Growing via outreach efforts to other groups inside and outside of FB is the single most valuable tool we have to deliver huge growth spikes in our membership numbers (besides perhaps the media plugging our FB URL or e-mail address). While we're pleased to already have many groups on board, we need all we can get as quickly as possible. The downside to this type of effort is that it’s more difficult to achieve and takes longer to see the fruits of your work. While it's important to maintain a healthy balance between individuals and group recruitment – we cannot ignore the huge potential benefits of growth via other groups. With no money, passing HR3149 for us is a numbers game so we must win with numbers! As follows are some logical steps and a general how to guide to gain support from other groups both inside and outside FB:
* Start with what you know - groups and organizations you’re already a member of are the easiest because YOU have clout within that group and are trusted. Once you've exhaused the groups you're a member of, expand out from there (in FB contact the admins, officers and members). Shoot an arrow in any direction and you just can’t miss! We're a nation of groups, organizations and causes and the well will never run dry.
* Use your intuition and logic 101 to select groups that will learn toward supporting HR3149 (or if you like a real challenge try the yacht club)
* Political type groups in general (or those with political arms) are probably the best, however, don’t forget that 90% of Americans support our cause and at least 25% will join our group with one single exposure - we just have to get our foot in the door. (Anyone within a FB group that can hit the “message all members” button within any FB group will work, or outside of FB via blogs, newsletters, etc.)
* Explain that we have no hidden agenda whatsoever. We’re not controversial, we’re 100% non-partisan and we just want justice for a qualified American workforce that desperately wants to work! We’re funded by no individual, party or special interest group whatsoever.
* Our group ONLY delivers VOLUME and encourages every member to speak their own mind from their own perspectives. We in turn never speak for any member group or our membership at large.
Nothing worth achieving comes easy and growing via group outreach is no exception, so let’s get started NOW!
Sample Outreach to Groups Message (edit and modify as YOU deem appropriate):
SUBJECT: Help Us Help Your (Members, Community, etc.) by Passing H.R.3149 NOW!
We’re a non-partisan, grassroots Political Action Group (PAG) dedicated solely to one single goal and mission: passing H.R.3149: The Equal Employment for All Act NOW! In short, the legislation would make it illegal for employers to access and use personal credit reports as criteria for hiring and firing. We believe this employer discrimination practice and gross invasion of privacy - that cuts across the entire white and blue collar employment segments - constitutes the single most important workplace issue in America today. This is most especially true during this, the worst economy since the Great Depression! When you deny a well qualified human being the right to work in America – you violate the core principals of justice set down by our founding fathers and prevent millions and millions of Americans from affording food and shelter . . . the basic requirements to sustain life.
Without passage of H.R3149 there is simply no way out of the horrible cycle of . . . no job = bad credit and bad credit = no job. Employers today are forcing almost half of “blue collar” job applicants and more than 80 percent of “white collar” job applicants to turn over their personal credit report. The credit reports are being used as the first cut in the screening and hiring process and believe it or not - the percentage of employers using this discriminatory practice is rising rapidly. Why, because pulling a credit report is more inexpensive than allocating the man hours to actually evaluate applicants based on qualifications . . . it other words, using credit reports to indiscriminately discriminate, cuts their job down to size. H.R. gets their paycheck and are always the last to go . . .
This practice constitutes a modern day debtor’s prison where millions of Americans are relegated to a lifetime of under-employment at best with no hope whatsoever of ever working their way out debt or improving their credit report.
It’s un-American to brand someone for life and lock out a highly qualified worker from the workplace. Nonetheless, it’s happening right here in America and without your help, we cannot generate the number of citizen voices necessary to force passage of the legislation. Because we know you believe in justice for all Americans, we’re including the following easy ways that you can help . . .
1) Simply join our FB group at: http://groups.to/h.r.3149/ which will validate our cause within your membership group.
2) Send a one time outreach message (in your own words) to your membership that simply makes them aware our group and plight exists. They if they with, they can join on Facebook at http://groups.to/h.r.3149/ or sign-up as an at-large member via e-mail at hr3149@gmail.com . (If they sign up for our at-large H.R.3149 group, please have them simply write, “Add me to your mailing list” in the subject line.) WE ARE NOT LOOKING FOR YOU TO ENDORSE US, just give us exposure to your group via a FB message to your members or wall posting, e-mail, newsletter, blog mention or any means possible. During this horrible economic disaster, is that too much to ask?
3) In the event that #2 above does NOT work for your group for internal “political” reasons, by-laws, etc., then by being a member you will receive our periodic action requests and can simply edit to fit within your comfort zone and disseminate to your membership. You'll also be able to clearly evaluate that we're not radical or party partisan.
4) Use your local, state and national network and political influence to publicize H.R.3149 and whenever possible through political connections to deliver pressure upon our nation’s political elite to make them listen to the people for a change – instead of lobbyists and corporate political PACs by passing H.R.3149 NOW!
We’re wonderful for any group of any nature to work with . . . here’s why (nothing politically sticky):
[insert bullet points from above and edit them for your needs]
If more information is required, please do not hesitate to make contact and we will follow-up at our earliest convenience. Otherwise, please join our H.R.3149 PAG and contribute in any way that you can . . . your community will be glad you did when we pass H.R.3149 and STOP the discrimination and gross invasion of privacy that is occurring during the worst economic disaster since The Great Depression. It’s un-American and we will NO LONGER tolerate this INJUSTICE!
Thank you in advance for your support in resolving this critical workplace issue.
Some information links to get you oriented and up to speed are as follows:
http://hr3149.blogspot.com/2009/11/hr3149-not-your-cause-think-again.html
http://hr3149.blogspot.com/2009/11/basics-of-bill-now-pending-in-house.html
http://hr3149.blogspot.com/2009/11/basis-of-platform-for-passage.html
http://hr3149.blogspot.com/2009/11/indicator-of-character-and-theft.html
Bla, bla, bla, bla . . . YES, this version is way, way, way too long!!!!!!! It's redundant and probably even poorly written in spots. We weren't trying to win a literary award ;-) This is just to give you a starter tool to personalize, create something that meets your needs, tastes, etc. (Toss the whole thing out the window, our feelings will not be hurt.) We’re just trying to make this easy and fast for YOU!
Shorter is much, much better, in general, but you’ll have to do some convincing so we gave you the full package (don't blow yourself up). Using all the above is major over-kill . . . edit and shorten for your needs. PLEASE!
PS Always run a spelling and grammar check on any verbiage we send you - trust your sofware, not us ;-) we're working at warp speed . . . with no qualified staffing . . . we couldn't find anyone with good credit ;-) and the pay is horrible!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
ROAR for HR3149!
ROAR (Reach Out And Recruit) for HR3149!
