If City Council has its way, businesses in the Big Apple will no longer be able to check job applicants’ credit history as a means of deciding whom to hire.
The council bill, which prevents employers from using credit checks as hiring criteria or in making any other employment decisions, does not have the backing of Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, however. The New York Post reported that an attorney for the mayor’s office testified against the measure during a Thursday hearing.
The proposal not only prohibits business owners from using credit histories, but fines violators up to $50,000 and forces the employer to hire the worker anyway, the Post reported.
Though several unions favor the bill, some business groups predictably stand in opposition.
“I think the city council does not understand the cumulative cost, particularly to small business, of their many efforts to make their mark,” Kathy Wylde, president of business organization Partnership for New York City, told the Post.
Mr. Bloomberg’s stance contrasts several recent regulatory crackdowns he has pushed. He opposes large-size soda sales in the city, bottle-feeding newborns in hospitals and, most notably, many Second Amendment freedoms.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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