To: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio
Mayor de Blasio & NYC Council: Stop Discriminatory Employment Credit Checks
Stop credit checks by employers, which unfairly block qualified New Yorkers from needed jobs. Make the "Stop Credit Discrimination in Employment Act" the law in NYC.
Why is this important?
Gustavo Panesso is a New Yorker who was denied a job because of information in his credit report. He has decided to speak out against this unfair practice. Here is Gustavo’s story:
“A few years ago, I received a job as a sales associate at an upscale national clothing retailer in Manhattan. I was on my way to orientation when a supervisor called to tell me the orientation was canceled because of a ‘problem' in my credit report. I was shocked because I’ve always paid my bills on time. It turned out that a credit card I co-signed for my sister many years before was in default; after being laid off from her job, my sister could no longer make payments.
Ironically, this entry on my credit report ended up costing me several retail jobs – despite my many years of experience, positive references from past employers, and successful interviews.
Credit reports say nothing about someone’s integrity, honesty or ability to perform a job. Employment credit checks have increased because the multi-billion dollar credit bureaus want to make huge profits from selling our credit information to an ever greater number of employers, lenders and businesses.
Please join me and members of the NYC Coalition to Stop Credit Checks in Employment in calling on the Mayor of New York City and NYC Council to put an end to this harmful practice.
For more information, and to watch short videos of me and other New Yorkers sharing our stories, visit www.creditcatch22.org."
“A few years ago, I received a job as a sales associate at an upscale national clothing retailer in Manhattan. I was on my way to orientation when a supervisor called to tell me the orientation was canceled because of a ‘problem' in my credit report. I was shocked because I’ve always paid my bills on time. It turned out that a credit card I co-signed for my sister many years before was in default; after being laid off from her job, my sister could no longer make payments.
Ironically, this entry on my credit report ended up costing me several retail jobs – despite my many years of experience, positive references from past employers, and successful interviews.
Credit reports say nothing about someone’s integrity, honesty or ability to perform a job. Employment credit checks have increased because the multi-billion dollar credit bureaus want to make huge profits from selling our credit information to an ever greater number of employers, lenders and businesses.
Please join me and members of the NYC Coalition to Stop Credit Checks in Employment in calling on the Mayor of New York City and NYC Council to put an end to this harmful practice.
For more information, and to watch short videos of me and other New Yorkers sharing our stories, visit www.creditcatch22.org."