Yes, there are more than 30 groups and organizations supporting HR3149, but quite frankly some of them are doing absolutely NOTHING to help the cause. As of July 4, we currently have 3658 members. We’re fighting 20 employer groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (the biggest lobby in Washington) and the big three credit bureaus. While these groups and their money are formidable adversaries, which our all up hill climb to date demonstrates, we have several advantages. 1) Even though, quite frankly, our so called democracy is corrupt to the gills with PAC money paying off Congress to block HR3149, it’s an election year. Now that the primaries are over in most states, we will soon turn out attention to making HR3149 and election year issue. “We the people” now have power at our fingertips that we won’t have again for two years after November. 2) Upwards of 100 million Americans are directly impacted by “bad credit” and will benefit from passage of HR3149 when passed. 3) Upwards of 90 percent of all Americans support passage of HR3149 once they know the legislation exists. 4) The economy is so damaged and the plight of working America is so poor at present, that even someone in Congress might develop a conscience. Clearly the numbers and timing are both on our side even if Congress has no conscience. Corporations can pay off Congress via PAC money, but what they can’t do is put them into office or keep them in office. Only we the people have that power, but only if we mobilize the numbers can we deliver the force to make HR3149 happen.
While 3668 group members is worthwhile and to be commended, it’s realistically just not enough – even through we’re not fighting this battle alone. We simply have to have a huge spike in growth and we have to have it now because November is fast approaching. After November, our chances of passage dim significantly . . . that’s just the political reality. On this end, we know why we don’t have a million members and so do the credit bureaus . . . “social stigma.”
While having “bad credit” is not a prerequisite for membership in our group, most of our real fighters and passionate activists are directly impacted by the issue. While we have had success with media coverage via our membership and getting our members to contact Washington, the one hurdle that remains is getting our membership to recruit. If only half of our members would just recruit their friends inside and outside of Facebook, we’d double our membership numbers in a week.
Being a member of this group means you have a soul and a conscience, not that you have bad credit, but even if you do have bad credit, so what! Join the crowd . . . 86 percent of Americans live beyond their means and 100 million have bad credit. There is no longer any stigma! The economy is wrecked, 30 million people are un or under-employed, homes are being foreclosed on by the thousands and credit reports all across America are in flames. Nonetheless, many of our members and most of the 100 million Americans with bad credit sit and suffer in silence as their entire lives go down the drain because of employment credit checks. Please pardon the term, but that’s just STUPID!
We have the power, the timing and the means to bring this discrimination practice to an end once and for all. Not just for us or our generations, but for all generations that follow. During the week of the 4th of July of all weeks, isn’t time to recruit? There is no America and there is no freedom without the basic right to work and make a living. Without the numbers we’re just not going to win this battle. You can suffer in silence because of stupid pride, or you can step out from the shadows and realize that virtually every American is either in the same boat you’re in or will be very soon the way things are heading. The choice is up to YOU 100%! It’s right there in your Facebook account and in your e-mail lists . . . they are called friends, relatives, business colleagues, neighbors, church members, union members, civil rights groups, etc. As hard as we work on this end, the one thing we simply cannot do is recruit for you . . . it’s your job and your job alone and if you don’t do it . . . we’re going to fail in our mission. The window is open, the clock is ticking and time is getting short very fast. Reach into your thousands of contacts throughout America and bring us warriors now, or live with employment credit checks forever. The choice is up to YOU . . .
So let's get started . . . here's how you can do your small part:
Inside FB:
Membership Growth Techniques for YOU
1) IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, INVITE ALL YOUR FB FRIENDS
Option A) Simply click the “Invite People to Join” button on our group’s home page, add all your FB friends to the mailing (limited to 20 ea. max. per mailing), add a quick note to encourage them to join and hit send. Fast and easy . . . or if you wish to provide more information use Option B below.
Option B) Review the following links, statistics and material, copy and paste our group FB URL along with the information you choose into your recruitment messages and then personalize for best results. For this method you’ll need to use your “Inbox, Compose New Message” function because the “Invite People to Join” button limits the amount of information you can provide.
Recruiting Package:
Our FB Membership Group URL: http://groups.to/h.r.3149/
The Basic Bill: http://hr3149.blogspot.com/2009/11/basics-of-bill-now-pending-in-house.html
The Logic and Basis for the Bill: http://hr3149.blogspot.com/2009/11/basis-of-platform-for-passage.html
A Solid Case for What Passage Means for Every American: http://hr3149.blogspot.com/2009/11/hr3149-not-your-cause-think-again.html
At a time when we are in the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression, it is unfair, unjust and discriminatory to require well qualified job applicants and employees to submit a credit report just to be able to find or hold a job and work. While the top 1% of Americans has only gotten richer and financial institutions have received billions of dollars in taxpayer bailouts - the 'working class' has been pummeled to a point where we are losing our jobs, our homes and our retirement savings. On top of all that, to be essentially locked out of the workforce, denied promotion or disallowed to change to a higher paying position because of a credit report is the last straw and “we the people” are NOT going to lay down for this horrible injustice!
Some Captivating Statistics for Use:
60% of “blue collar” and more than 80% of “white collar” job applicants are being forced to submit a credit report to apply for or keep a job
17.5% unemployment representing 16+ M Americans
1 in 4 children and 50 M Americans starving
14% of homeowners behind or in default on their mortgage
36% of the unemployed are without a job for at least 6 months
This percentage for discrimination is much higher for minorities (48% blacks and 34% Hispanics)
Yes, there are more than 30 groups and organizations supporting HR3149, but quite frankly some of them are doing absolutely NOTHING to help the cause. As of July 4, we currently have 3658 members. We’re fighting 20 employer groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (the biggest lobby in Washington) and the big three credit bureaus. While these groups and their money are formidable adversaries, which our all up hill climb to date demonstrates, we have several advantages. 1) Even though, quite frankly, our so called democracy is corrupt to the gills with PAC money paying off Congress to block HR3149, it’s an election year. Now that the primaries are over in most states, we will soon turn out attention to making HR3149 and election year issue. “We the people” now have power at our fingertips that we won’t have again for two years after November. 2) Upwards of 100 million Americans are directly impacted by “bad credit” and will benefit from passage of HR3149 when passed. 3) Upwards of 90 percent of all Americans support passage of HR3149 once they know the legislation exists. 4) The economy is so damaged and the plight of working America is so poor at present, that even someone in Congress might develop a conscience. Clearly the numbers and timing are both on our side even if Congress has no conscience. Corporations can pay off Congress via PAC money, but what they can’t do is put them into office or keep them in office. Only we the people have that power, but only if we mobilize the numbers can we deliver the force to make HR3149 happen.
