when i applied at dunhams 5 years ago they made me sign a form saying i authorized them to check my credit rating which could determine whether i got the job or not
I guess if you work at McDonalds, they probably don’t care about your credit rating, but bad credit, charge offs, and filing for bankruptcy can prevent one from obtaining a security clearance or getting hired in a position that handles “sensitive and valuable” information.
I know it sounds like BS, but I handled security clearances for the Army for a few years and it is true. The mindset is left over from years ago when people cared about their credit and took personal responsibility for their financial decisions. The social stigma of bankruptcy was much like a woman having an abortion. People would go to great lengths to avoid bankruptcy such as embezzling funds, stealing petty cash, or selling valuable information from their employer.
Anyone can do a “maintenance” credit check on you that does not count against your FICO score at anytime and as often as they want.