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Washington AG: Credit scores and security clearances

Washington state attorney general does not say what security clearances require credit scores

By Greg Fisher

The attorney general for the State of Washington claims that a poor credit score can disqualify a person for a government security clearance.

The Defense Security Service stated that it does not utilize credit scores.


From: creditscoring.com (greg@creditscoring.com)
Sent: February 13, 2009 11:12 AM
To: Kristin Alexander, office of Washington State attorney general Rob McKenna
Subject: credit score, employers

You said, "Employers may check credit scores when evaluating job applicants."

See http://creditscoring.com/influence/government/... .

Who is your source regarding credit score use by employers?

What is the name of an employer who uses credit scores?




The AG issues a chilling warning.


From: Alexander, Kristin (ATG)
To: greg@creditscoring.com
Sent: February 13, 2009 12:34 PM
Subject: RE: credit score, employers

Thank you for reading our Web site. That article was written in 2006; I do not recall the source of that information. But I believe the Federal Trade Commission was a primary resource. Furthermore, some of the information in that Ask the AG article you inquired about may be outdated.

It is not the business of the Attorney General's Office to track which employers have or may use credit scores or credit histories in considering job applicants.

Please note that information provided on the Washington Attorney General's Office Web should not be used to promote any commercial service or product. It appears that creditscoring.com is designed for commercial purposes.

Sincerely,

Kristin Alexander
Seattle Media Relations Manager
Washington State Attorney General's Office
(206) 464-6432, mobile: [mobile telephone number]
fax: (206) 587-5636
[email address]
www.atg.wa.gov

Stay on top of the latest AGO news with RSS feeds. Receive news releases, Ask the AG columns, All Consuming blog posts or AGO opinions. www.atg.wa.gov/RSS.aspx


Based on Amendment I, Bill of Rights, U.S. Constitution, creditscoring.com author ignores the warning.


From: greg@creditscoring.com
To: Kristin Alexander
Sent: February 13, 2009 2:10 PM
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, FTC, quote and link

What is the name of the person at the Federal Trade Commission from whom, or document from which, you obtained that information?

Do you demand the removal of the quote of and link to your document?

Do employers check credit scores when evaluating job applicants?


From: Kristin Alexander
To: greg@creditscoring.com
Sent: February 13, 2009 2:11 PM
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, FTC, quote and link

In order to better help you, please tell me who you[SIC] and why you are looking for this information.

Thanks,

Kristin Alexander
[signature block]


From: Greg Fisher
To: Kristin Alexander
Sent: February 13, 2009 3:43 PM
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, FTC II, quote and link II, identification, purpose

I write creditscoring.com, and I am looking for the information in order to publish the name of the source.

What is the name of the person at the Federal Trade Commission from whom, or document from which, you obtained that information?

Do you demand the removal of the quote of and link to your document?

Do employers check credit scores when evaluating job applicants?

Greg Fisher




From: Kristin Alexander
To: Greg Fisher
Sent: February 13, 2009 3:50 PM
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, FTC II, quote and link II, identification, purpose

Hello Greg,

If you believe something on our Web site is inaccurate, please let us know. Also, please note that nothing in this email should be considered a legal opinion or legal advice.

Sincerely,

Kristin Alexander
[signature block]


From: Greg Fisher
To: Rob McKenna, attorney general, State of Washington
Cc: Kristin Alexander, Janelle Guthrie, APR, communications director, office of attorney general Rob McKenna
Sent: February 17, 2009 10:31 AM
Subject: RE: credit score, employers

You said, "Employers may check credit scores when evaluating job applicants."

See http://creditscoring.com/influence/government/... .

Who is your source regarding credit score use by employers?


From: Kristin Alexander
To: Greg Fisher, Rob McKenna
Cc: "Guthrie, Janelle (ATG)"
Sent: February 17, 2009 1:21 PM
Subject: RE: credit score, employers

Hello Greg,

I have answered all of your questions to the best of my knowledge. I do not have any further information for you beyond what I have included in my previous emails. I am sorry that I cannot be of more assistance.