While 3668 group members is worthwhile and to be commended, it’s realistically just not enough – even through we’re not fighting this battle alone. We simply have to have a huge spike in growth and we have to have it now because November is fast approaching. After November, our chances of passage dim significantly . . . that’s just the political reality. On this end, we know why we don’t have a million members and so do the credit bureaus . . . “social stigma.”
While having “bad credit” is not a prerequisite for membership in our group, most of our real fighters and passionate activists are directly impacted by the issue. While we have had success with media coverage via our membership and getting our members to contact Washington, the one hurdle that remains is getting our membership to recruit. If only half of our members would just recruit their friends inside and outside of Facebook, we’d double our membership numbers in a week.
Being a member of this group means you have a soul and a conscience, not that you have bad credit, but even if you do have bad credit, so what! Join the crowd . . . 86 percent of Americans live beyond their means and 100 million have bad credit. There is no longer any stigma! The economy is wrecked, 30 million people are un or under-employed, homes are being foreclosed on by the thousands and credit reports all across America are in flames. Nonetheless, many of our members and most of the 100 million Americans with bad credit sit and suffer in silence as their entire lives go down the drain because of employment credit checks. Please pardon the term, but that’s just STUPID!
We have the power, the timing and the means to bring this discrimination practice to an end once and for all. Not just for us or our generations, but for all generations that follow. During the week of the 4th of July of all weeks, isn’t time to recruit? There is no America and there is no freedom without the basic right to work and make a living. Without the numbers we’re just not going to win this battle. You can suffer in silence because of stupid pride, or you can step out from the shadows and realize that virtually every American is either in the same boat you’re in or will be very soon the way things are heading. The choice is up to YOU 100%! It’s right there in your Facebook account and in your e-mail lists . . . they are called friends, relatives, business colleagues, neighbors, church members, union members, civil rights groups, etc. As hard as we work on this end, the one thing we simply cannot do is recruit for you . . . it’s your job and your job alone and if you don’t do it . . . we’re going to fail in our mission. The window is open, the clock is ticking and time is getting short very fast. Reach into your thousands of contacts throughout America and bring us warriors now, or live with employment credit checks forever. The choice is up to YOU . . .
So let's get started . . . here's how you can do your small part:
Inside FB:
Membership Growth Techniques for YOU
1) IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, INVITE ALL YOUR FB FRIENDS
Option A) Simply click the “Invite People to Join” button on our group’s home page, add all your FB friends to the mailing (limited to 20 ea. max. per mailing), add a quick note to encourage them to join and hit send. Fast and easy . . . or if you wish to provide more information use Option B below.
Option B) Review the following links, statistics and material, copy and paste our group FB URL along with the information you choose into your recruitment messages and then personalize for best results. For this method you’ll need to use your “Inbox, Compose New Message” function because the “Invite People to Join” button limits the amount of information you can provide.
Recruiting Package:
Our FB Membership Group URL: http://groups.to/h.r.3149/
The Basic Bill: http://hr3149.blogspot.com/2009/11/basics-of-bill-now-pending-in-house.html
The Logic and Basis for the Bill: http://hr3149.blogspot.com/2009/11/basis-of-platform-for-passage.html
A Solid Case for What Passage Means for Every American: http://hr3149.blogspot.com/2009/11/hr3149-not-your-cause-think-again.html
At a time when we are in the worst economic disaster since the Great Depression, it is unfair, unjust and discriminatory to require well qualified job applicants and employees to submit a credit report just to be able to find or hold a job and work. While the top 1% of Americans has only gotten richer and financial institutions have received billions of dollars in taxpayer bailouts - the 'working class' has been pummeled to a point where we are losing our jobs, our homes and our retirement savings. On top of all that, to be essentially locked out of the workforce, denied promotion or disallowed to change to a higher paying position because of a credit report is the last straw and “we the people” are NOT going to lay down for this horrible injustice!
Some Captivating Statistics for Use:
60% of “blue collar” and more than 80% of “white collar” job applicants are being forced to submit a credit report to apply for or keep a job
17.5% unemployment representing 16+ M Americans
1 in 4 children and 50 M Americans starving
14% of homeowners behind or in default on their mortgage
36% of the unemployed are without a job for at least 6 months
This percentage for discrimination is much higher for minorities (48% blacks and 34% Hispanics)
Please reach out to your entire FB network and don’t be shy. The right to work, the pursuit of happiness, the right to privacy and the rule of law against discrimination are all part of the Constitution, Bill of Rights and civil rights legislation. “We the people” are simply demanding that the American workforce be protected under the law.
2) RECRUIT AT-LARGE
JUST TRY IT, IT’S EASY AND PAINLESS . . . WE’LL GUARANTEE 4 NEW MEMBERS FOR EVERY 10 CONTACTS YOU MAKE AND WE MUST HAVE YOUR NUMBERS!
Option A) Again, as we stated earlier, THERE ARE NO RULES when it comes to recruiting. According to the most strict interpetation of FB's "anti-spam" guidlines, RANDOM pitching or recruiting new friends to later convert to members of our HR3149 group is "spam," however, contacting individuals whom you can logically assume (more than likely) will be interested in our cause (based upon your interest in a group they belong to, or mutual friends) does NOT constitute RANDOM pitching/recruiting or "spam." Common interest is what "friends" and FB is all about, so don't be shy about recruiting.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN, DON'T USE YOUR BRAIN . . . we have no intentions whatsoever of breaking any rules, circumventing FBs preferences or drawing undue attention to you or our group by FB. JUST KEEP IT UNDER 30 CONTACTS PER DAY and you and we as a group will be fine. If you receive a FB warning, simply STOP recruiting for 24 hours (it's actually a shorter period, but use 24 just to be extra safe) to ensure "we" keep FB happy.
Use your political judgment to pick groups to recruit within, or friends of friends to select for recruitment. We’ve been doing it for weeks and no one yet has complained - at worst they simply will not respond which is no big deal. Our methods are tried and true - that’s how we found most of you, right? Every time you get 20 new friends or less (20 max.), go to our HR3149 group page and invite that list (create mailing lists 1, 2, 3, etc.). Then once you have invited them, in a week or so, you can simply “un-friend” or “de-friend” them and access to your FB pages goes back to “normal,” no FB rules violated and no harm done.
When you invite them to join, you’re limited as to how many characters you can use. We’ve been using the following pitch that fits and seems to work, try it or create one of your own, here’s the pitch: “STOP Workplace Lockout! Join our FB PAG to pass HR3149 to make it illegal for employers to use YOUR credit report to hire and fire. It’s un-American, discrimination and a gross invasion of YOUR privacy. Join NOW!” (or something like that ;-) Then hit “send” and we’ll have at least 4 new members! It’s just that easy, no hard sell required.
Option B, which we haven’t tried because it’s too slow for us, but will work and keep you from having to allow strangers into your FB pages - simply create a short message that includes our FB URL http://groups.to/h.r.3149/ and click on “friends” of “friends” or strangers pages then click on “send blank a message,” then paste and send your message.
