Why would an employer do a credit check or drug test?

I just received permanent residency here in the US last week. It means that I don't have had an oppertunity to create any credit score at all. For the same reason, if I didit still would be low, since I have been here only for 9 months. The same for a drug test. I am amazed why an employer would want to do that. It doesn't have to do anything with you be able to fit the position and do the job right. I am originally from the Netherlands and everyone seems to know out loyal position concerning pot. Besides that, it isn't a law to do the drugtesting in the first place and to me for both credit and drugs test it feels as violating my privacy. So why would it be needed. I am not upset, because I might have used pot in the past, but the fact that certain medication, let's say Ritalin or even the usage of certain herbs may show possitive on your drug test and you might just need it to get by. In the Netherlands they even prescribe pot by the pharmacy for patients with fibromyalgia ( like i have), which is the only thing that does help. There is of course a difference between pot and cocaine for example. Agressive abusers of those drugs of course can be a treath to your business. alcohol is freely available and can cause huge problems in lives to depending on the amount you use. Concerning the credit score, especially here, people can get in serious debt over a medical bill and still are trustworthy people andwon't become thieves, that's predjudice.

Public Comments

1. They think those things will show them your true character.
2. To see if you are stable and reliable. I wouldn't hire anyone who couldn't take care of their own life.
3. they don't want to hire someone strung out on drugs, they won't work / show up/ will steal. so it is better for them to know before they hire you
4. The do a credit check to see if you are an upstanding person who pays bill on time. This shows that you are trustworthy and honest. They do a drug test for insurance reasons or they are looking for narcotic usage. Be sure not to use any drugs for atleast two weeks before taking the test.
5. Well, as far as drug tests go they don't want an employee who might not be able to perform their duties because of drugs. But, in my opinion a credit check IS violating privacy. But, for example....if you were applying to a bank and you have $100,00 in debt you might be more prone to steal money.
6. Welcome to the country :) Glad to have ya :p No one wants a man who has 50k debt and a drug problem to work for them. That person obviously can't take of themselves, how are they suppose to good job for there employer
7. They generally just want to make sure that you won't come to work high or drunk, for the drug test, but for the credit, I think they want to check your financial responsibility.
8. I don't know about the credit check, but the only reason I can see for being upset about a drug test is if you are using. You are breaking the law every time you use drugs. You are doing it willingly. If I am an employer I don't want criminals working for me. I don't want people showing up stoned. Stop using drugs.
9. Well it sure does say a lot about you're character and lifestyle. If you can't be trusted to pay you're bills on time, how can you be trusted in other aspects in you're life.....The drug test is a no brainier...If you don't do drugs who gives a rats a@@ if they test you.
10. You honestly think that someone would want to hire someone to work for them if they're doing drugs?!? WOW...
11. Drugs are a huge part of why people call off of work and can't go in, "that day"....etc. Credit checks just make sure the company is hiring a competent person, who pays their bills and wont have to file bankrupcy any time soon...... Employers have been hit hard a few years ago when the times were still slumping for jobs, paying a lot of money into unemployment, medicare, and for bankruptcy..... I don't blame them, only I don't do the credit checks, I do the drug and employment checks for our family business.......
12. Would you want an individual that is under the influence of illegal drugs to work beside you , or your co-workers, when safety is an issue? As far as privacy, you/me and everyone else have lost our privacy, when companies began selling our personal information to the highest bidder.You have no privacy, your right to privacy has been taken away by the dollar. To quote a Midnight Oil song: Who can stand in the way, when theres a dollar to be made?
13. I don't know but they made me do it at my other jobs and i find it digusting. Its such a violation of my personal space but what can I do? I need to work. Its unfair.
14. With drug test it let's the employer know that you may be a problem. Drugs are not legal in the USA. To an employer if you do one illegal thing you may do another. Besides that in America we have a large amount of drug addicts which in many cases , the possibility of theft and not being dependable. The credit thing I don't agree with either but from an employers eyes that is responsibility. If you don't have credit they won't count that against you. But bad credit sometimes shows that your not a responsible person. Good Luck!
15. Credit checks and drug testing are legal here in the US. The theory being that someone who has bad credit would be less responsible of a person and therefor a less responsible and desirable employee. It is not done by all companies and is just one of many factors considered. Since you just moved here, that should definitely be taken into consideration. Drug testing would not be something that if you failed, you would be able to gain employment. Again the theory being that someone with a drug "issue" would be less desirable of an employee (ie showing up late for work, calling off for work). And then there are safety considerations. As for violating your privacy, you can decline either the credit investigation or drug testing. But, you will not get hired. Not all companies use both tools. Lots of companies don't use either. Good luck in your job search, And welcome to America.
16. They want to check your credit for many reasons. Generally it's to see how honest and trustworthy you're likely to be. If you have $300,000 of debt, most of it credit card debt and you're behind on your bills, you would probably be more likely to embezzle from the company or otherwise violate company confidentiality or trust than someone with squeaky clean credit who is on time with their bills. They would probably also look at it and see how you treat your responsibilities and obligations. They do the drug test because #1 they want someone who will be absolutely sober doing the work (in some jobs it's a life and death issue), #2 since they're checking for the presence of illegal drugs it shows some about your character and how seriously you take adhering to laws and rules. If they test for alcohol, this would show basically whether or not you're a big enough goober to have drunk super recently before the test. This would be another mark of character.
17. for one, an employer wants t know what kind of person they're hiring. but, in the end, running a credit report can be considered to be discriminating towards you. the whole drug testing, well, they just don't want someone who can be under "the influence" to work for them. a lot of companies do it. some even surprise drug testing
18. Employers usually perform credit checks to insure you do not have serious credit problems that may cause you to steal from the company. Pretty much the same goes for drug use, there is risk if you come to work under the influence or even steal to support this habit. Employers do not want to take this risk. They know nothing about you other than what you provide on the resume and application they need to build some sort of character.
19. These two reports have come into existence because of a few (stupid) people who abused their right to do as they pleased, which affected those who employed them. An employer has to consider how its employees will affect its reputation, its work flow, its production, its income, its insurance rates, among other things. If an employee is stupid enough to have drugs in his/her test, it says something about that employee (unless you're addicted, most people can stay off their drug of choice long enough to pass a drug test). And an employee who has to use illegal drugs regularly enough to show up on a drug test means that employee is having problems that can easily overflow into his/her work ethics. And it might affect the health of that employee thus upping the health insurance rates, workers compensation, disability insurance, etc. that employers pay. It also can become a threat to an employer's reputation if an employee gets arrested, handcuffed, hauled off to jail and gets news coverage. Certain drugs and herbs are illegal in the US. The credit check is mostly just to know that the employee has enough sense to handle his/her finances wisely. Someone who has filed many bankruptcy puts that potential employee into question--what is wrong with that person's judgment and do you want him/her working for you? There is a chance he/she will continue to mishandle their funds which might lead to landlords and other creditors demanding that the employee's income to be garnished. The employee might get desperate and cause problems at work (steal, imbezzle, etc.). Financial pressures have lead employees to do violence too. It is an invasion of privacy but the American people have voted, or have voted in representatives that have voted, for these measures because of the few who have abused the trust there used to be. Not all employers and companies demand these tests. and sometimes it is only certain types of jobs that ask for these tests because of the type of work involved (do you want the pilot/driver of your plane/train/bus high on X while s/he's driving?). If you don't have much of a credit report, you might be asked why at which time you can explain. Employers do know that someone just out of school or new to this country probably would not have much of a credit history.