Mr. Cahill said while the proposed law will not be considered by the current Legislature this year, he expects to file a bill next year to ban credit checks on employees and job applicants if he is elected governor.
He said some businesses such as banks, financial institutions and law enforcement would be exempt from the ban, but others would be prohibited from making or requesting credit checks.
He said employers would no longer be able to use credit histories to refuse to hire a job applicant, fire or demote an existing employee, or discriminate with regard to compensation. He said several other states have adopted similar measures.
“We are trying to give people a fair chance at employment opportunities,” Mr. Cahill said at a Beacon Hill press conference. “This is important for middle class people, for families, and folks who are trying to catch up and get ahead.”
Often, he said, job seekers’ credit history may have gone down because they are unemployed and may have missed a bill payment or mortgage payment. He said credit problems are “an additional unnecessary hurdle” many job seekers face.