Both Inside and Outside FB
3) JOIN LIKE MINDED FB POLITICAL GROUPS AND NETWORK
Pretty self explanatory . . . simply join the group and post information and our HR3149 URL http://groups.to/h.r.3149/ either as a new “Discussion” topic and or comment on someone else’s existing discussion and plug our group and URL.
Outside FB
4) E-MAIL ONLY MEMBERS
While we’re primarily FB based, we have e-mail only members. In general, everything that our FB members get each week via messages goes to our e-mail only members as well. You can bring your fellow Americans not on FB to the cause by sending out recruitment information and having them send an e-mail to hr3149@hotmail.com with a subject line of “Sign Me Up” and they’ll be added to our mailing list.
Friday, December 18, 2009
FB PAG New Member Orientation - HR3149
Welcome to our H.R.3149 Political Action Group
We’re pleased that you made the decision to join our team. We’re a 100% non-partisan group with a huge tent under which all can easily fit because we’re committed to one single goal, the passage of H.R.3149: The Equal Employment for All Act as fast as possible! Our group's wide-ranging diversity that includes every political party and perspective is our greatest strength. Virtually everyone agrees that employment discrimination based on a person's credit report is just simply wrong! Let's always keep that in mind and use it as our unifying force for justice.
While we pledge to keep you informed, we do not intend to inundate you with tons of messages (however, FB presents obstacles) or require a lot of effort on your part.
Unlike most FB groups, even those politically oriented, we're a work group. Simply joining our group, even though we've pleased to have you on board, get's virtually nothing accomplished. So basically, you’ll only be asked to perform two critical membership roles:
1) Acting in concert with your fellow members you'll be asked to participate in Activity Requests to contact members of Congress, the media and influential parties to push for passage. Full participation gives your individual voice more volume and well as delivers volume for our group at large.
2) Most important at this critical juncture - RECRUIT, RECRUIT, RECRUIT every single new member possible as fast as possible and ask them to join our group on FB or join our external (outside of FB) e-mail group. It’s critical to our ultimate mission of passing H.R.3149 that we gain as many members as fast as possible. Only with huge numbers will we have the clout and the power to force Congress to pass this legislation.
We’re pleased that you made the decision to join our team. We’re a 100% non-partisan group with a huge tent under which all can easily fit because we’re committed to one single goal, the passage of H.R.3149: The Equal Employment for All Act as fast as possible! Our group's wide-ranging diversity that includes every political party and perspective is our greatest strength. Virtually everyone agrees that employment discrimination based on a person's credit report is just simply wrong! Let's always keep that in mind and use it as our unifying force for justice.
While we pledge to keep you informed, we do not intend to inundate you with tons of messages (however, FB presents obstacles) or require a lot of effort on your part.
Unlike most FB groups, even those politically oriented, we're a work group. Simply joining our group, even though we've pleased to have you on board, get's virtually nothing accomplished. So basically, you’ll only be asked to perform two critical membership roles:
1) Acting in concert with your fellow members you'll be asked to participate in Activity Requests to contact members of Congress, the media and influential parties to push for passage. Full participation gives your individual voice more volume and well as delivers volume for our group at large.
2) Most important at this critical juncture - RECRUIT, RECRUIT, RECRUIT every single new member possible as fast as possible and ask them to join our group on FB or join our external (outside of FB) e-mail group. It’s critical to our ultimate mission of passing H.R.3149 that we gain as many members as fast as possible. Only with huge numbers will we have the clout and the power to force Congress to pass this legislation.
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
The So Called “Free Press” Muzzled on H.R.3149
While we Americans have pounded our chest and taken great pride in our “free press” for well over a century now (while admonishing other nations for their lack of a "free" press) – a rapid consolidation of corporate ownership within the media has been quietly occurring. In America we now have 6 major TV news outlets (as well as our rapidly dying newspaper industry) that have largely been consolidated into the hands of just a few corporations.
While still largely free to report on most news and topics, there are limits and every potential news story is now thoroughly cleansed by the corporate news gods at the top. The pursuit of profits, each respective political bent and business interest pushes out the reporting on any news item that doesn’t suit the corporate news gods. Case in point, H.R.3149: The Equal Employment for All Act now stalled somewhere in the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee. During this, the most horrible economic disaster since the Great Depression, it is without any doubt whatsoever – the single most critical piece of legislation required to put million of Americans back to work. Nonetheless, virtually no one in America has ever even heard of H.R.3149.
Quite simply, H.R.3149 would make it illegal for employers to use a person’s credit report as criteria to hire or fire. While greed at the top of corporate America spurred this economic disaster and billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars have been used to bail them out – the middle and lower middle class in America have been almost bankrupted. Now, we have millions upon millions of Americans that are completely locked out of the workforce entirely because of their credit report. Yes, it’s true that an American can still get a job shoveling manure without a credit report check, but at least 40% of blue collar level jobs and more than 80% of white collar jobs mandate a clean credit report before being hired. So yes, it’s true that an American can still get a job with out a clean credit report, but it’s just not one that will make your mortgage payment and feed your family.
So while the president holds his high profile jobs summit this week in Washington and the “free press” falls all over each other standing out in front of the White House to get on camera (as if it is “news”) – a bill sits stalled in the House of Representatives that would put millions upon millions of Americans back to work within a month. No additional wasted stimulus dollars or additional taxpayer money for unemployment benefits required. Makes fiscal and logical sense doesn’t it . . . so why has our so called “free press” refused to report on it?
The answer is obvious and quite simple – they want to keep their jobs and continue to profile in front of the camera while their fellow Americans continue to go under and unemployed, lose their homes and their children starve. The corporate gods at the top of the news business are simply NOT going to allow the bill to get air and catch fire with the public. Corporations and the business lobby are hell bent against H.R.3149 passing and are in collusion to do anything within their power to stamp it out. They know that if “we the people” are informed about the existence of the legislation, we’ll demand quick movement forward and passage.
In a recent poll, more than 96% of Americans (once informed about the existence of H.R.3149) were in favor of its passage as quickly as possible. Logically, that means that 96% of Americans consider it “NEWS” worthy and want it to be reported upon and yet there is near total silence in the American media. Not so long ago, the American news media still had a spine and journalistic integrity, but today . . . they have become the mere lap dogs of their corporations. Whether the press is controlled by a corrupt government or a corporation – it is NOT a "free press" and does NOT serve its primary duty to the people of America.
Nonetheless, let’s be fair and balanced, even if the media is not, who can blame any journalist or reporter IN THIS HORRIBLE ECONOMY for keeping their mouths shut in order to hang on to their job. They report every day with a big SMILE on just how bad things really are economically and know clearly what reality awaits them if they dare to even report on the existence of H.R.3149. So our free press sold their soul for pieces of silver and forgot the values they learned as undergrads in journalism school . . . who of us, especially the downtrodden of America can blame them? We know what it's like out here . . .
