personal references are listed on application or my resume. If there is a question of my physical ability to perform the job, they should have standardized testing and assessments for all applicants. If they have concerns of my ability to pay my bills, they can increase my starting salary. :wink:

[akflightmedic]

Personally, I would not work for a company or person that requested either my credit information or my medical history. Neither of them are any of their business and are highly protected pieces of information that I'm not willing to give to just anyone. That is why the work and personal references are listed on application or my resume. If there is a question of my physical ability to perform the job, they should have standardized testing and assessments for all applicants. If they have concerns of my ability to pay my bills, they can increase my starting salary. :wink:

Interesting statement, because where I come from, you would NOT work unless you provided those things. Every government agency I have every known has always requested this. Even several private companies I have worked for have asked this.

Why do you ask? It has nothing to do with their concern if you will pay bills, it is their concern that you have NOT paid bills. WHy is this an issue you ask? As much as I do not agree with the concept, as it never applied to me when I was in this situation, but applicants with poor credit scores are likely to be late or no shows for work more often. They are also more likely to be short time employees.

Credit reports also reveal bankruptcies and leans or collections. The employer has a right not to saddle himself or his business with repeated visits or calls coming from collectors. A lot of jobs which involve higher security will not hire you if you have any of those issues. It indicates a lack of responsibility and possibility of you taking an alternative method down the road of paying off or removing those debts (meaning stealing from the company).

As an employer, do you think it is wrong for them to use every tool available, to include probability and statistics, when selecting the proper candidate before spending precious dollars on their hiring and orientation period?

As for a candidate's medical history, that is entirely relevant as well. A brick layer has two equally qualified people for a job. Both have passed his physical agility test. There is absolutely no difference between the two except medical history. Apparently one of the candidates has had numerous back surgeries. He appears fine now, passed the test, but history is there. Which one would you choose?

Again, do they have the right to use tools available to assist with screening in order to choose the best candidate for the job? Even in the above situation, they may opt to go with a lesser candidate in order to avoid potential issues. Say they hire back history man and then on Day 2 he re aggravates or creates a new injury. Now the company is saddled with replacing him and still paying him while he heals if at all. Yes, it could just have easily happened to the one with no history, but statistically speaking, the odds were already against one which could have avoided many issues for all had they not chosen him.

[Just Plain Ruff]

The job I'm at now requested a credit check on me, a urine drug screen, and a physical. I passed all pretty good.

AS for the credit check: the employer also will get a good idea as to who might be a risk for taking things that are the employers.

consider this, you have a really nice laptop for the truck. The employee who has terrible credit is statistically at higher risk to need quick money to possibly cover expenses. What better than to snag that laptop and sell it. Not saying that those who have bad credit will do this but they are at higher risk of doing it.

Statistics can be your friend or your enemy.

Employers also have the right to view your web history. for those of us with myspace pages or personal websites, caveat emptor.

[mrmeaner]

On that same token, couldn't an unscrupulous employee at your prospective employer have the same kind of money trouble and use your information to get a credit card or two? Also, what happens to the information once you give it? Is it immediately shredded after hire, or does it sit in your personnel file where the night janitor can find it? I assume that any information I give is going to be seen by everyone, so I don't put anything in writing that I wouldn't want written on the wall.

Right on, about the MySpace info. If you don't have the good sense to keep the Mardi Gras pictures to yourself, you lose.

[akflightmedic]

On that same token, couldn't an unscrupulous employee at your prospective employer have the same kind of money trouble and use your information to get a credit card or two?

Absolutely one could. However, why take on new fresh problems when you may already be dealing with your own internal ones and know first hand how difficult it is? Een more reason to use the pre screen reports.

Also, what happens to the information once you give it? Is it immediately shredded after hire, or does it sit in your personnel file where the night janitor can find it? I assume that any information I give is going to be seen by everyone, so I don't put anything in writing that I wouldn't want written on the wall.

Some shred it, some put it in your employment file. Despite what you think, anyone can use the net and have all your information in a matter of minutes, if not seconds. The majority of employees are honest, moral people who are not looking for your information. On the off chance that a janitor who has been scrupulous up until the second he saw your report as he was pilfering employment files, well that may happen. Hopefully there are safeguards in place and you have every right to ask what they are before submitting your information. You also have the right as you have stated and most likely done based on your comments of keep on moving and look for employment elsewhere.

[mrmeaner]

You're right, I didn't think of government, bonded or high security jobs. I was just thinking more along the lines of strictly healthcare. In those cases, I can see there being a want to get a view of the applicant's financial history. The company's well being may well rest on the integrity of each employee. I would also think that they would be more likely to be protective of their applicants information. However, I'm not really interested in jobs of those categories, I prefer to only carry a gun during deer season. If Joe Blow Hospital wanted my financials before they would consider my application, I'd be ok with not working there. To me it's not worth the risk.

Another problem I have with that is that most anyone is one bad day from having poor credit. As bad as insurance policies are, it would only take a shattered patella to get your healthcare costs above many policy's maximum payout. Once you are sacked with the bills at about four months away from the end of rehab, you start getting collection notices, foreclosure notices, etc. And once you do get back to work, they won't hire you because you have a "bad" knee, even though you passed the physical agility requirements. Also, let's hope you didn't get divorced during your rehab because then your credit will really be screwed.

I know this is perhaps a little over the top, but my point is that none of the negative reports would have anything to do with his work performance. Credit and medical reports can't tell you the difference between a bad employee and bad luck.

Again, do they have the right to use tools available to assist with screening in order to choose the best candidate for the job? Even in the above situation, they may opt to go with a lesser candidate in order to avoid potential issues. Say they hire back history man and then on Day 2 he re aggravates or creates a new injury. Now the company is saddled with replacing him and still paying him while he heals if at all. Yes, it could just have easily happened to the one with no history, but statistically speaking, the odds were already against one which could have avoided many issues for all had they not chosen him.

Unfortunately, that's true. They can do whatever they want as long as they don't say why.

On the off chance that a janitor who has been scrupulous up until the second he saw your report as he was pilfering employment files, well that may happen.

That would be interesting to know whether or not companies that use credit and medical reports do so across the board or if it's job specific. I would assume the former, but I've never worked for a place like that.

One last question, do multiple credit report requests from prospective employers (corporate or private) negatively affect your credit history? One would hope those type of inquiries would be exempt.

[akflightmedic]

They are exempt.

Employment queries do not count the same as a credit inquiry.