If there is a concern regarding the contents of information on our Web site, please let us know and we work to ensure it is accurate. Otherwise, I will consider this conversation complete.

Sincerely,

Kristin Alexander
[signature block]


To: Kristin Alexander
From: Greg Fisher
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, attribution
Sent: February 17, 2009 2:46 PM
Cc: Rob McKenna, Janelle Guthrie

You provided no specific reference to support the Attorney General's claim, only a suggestion to search the Web for credit "histories" (as opposed to scores) for employment checks and a link to an FTC document that states nowhere that credit scores are used in employment screening.

The Attorney's General response to the consumer on the "Ask the AG" page is, "Employers may check credit scores when evaluating job applicants." But when asked directly (to double-check that statement) if employers check credit scores when evaluating job applicants, you replied, "You will need to ask employers directly." It is hard to know where to start that, and to know how many to ask, but perhaps, as an employer, the Attorney General can confirm that a credit score is used to qualify a candidate "for a government security clearance" for a job in the State of Washington bureaucracy, or merely for the job itself.

The email was addressed to the Attorney General because the answer to the consumer's question at http://www.atg.wa.gov/askcolumn.aspx?id=11934 is attributed to him. The correspondence on your level is complete; thank you for your help. But, do you speak for the Attorney General?


From: Kristin Alexander
To: Greg Fisher
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, attribution
Sent: February 17, 2009 4:27 PM
Cc: Rob McKenna, Janelle Guthrie

Attorney General Rob McKenna received your correspondence and has asked me to respond on his behalf. Aside from AG McKenna, I am the primary contact for the content included in Attorney General Rob McKenna's Ask the AG columns. Like I said, I did the research for the column you indicated, so it is appropriate that I respond for our office.

We do not have the term "government security clearance" for Washington state employee applicants. Applicants for law enforcement jobs, such as those in State Patrol, and positions that involve working with children may include special background checks. However, these positions do not reside within the Attorney General's Office and I cannot speak for other agencies.

Our office does not use credit scores in evaluating job applicants.

Kristin Alexander
[signature block]


From: "Guthrie, Janelle (ATG)"
To: Greg Fisher
Sent: February 17, 2009 4:27 PM
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, attribution

Hi Greg,

I am Kristin's supervisor and communications director for the office. I'm trying to determine what you are asking us to do. It appears Kristin tried to tell you how she found the information she used in the column, but you are looking for specific sources.

Would you be happier if Kristin modified the Ask the AG column to link to sources to back up her statements? She linked to sources at the bottom of her post, but perhaps we could make sources more obvious, like this?

"According to Visa's "What's my score" Web site, employers may check credit scores when evaluating job applicants. According to the Defense Security Service, a poor credit score can disqualify you for a government security clearance."

Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

Janelle Guthrie, APR
Communications Director | Office of State Attorney General Rob McKenna
1125 Washington Street SE | PO Box 40100 | Olympia | WA | 98504-0100
Phone: (360) 586-0725 | Cell: [cell phone number] | E-mail: [email address]
Join Attorney General Rob McKenna's Listserv for the latest news from the AG's office or visit our Web site at www.atg.wa.gov


From: Greg Fisher
To: Janelle Guthrie
Sent: February 18, 2009 10:06 AM
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, one source
Cc: Practical Money Skills for Life (info@practicalmoneyskills.com); pcohen@visa.com; info@whatsmyscore.org; globalmedia@visa.com; valmanaf@visa.com; jensenp@visa.com; chlebowm@visa.com; Beth Givens [founder and director, Privacy Rights Clearinghouse]; Paul Stephens [Privacy Rights Clearinghouse]; prc@privacyrights.org; Mike Kreidler [Insurance Commissioner, state of Washington]; Vernon Stoner [office of the state of Washington insurance commissioner]

This is the section at the bottom of the post (the "Ask the AG" page):

More information about credit scoring is available from these sites:
Federal Trade Commission: http://www.ftc.gov/...
Privacy Rights Clearinghouse: http://www.privacyrights.org/...
Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner: http://www.insurance.wa.gov/...