Why would the media report on a valid, viable solution for a huge segment of the under and unemployed, when instead they can profile for the camera and continue with the daily drivel of horrible unemployment statistics instead? We’re just their audience and they now answer to a higher power. We have but one request, please be honest and accurate from this day forward and call yourself the “corporate press” instead of “free.” Hopefully, that's not too much to ask . . .
While still largely free to report on most news and topics, there are limits and every potential news story is now thoroughly cleansed by the corporate news gods at the top. The pursuit of profits, each respective political bent and business interest pushes out the reporting on any news item that doesn’t suit the corporate news gods. Case in point, H.R.3149: The Equal Employment for All Act now stalled somewhere in the House of Representatives Financial Services Committee. During this, the most horrible economic disaster since the Great Depression, it is without any doubt whatsoever – the single most critical piece of legislation required to put million of Americans back to work. Nonetheless, virtually no one in America has ever even heard of H.R.3149.
Quite simply, H.R.3149 would make it illegal for employers to use a person’s credit report as criteria to hire or fire. While greed at the top of corporate America spurred this economic disaster and billions upon billions of taxpayer dollars have been used to bail them out – the middle and lower middle class in America have been almost bankrupted. Now, we have millions upon millions of Americans that are completely locked out of the workforce entirely because of their credit report. Yes, it’s true that an American can still get a job shoveling manure without a credit report check, but at least 40% of blue collar level jobs and more than 80% of white collar jobs mandate a clean credit report before being hired. So yes, it’s true that an American can still get a job with out a clean credit report, but it’s just not one that will make your mortgage payment and feed your family.
So while the president holds his high profile jobs summit this week in Washington and the “free press” falls all over each other standing out in front of the White House to get on camera (as if it is “news”) – a bill sits stalled in the House of Representatives that would put millions upon millions of Americans back to work within a month. No additional wasted stimulus dollars or additional taxpayer money for unemployment benefits required. Makes fiscal and logical sense doesn’t it . . . so why has our so called “free press” refused to report on it?
The answer is obvious and quite simple – they want to keep their jobs and continue to profile in front of the camera while their fellow Americans continue to go under and unemployed, lose their homes and their children starve. The corporate gods at the top of the news business are simply NOT going to allow the bill to get air and catch fire with the public. Corporations and the business lobby are hell bent against H.R.3149 passing and are in collusion to do anything within their power to stamp it out. They know that if “we the people” are informed about the existence of the legislation, we’ll demand quick movement forward and passage.
In a recent poll, more than 96% of Americans (once informed about the existence of H.R.3149) were in favor of its passage as quickly as possible. Logically, that means that 96% of Americans consider it “NEWS” worthy and want it to be reported upon and yet there is near total silence in the American media. Not so long ago, the American news media still had a spine and journalistic integrity, but today . . . they have become the mere lap dogs of their corporations. Whether the press is controlled by a corrupt government or a corporation – it is NOT a "free press" and does NOT serve its primary duty to the people of America.
Nonetheless, let’s be fair and balanced, even if the media is not, who can blame any journalist or reporter IN THIS HORRIBLE ECONOMY for keeping their mouths shut in order to hang on to their job. They report every day with a big SMILE on just how bad things really are economically and know clearly what reality awaits them if they dare to even report on the existence of H.R.3149. So our free press sold their soul for pieces of silver and forgot the values they learned as undergrads in journalism school . . . who of us, especially the downtrodden of America can blame them? We know what it's like out here . . .
Why would the media report on a valid, viable solution for a huge segment of the under and unemployed, when instead they can profile for the camera and continue with the daily drivel of horrible unemployment statistics instead? We’re just their audience and they now answer to a higher power. We have but one request, please be honest and accurate from this day forward and call yourself the “corporate press” instead of “free.” Hopefully, that's not too much to ask . . .
Thursday, November 26, 2009
H.R.3149 Not YOUR Cause . . . Think Again!
On average, people change jobs 8 times during their lifetime. With the economy in its current state of "flux" for lack of a better word (a.k.a. profanity) that number will surely rise significantly. Many of the 82.5% of Americans fortunate enough to still have a job in this horrible economy and the significantly far smaller percentage that still have a perfect credit score may think that A) Passage of H.R.3149: The Equal Employment for All Act is not their cause and B) think the catch 22 of no job = bad credit and bad credit = no job could never, ever happen to them. Well think again people! Unless you're in the top 1% of fabulously wealthy Americans born with a silver spoon, are immune along with your spouse and children to any and all life threatening diseases and injuries, have no chance of ever being sued or going through a divorce, live in a structure safe from all natural disasters, own your own business outright that cannot fail and on top of all those improbabilities . . . you have discovered a miracle defense against possible identity theft – then this cause is for YOU!
It sounds cliché of course, but "bad things do happen to good people" especially in this economy where many millions of Americans that once had perfect credit scores have been ruined. Because of credit ruination, these millions of talented, motivated humans are being discriminated against as they try to either become re-employed or change jobs for higher pay. Think it couldn't happen to YOU? A recent large survey of Americans that had just lost their job reveals that more than 52% said that it came as a "complete total surprise" they never saw coming. If your pink slip arrives tomorrow, how long could your credit score weather unemployment? During this current recession, more than 36% of the unemployed are without a job for more than 6 months and once they're re-employed – most make far less than in their previous jobs. So with that suggested 6 months of savings for emergencies now gone, guess what happens when emergency No. 2 arrives? You guessed it . . . a bad credit score and the beginning of a personal finance death spiral.
Passage of H.R.3149: The Equal Employment Act for All is NOT a bailout, a handout, welfare, unemployment benefits or a stimulus package, nor will cost the taxpayer a dime or add one penny to the national debt. It will simply curb the injustice of using someone's credit report against them when they are qualified for the job, desperately want to work and can actually find a job – if it were not for their credit report. How could anyone argue with that?
Nonetheless, the bill sits stalled in the House of Representatives because "the people" no longer have a voice in Washington, D.C. since we don't have lobbyists working on our behalf. What's surprising, however, even in this horribly corrupt political environment is the obvious "pay-to-play" exchange taking place between Barney Frank and Experian, Equifax and TransUnion (the top three credit bureaus making a buck off of YOUR credit report being sold to employers). Each of these top three credit reporting companies have political action committees known as PACs (a.k.a. Packing Away Cash to buy votes and influence) and in the campaign year '07-'08 the maximum that two of the three contributed to any one campaign was $10 K with Experian contributing $5 K. Guess who pulled the lever for the big "cha-ching" of $25 K being contributed toward their re-election campaign? The Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services where the bill is stalled . . . none other than one Barney Frank (The same guy that most Americans believe got us into this horrible recession via pushing the banking industry to make loans to financially unqualified borrowers via Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae). We know of course that the dollars and the stalled H.R.3149 bill is merely coincidental and are NOT connected in any way whatsoever. Makes you want to wave old glory doesn't it?
