Refused an interview after credit check and employer would not tell me why

[Kathryne0920]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Arizona

I recently went to a job fair and was required to complete an authorization for credit check before I would be interviewed. So I gave them my social security number, date of birth and driver's license number along with addresses. It's important to note I have a clean DMV record (except for a minor ticket in 2004) and no criminal background.

I was made to sit there for an hour and a half, only to be told I did not pass their check. I asked why I did not and was given an answer of they didn't know why or could not tell me. I told them this was very strange as the last time I checked my FICO score was 720. On their authorization form they even stated bankruptcies were not grounds for refusal of an interview. I was handed a list of useless phone numbers but not the number for the third party vendor they use. I remembered the name of the company and called them in INDIA and was told negative information had come in from Transunion.

So I went to Fair Isaac's site and pulled the report from Tranunion in addition to the other bureaus. My credit scores have only gone up since then with nothing negative out there.

I received an email from their HR department after I complained about this and I'd like to know if it was legal for them to run the check and not give me any information as to why I did not pass? BTW, I am 50 and it was obvious I was the oldest person there. I am thinking I was refused an interview based on age discrimination and having nothing to do with my credit. Thanks.

 

[Zigner]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Arizona

I recently went to a job fair and was required to complete an authorization for credit check before I would be interviewed. So I gave them my social security number, date of birth and driver's license number along with addresses. It's important to note I have a clean DMV record (except for a minor ticket in 2004) and no criminal background.

I was made to sit there for an hour and a half, only to be told I did not pass their check. I asked why I did not and was given an answer of they didn't know why or could not tell me. I told them this was very strange as the last time I checked my FICO score was 720. On their authorization form they even stated bankruptcies were not grounds for refusal of an interview. I was handed a list of useless phone numbers but not the number for the third party vendor they use. I remembered the name of the company and called them in INDIA and was told negative information had come in from Transunion.

So I went to Fair Isaac's site and pulled the report from Tranunion in addition to the other bureaus. My credit scores have only gone up since then with nothing negative out there.

I received an email from their HR department after I complained about this and I'd like to know if it was legal for them to run the check and not give me any information as to why I did not pass? BTW, I am 50 and it was obvious I was the oldest person there. I am thinking I was refused an interview based on age discrimination and having nothing to do with my credit. Thanks.

They don't have to tell you WHY you didn't pass.

Other than that, thanks for sharing.

 

[Kathryne0920]

They don't have to tell you WHY you didn't pass.

Other than that, thanks for sharing.

Thanks. So what do I do when my Transunion score is 761 and there is nothing derogatory out there? There is nothing to dispute, in other words? Employers do not have to provide at least a copy of the report if requested? This just doesn't seem right to me.

Basically, they get one's date of birth info and then can simply tell a person they didn't pass the check? There must be some recourse out there to address this.

 

[pattytx]

Was there an actual offer on the table, pending the credit check?

 

[Zigner]

Thanks. So what do I do when my Transunion score is 761 and there is nothing derogatory out there? There is nothing to dispute, in other words? Employers do not have to provide at least a copy of the report if requested? This just doesn't seem right to me.

Basically, they get one's date of birth info and then can simply tell a person they didn't pass the check? There must be some recourse out there to address this.

Maybe the interviewer was left with a bad taste in his mouth from the department store that you use, so he decided not to hire you...you're stuck on the age thing with no proof at all.

 

[Kathryne0920]

Was there an actual offer on the table, pending the credit check?

No, there was not. I wasn't even given the chance to interview.

 

[pattytx]

OK, then they don't have to tell you anything.

 

[cbg]

They are not obligated to hire, or even interview, everyone who applies. "You didn't pass the check" may be code for, "We threw your authorization in the trash and never even ran your credit because we've got too many applicants already and aren't interested in any more".

 

[ExMechanic]

They don't have to tell you WHY you didn't pass.

Other than that, thanks for sharing.

On the contrary... pursuant to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, they must cite one or more reasons and they must furnish the name, contact address, and dispute procedure for the agency they relied upon for this denial. This I know from experience, since I successfully sued a company who did exactly the same thing.

 

[Hot Topic]

Based on my experience with job fairs, I would never, EVER provide the information demanded from you, especially my Social Security number. There are companies represented at the fairs that send up all kinds of red flags if you listen carefully to their spiels. You have to have the presence of mind to consider why, if a company is so wonderful, their representatives at the fair don't work for that company full time. I was warned off one company in part by all the complaints on Google about it.

And any fair personnel who would demand the kind of information demanded from you before you could interview with anyone sounds so shady, they should have palm trees over their heads.

Be glad you didn't get deeper involved.

 

[Zigner]

You have to have the presence of mind to consider why, if a company is so wonderful, their representatives at the fair don't work for that company full time.

Recently, Boeing sponsored a job fair...
Also, the US military is at many job fairs...

I don't think that the presence of a rep at a job fair puts a company in a bad light

 

[pattytx]

I sit corrected, Ex-Mechanic. You're right, it IS "any adverse employment action".

However, I also agree with Hot Topic that this is likely a company you didn't want to get involved with anyway. It is rare in the extreme that a company would pay the money for a credit check without even an interview. And at this point, it seems obvious they aren't interested anyway, so I'd let it go and keep looking.

 

[Hot Topic]

Your reply makes no sense, Zigner. Of course the military has, and attends, job fairs. I've always felt that if people want to join the military, go to the closest recruiting station. The majority of people who go to job fairs are looking for sales and administrative positions.

That has nothing to do with my warning about companies that are represented and therefore promoted by people who don't even work at the company full-time.

 

[pattytx]

Your reply makes no sense,

Whose? Mine?

My point was that I would be concerned about a company who spends money when they didn't have to.

 

[FlyingRon]

OK, then they don't have to tell you anything.

Actually, they told him what they were obliged to, which was they used TransUnion.

The "SCORE" is not as important in cases like this than the individual entries.