The Federal Trade Commission link leads to a document that says nothing about credit scores in employment.

The link to the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse leads to a document that states, "Your credit report and/or your credit score may also be seen by employers, landlords, or cell phone and utility companies."

Based on that statement, employers might see

- a credit report
- a credit score
- a credit report and a credit score.

So, which is true is inconclusive. But another PRC document clarifies it: "An employment report provides everything a standard credit report would provide. However it doesn't include your credit score or date of birth."

The link to the Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner is dead.

The Defense Security Service document contains nothing about credit score use in employment screening.

That leaves Visa.

Visa replied.

From: greg@creditscoring.com
To: info@whatsmyscore.org, globalmedia@visa.com, valmanaf@visa.com, jensenp@visa.com, chlebowm@visa.com
Date: 12 Feb 2009
Subject: credit score, employers

You wrote, "Many employers have made checking a credit score a mandatory part of the job application process, just as drug testing and criminal background checks are now common requirements for jobs in many industries."

and

"Credit scores determine... in some cases, whether you get that job or apartment you’ve been hoping for."

See http://creditscoring.com/influence/... .

Who is your source regarding credit score use by employers?

What is the name of an employer who uses credit scores?


From: greg@creditscoring.com
To: pcohen@visa.com, info@whatsmyscore.org, globalmedia@visa.com, valmanaf@visa.com, jensenp@visa.com, chlebowm@visa.com
Subject: Re: credit score, employers II
Date: 17 Feb 2009

Please reply.

At 03:52 PM 2/17/2009, Visa [info@practicalmoneyskills.com] wrote:

Hello Greg

Our source for this information is the Federal Trade Commission. Please see their Consumer Alert here: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/...

We're not at liberty to disclose specific employers who use credit scores in employee screening, but we are aware of instances in which this has been done.

Thank you.

Practical Money Skills for Life Support
http://www.practicalmoneyskills.com


greg@creditscoring.com
To: Practical Money Skills for Life (Visa)
Subject: Re: credit score, employers II, FTC, identity
Date: 10:14 PM, 17 Feb 2009
Cc: pcohen@visa.com, info@whatsmyscore.org, globalmedia@visa.com, valmanaf@visa.com, jensenp@visa.com, chlebowm@visa.com

The word "score" does not appear in that Federal Trade Commission document.

What are the words on that FTC page to which you refer? Did you see the actual credit scores in the employee screening instances? Does Visa use credit scores in employee screening?

What is your name?

Is Visa (with its inapplicable link, unattributed anecdotal evidence and undisclosed specific employers) your sole source?


From: Janelle Guthrie
To: Greg Fisher
Sent: February 18, 2009 10:06 AM
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, one source

Hi Greg,

I think our sources are[SIC] sufficiently back up our statements. I will ask Kristin to modify the column to include these sources. It appears the issue remains under debate based on the long list of "believers and non-believers" [see Believers] listed on your site.

Our statements include the words "may" and "can" and are not absolute, therefore I think they reflect evidence we have at this time regarding whether or not employment and high-level government security clearances may be impacted by poor credit scores.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Janelle Guthrie, APR
[signature block]


We can put an elephant on the moon, and we may— someday (maybe).


From: creditscoring.com (greg@creditscoring.com)
To: OCPA@dss.mil
Subject: RE: credit score, employers, security clearance
Sent: February 18, 2009 11:55 PM
Cc: Janelle Guthrie, Rob McKenna, Kristin Alexander

Do you use credit scores to qualify candidates for security clearances?


Next, the answer from the Defense Security Service.