At a time in America when we're suffering a 17.5% unemployment rate (16+ M people), 1 in 4 children and 50 M people starving and more than 14% of homeowners are either in foreclosure or at least a month behind with in their mortgage; "the people" (a.k.a. the voters) it seems don't warrant the attention of our representatives in Congress. The injustice of NOT allowing someone that is qualified to work and who can actually find a job to become re-employed is beyond all comprehension . . . at least to those of us without a Harvard MBA. One would think that H.R.3149 would be promoted during his week's White House summit on jobs creation, but such a simple, zero tax dollars required solution that would re-employ millions within a month is getting no air time from the media or attention from either the current administration or Congress. H.R.3149 is just way too simply and therefore must have passed right over their heads somehow.
Where is the uproar from our fellow citizens, why isn't H.R.3149 not the cause célèbre of our Hollywood elite? Are we the discriminated against invisible or just on the wrong continent? Such legislation is already law in Hawaii and being considered in several states, but "we the people" can't wait on a state-by-state crawl that may never arrive in our state. How many more American children will have to go hungry, homeowners lose their homes and yes, even commit suicide because no job = bad credit and bad credit = no job? Get involved America, this is YOUR cause!
Join our newly formed Facebook H.R.3149 Political Action Group today!
It sounds cliché of course, but "bad things do happen to good people" especially in this economy where many millions of Americans that once had perfect credit scores have been ruined. Because of credit ruination, these millions of talented, motivated humans are being discriminated against as they try to either become re-employed or change jobs for higher pay. Think it couldn't happen to YOU? A recent large survey of Americans that had just lost their job reveals that more than 52% said that it came as a "complete total surprise" they never saw coming. If your pink slip arrives tomorrow, how long could your credit score weather unemployment? During this current recession, more than 36% of the unemployed are without a job for more than 6 months and once they're re-employed – most make far less than in their previous jobs. So with that suggested 6 months of savings for emergencies now gone, guess what happens when emergency No. 2 arrives? You guessed it . . . a bad credit score and the beginning of a personal finance death spiral.
Passage of H.R.3149: The Equal Employment Act for All is NOT a bailout, a handout, welfare, unemployment benefits or a stimulus package, nor will cost the taxpayer a dime or add one penny to the national debt. It will simply curb the injustice of using someone's credit report against them when they are qualified for the job, desperately want to work and can actually find a job – if it were not for their credit report. How could anyone argue with that?
Nonetheless, the bill sits stalled in the House of Representatives because "the people" no longer have a voice in Washington, D.C. since we don't have lobbyists working on our behalf. What's surprising, however, even in this horribly corrupt political environment is the obvious "pay-to-play" exchange taking place between Barney Frank and Experian, Equifax and TransUnion (the top three credit bureaus making a buck off of YOUR credit report being sold to employers). Each of these top three credit reporting companies have political action committees known as PACs (a.k.a. Packing Away Cash to buy votes and influence) and in the campaign year '07-'08 the maximum that two of the three contributed to any one campaign was $10 K with Experian contributing $5 K. Guess who pulled the lever for the big "cha-ching" of $25 K being contributed toward their re-election campaign? The Chairman of the House Committee on Financial Services where the bill is stalled . . . none other than one Barney Frank (The same guy that most Americans believe got us into this horrible recession via pushing the banking industry to make loans to financially unqualified borrowers via Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae). We know of course that the dollars and the stalled H.R.3149 bill is merely coincidental and are NOT connected in any way whatsoever. Makes you want to wave old glory doesn't it?
At a time in America when we're suffering a 17.5% unemployment rate (16+ M people), 1 in 4 children and 50 M people starving and more than 14% of homeowners are either in foreclosure or at least a month behind with in their mortgage; "the people" (a.k.a. the voters) it seems don't warrant the attention of our representatives in Congress. The injustice of NOT allowing someone that is qualified to work and who can actually find a job to become re-employed is beyond all comprehension . . . at least to those of us without a Harvard MBA. One would think that H.R.3149 would be promoted during his week's White House summit on jobs creation, but such a simple, zero tax dollars required solution that would re-employ millions within a month is getting no air time from the media or attention from either the current administration or Congress. H.R.3149 is just way too simply and therefore must have passed right over their heads somehow.
Where is the uproar from our fellow citizens, why isn't H.R.3149 not the cause célèbre of our Hollywood elite? Are we the discriminated against invisible or just on the wrong continent? Such legislation is already law in Hawaii and being considered in several states, but "we the people" can't wait on a state-by-state crawl that may never arrive in our state. How many more American children will have to go hungry, homeowners lose their homes and yes, even commit suicide because no job = bad credit and bad credit = no job? Get involved America, this is YOUR cause!
Join our newly formed Facebook H.R.3149 Political Action Group today!
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Join H.R.3149 Political Action Group Now on Facebook
As a way to organize and galvanize support for passage of H.R.3149, we have now formed a Political Action Facebook group. All Facebook members are encouraged to join our Political Action Group as a way to stay informed and as a means to create the critical mass required to overcome the lobbyists and make our voice head. Act NOW, join today!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Barney Frank Nabbed in Pay-to-Play Scheme
To be "frank" he's not nabbed yet . . . that's why your action is required NOW to bring him to "justice." As noted in previous blog entries, H.R.3149: The Equal Employment for All Act was introduced to House committee way back in July but has since languished even though "we the people" to the tune of 17.5% (60 M) unemployed Americans desperately need its passage NOW! As Chairman of the powerful House Financial Services Committee, Barney Frank holds sway on all bills either stalling or moving forward. If he says "no go" nothing moves!Experian, Equifax and TransUnion are the top three credit reporting agencies in America. All three profit wildly to the tune of millions of dollars each year by issuing credit reports on job applicants to employers for the purpose of pre-employment screening (a.k.a. job discrimination and invasion of privacy). As you might expect, Experian is a registered lobbyist in regard to H.R.3149 and we can safely assume since they're making millions on issuing bogus credit reports of which 75% of them contain incorrect information, they are lobbying heavily against passage of H.R.3149.
While it's a given that "we the people" no longer have a voice in Washington, D.C. since we don't have lobbyists working on our behalf, what's surprising even in this current horribly corrupt political environment is the obvious "pay-to-play" exchange taking place between Barney Frank and Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Each of these top three credit reporting companies have political action committees known as PACs (a.k.a. Packing Away Cash to buy votes and influence) and in the campaign year '07-'08 the maximum that two of the three contributed to any one campaign was $10 K with Experian contributing $5 K. Guess who pulled the lever for the big "cha-ching" of $25 K being contributed toward their re-election campaign? None other than one Barney Frank! (The same guy that got us into this horrible recession via pushing the banking industry to make loans to financially unqualified borrowers via Freddie and Fannie Mac)
Being lowly citizen taxpayers, we certainly wouldn't insinuate that such an esteemed politician a Mr. Frank would openly engage in a "pay-for-play" $25 K exchange with the big three credit reporting agencies to stand upon H.R.3149 from being moved forward out of committee. We freely admit to being ignorant citizens who don't fully understand the political process and how it works on our behalf.
We simply beg with all humility that you forward this blog entry to all your fellow citizens and every media outlet you can find to help educate them on the political process and how it's working so swell on our behalf. Once we're all better educated on how the political process works in Washington, D.C. and how we 60 M unemployed Americans are benefiting by having H.R.3149 stalled in committee, we'll all be better U.S. citizens and learn to love America even more than we already do. Since none of us are working and able to become re-employed because of discrimination via the unfair use of our credit reports, we all have plenty of time to become more enlightened. We can all thank Barney Frank for both the recession along with the loss of our jobs and ensuring that we all remain unemployed. As Barney would say, "Let them eat cake!"
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Indicator of Character and Theft Potential
A few of our shinning stars of corporate America with perfect credit reports
In addition to the list above of actual convicted corporate "crooks" their exists an extremely long list of those with perfect credit ratings that turned out to at the very least, NOT to be good employees of the company (the same charge being levied against American workers with bad credit reports). These individuals however, while being very poor performers for their company, were rewarded with millions upon millions of dollars in salary while employed and huge golden parachutes when they left the company that they plundered . . . many of those corporations (including the first 3 on the following list) requiring a bailout by taxpayers just to stay afloat.
Lehman Brothers CEO, Richard Fuld
Bank of America CEO, Ken Lewis
General Motors CEO, Rick Wagoner
Clearly, we can see from the above review that those at the top of the food chain with perfect credit reports have the access, means and credability to "steal" millions, if not billions, of dollars from their corporations, while those American workers at the bottom of the food chain with the access to possibly steal a pencil or paper clip can't even get hired because of hiring discrimination based upon their credit reports. These workers instead are deemed "guilty until proven innocent" of having poor character, being poor performers on the job and being thieves (even though their criminal background check says "not true"). The American worker gets no golden parachute, no taxpayer bailouts and is getting no attention from our representatives in Congress.
This is immoral and a violation of the Bill of Rights as guaranteed the Constitution. Contact every member of the Financial Services Committee http://financialservices.house.gov/members.html TODAY and DEMAND they start earning their pay by responding to "we the people" by passing H.R. 3149: The Equal Employment for All Act out of committee and bring it to a vote in the House NOW!
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-3149
Setting aside the fact that compelling a job applicant to give up their right to privacy when seeking employment should be illegal, proponents of the use of credit reports for employment screening purposes say that a credit report is A) a good judge of character B) a good indicator of theft potential and C) a solid performance indicator
First, to reiterate, H.R. 3149 has provisions within the bill that would continue the use of credit report evaluation by potential employers for positions that have direct financial responsibilities and significant unchecked access to corporate funds. Secondly, with the laborous approval chains, checks and balances within companies and corporations, such "direct financial responsibilities and significant unchecked access to corporate funds" is less than 1% of all employees in America.
As an indicator of "character, theft potential and job performance" let's take a look at just a sampling of individuals during the past decade or so that have actually been convicted of multi-million/billion dollar "thefts" within their corporations. Logically we can safely assume that none of the following individuals had ever made even one late payment to any creditor and we can also safely assume that all had a 100% perfect credit score when they began "stealing" billions upon billons of dollars from their stock holders and corporations. This is just the short list of a few of the most high profile corporate "crooks" of the past decade or so:
Walter Forbes, Cendant Corporation Chairman of the Board
Bernard Ebbers, WorldCom CEO
Setting aside the fact that compelling a job applicant to give up their right to privacy when seeking employment should be illegal, proponents of the use of credit reports for employment screening purposes say that a credit report is A) a good judge of character B) a good indicator of theft potential and C) a solid performance indicator
First, to reiterate, H.R. 3149 has provisions within the bill that would continue the use of credit report evaluation by potential employers for positions that have direct financial responsibilities and significant unchecked access to corporate funds. Secondly, with the laborous approval chains, checks and balances within companies and corporations, such "direct financial responsibilities and significant unchecked access to corporate funds" is less than 1% of all employees in America.
As an indicator of "character, theft potential and job performance" let's take a look at just a sampling of individuals during the past decade or so that have actually been convicted of multi-million/billion dollar "thefts" within their corporations. Logically we can safely assume that none of the following individuals had ever made even one late payment to any creditor and we can also safely assume that all had a 100% perfect credit score when they began "stealing" billions upon billons of dollars from their stock holders and corporations. This is just the short list of a few of the most high profile corporate "crooks" of the past decade or so:
Walter Forbes, Cendant Corporation Chairman of the Board
Bernard Ebbers, WorldCom CEO
Joseph Nacchio, Quest Communications Intl. CEO
Dennis Kozlowski, Tyco Intl. CEO
Kenneth Lay, Enron CEO
Bernard Madoff, Madoff Investment Securities LLC
Dennis Kozlowski, Tyco Intl. CEO
Kenneth Lay, Enron CEO
Bernard Madoff, Madoff Investment Securities LLC
In addition to the list above of actual convicted corporate "crooks" their exists an extremely long list of those with perfect credit ratings that turned out to at the very least, NOT to be good employees of the company (the same charge being levied against American workers with bad credit reports). These individuals however, while being very poor performers for their company, were rewarded with millions upon millions of dollars in salary while employed and huge golden parachutes when they left the company that they plundered . . . many of those corporations (including the first 3 on the following list) requiring a bailout by taxpayers just to stay afloat.
Lehman Brothers CEO, Richard Fuld
Bank of America CEO, Ken Lewis
General Motors CEO, Rick Wagoner
Clearly, we can see from the above review that those at the top of the food chain with perfect credit reports have the access, means and credability to "steal" millions, if not billions, of dollars from their corporations, while those American workers at the bottom of the food chain with the access to possibly steal a pencil or paper clip can't even get hired because of hiring discrimination based upon their credit reports. These workers instead are deemed "guilty until proven innocent" of having poor character, being poor performers on the job and being thieves (even though their criminal background check says "not true"). The American worker gets no golden parachute, no taxpayer bailouts and is getting no attention from our representatives in Congress.
This is immoral and a violation of the Bill of Rights as guaranteed the Constitution. Contact every member of the Financial Services Committee http://financialservices.house.gov/members.html TODAY and DEMAND they start earning their pay by responding to "we the people" by passing H.R. 3149: The Equal Employment for All Act out of committee and bring it to a vote in the House NOW!
Some that we missed . . .
Who is the thief?
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Bill is Currently Stalled in Committee
Sitting on the bill are the Chair and ranking members (above) of House Committee on Financial Services: (L-R) Alder, Akerman, Spenser and Frank http://www.govtrack.us/congress/committee.xpd?id=HSBA
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-3149
"We the People" are NOT being heard and are being placed behind special interest groups and the high powered lobby in Washington. The bill was introduced in July and is just sitting in the Financial Services Committee gathering dust while the American worker is having their right to privacy violated and being discriminated against via the use of credit reports while seeking to become re-employed during the most horrible economic catastrophy since the Great Depression. While each and every U.S. Senator is making $170 K per year and will continue to make that for the rest of their life, "we the people" are losing our homes, 1 in 4 children and 50 M Americans starving, our savings are being depleted and we'll have to work the rest of our lives just becasue we cannot become gainfully re-employed due to discrimination and invasion of our privacy by use of our credit reports for hiring and promoting purposes.
This is immoral and a violation of our Constitutional rights as citizens. Contact every single member of the Financial Services Committee http://financialservices.house.gov/members.html
TODAY and DEMAND they start earning their pay by responding to "we the people" by passing H.R. 3149: The Equal Employment for All Act out of committee and bring it to a vote in the House NOW!
"We the People" are NOT being heard and are being placed behind special interest groups and the high powered lobby in Washington. The bill was introduced in July and is just sitting in the Financial Services Committee gathering dust while the American worker is having their right to privacy violated and being discriminated against via the use of credit reports while seeking to become re-employed during the most horrible economic catastrophy since the Great Depression. While each and every U.S. Senator is making $170 K per year and will continue to make that for the rest of their life, "we the people" are losing our homes, 1 in 4 children and 50 M Americans starving, our savings are being depleted and we'll have to work the rest of our lives just becasue we cannot become gainfully re-employed due to discrimination and invasion of our privacy by use of our credit reports for hiring and promoting purposes.
This is immoral and a violation of our Constitutional rights as citizens. Contact every single member of the Financial Services Committee http://financialservices.house.gov/members.html
TODAY and DEMAND they start earning their pay by responding to "we the people" by passing H.R. 3149: The Equal Employment for All Act out of committee and bring it to a vote in the House NOW!
Basis of Platform for Passage
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-3149
1) American citizens are guaranteed the right to privacy by the Bill of Rights and accessing credit reports for hiring and promotion decisions is an unwarrated invasion of the privacy guaranteed by our founding fathers within the Bill or Rights.
2) Credit reporting was originally created solely for evaluating the risks of issuing loans and credit to individuals and was never intended to be highjacked by employers to violate our right to privacy or to discriminate against job applicants or employees seeking promotions.
3) Criminal backgound checks are well within the scope of hiring evaluations and are completely adequate for making hiring and promotion decisions without spying into an individual's credit report.
4) At at time where identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the U.S. and 75% of credit reports already contain errors the unemployed cannot be additionally burdened with the months and years it typically requires to correct a credit reort error before they can "qualify" to become re-employed.
5) Employers are actually increasing the use of credit reports for employment evaluations at a time when 17.5% (16+ M) of Americans are unemployed, 1 in 4 children and 50 M Americans are starving unable to worry about a late payment to the utility company. Such draconian scrutiny is being applied by employers during a period when more than 14% of American homeowners are either in foreclosure or at least a month behind on their mortgage payments (as of Sep. 30, '09). Lose your job, lose your home, lose your right to work.
6) Privacy of an individual's medical records are protected by law in HIPPA legislation and the same should be true for credit reports when it comes to employment and promotions. How quickly would corporate American discriminate against someone with a terminal illness if they only could? What's the difference between that discrimination and credit discrimination? Nothing whatsoever! Unfair and unjust workplace discrimination should be against the law. Period!
7) Being forced by an employer to give access to a credit report for hiring and promotion purposes is a gross invasion of privacy, demeaning, intrusive and the ultimate in "big brother" control over the American worker.
1) American citizens are guaranteed the right to privacy by the Bill of Rights and accessing credit reports for hiring and promotion decisions is an unwarrated invasion of the privacy guaranteed by our founding fathers within the Bill or Rights.
2) Credit reporting was originally created solely for evaluating the risks of issuing loans and credit to individuals and was never intended to be highjacked by employers to violate our right to privacy or to discriminate against job applicants or employees seeking promotions.
3) Criminal backgound checks are well within the scope of hiring evaluations and are completely adequate for making hiring and promotion decisions without spying into an individual's credit report.
4) At at time where identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the U.S. and 75% of credit reports already contain errors the unemployed cannot be additionally burdened with the months and years it typically requires to correct a credit reort error before they can "qualify" to become re-employed.
5) Employers are actually increasing the use of credit reports for employment evaluations at a time when 17.5% (16+ M) of Americans are unemployed, 1 in 4 children and 50 M Americans are starving unable to worry about a late payment to the utility company. Such draconian scrutiny is being applied by employers during a period when more than 14% of American homeowners are either in foreclosure or at least a month behind on their mortgage payments (as of Sep. 30, '09). Lose your job, lose your home, lose your right to work.
6) Privacy of an individual's medical records are protected by law in HIPPA legislation and the same should be true for credit reports when it comes to employment and promotions. How quickly would corporate American discriminate against someone with a terminal illness if they only could? What's the difference between that discrimination and credit discrimination? Nothing whatsoever! Unfair and unjust workplace discrimination should be against the law. Period!
7) Being forced by an employer to give access to a credit report for hiring and promotion purposes is a gross invasion of privacy, demeaning, intrusive and the ultimate in "big brother" control over the American worker.
Basics of the Pending Bill and Critical Statistics
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-3149
H.R. 3149: The Equal Employment for All Act would make it illegal for any employer in America to access and utilize your credit report for hiring, termination or promotion decisions. The basic exceptions are as follows:
* When the consumer applies for, or currently holds national security or FDIC clearance.
* When the consumer applies for, or currently holds, employment with a State or
local government agency which otherwise requires use of a consumer report.
* When the consumer applies for, or currently holds, a supervisory professional, or executive position within a financial institution.
* When otherwise is required by law
While the bulleted exceptions above represent less than 1% of the entire U.S. workfore, presently as high as 90% of white collar workers and well over 40% of blue collar workers are having their privacy violated and are subject to discrimination of the basis of being forced to submit to a review of their credit report when applying for a job. It is a fact that 75% of all credit reports contain errors and if discovered can take months if not years to correct.
Video of Bill Introduction in July '09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm3UIf9Wq5U
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