I
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 321
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 19, 2011
Mr. Cohen (for himself, Mr. Nadler, Ms. Norton, Mr. Jackson of Illinois, Mr. Hastings of Florida, Mr. Meeks, Ms. Baldwin, Mr. Grijalva, Ms. Jackson Lee of Texas, Ms. Sutton, Mr. Serrano, Ms. Fudge, Mr. Honda, Ms. Clarke of New York, Ms. Schakowsky, Mr. Hinchey, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Filner, Mr. Al Green of Texas, Ms. Edwards, Ms. Woolsey, and Mr. Ellison) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Financial Services
A BILL
To amend the Fair Credit Reporting Act to prohibit the use of consumer credit checks against prospective and current employees for the purposes of making adverse employment decisions.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the
Equal Employment for All
Act
.
Use of credit checks prohibited for employment purposes
Prohibition for employment and adverse action
Section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. 1681b) is amended—
in subsection (a)(3)(B), by inserting
within the restrictions set forth in subsection (b)
after
purposes
;
by redesignating subsections (b) through (g) as subsections (c) through (h), respectively; and
by inserting after subsection (a) the following new subsection:
Use of certain consumer report prohibited for employment purposes or adverse action
General prohibition
Except as provided in paragraph (3), a person, including a prospective employer or current employer, may not use a consumer report or investigative consumer report, or cause a consumer report or investigative consumer report to be procured, with respect to any consumer where any information contained in the report bears on the consumer's creditworthiness, credit standing, or credit capacity—
for employment purposes; or
for making an adverse action, as described in section 603(k)(1)(B)(ii).
Source of consumer report irrelevant
The prohibition described in paragraph (1) shall apply even if the consumer consents or otherwise authorizes the procurement or use of a consumer report for employment purposes or in connection with an adverse action with respect to such consumer.
Exceptions
Notwithstanding the prohibitions set forth in this subsection, and consistent with the other sections of this Act, an employer may use a consumer report with respect to a consumer in the following situations:
When the consumer applies for, or currently holds, employment that requires 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, managerial, professional, or executive position at a financial institution.
When otherwise required by law.
Effect on disclosure and notification requirements
The exceptions described in paragraph (3) shall have no effect upon the other requirements of this Act, including requirements in regards to disclosure and notification to a consumer when permissibly using a consumer report for employment purposes or for making an adverse action against such consumer.
.
Conforming amendments and cross references
Such Act is further amended as follows:
In section 603 (15 U.S.C. 1681a)—
in subsection (d)(3), by striking
604(g)(3)
and inserting 604(h)(3)
; and
in subsection (o),
by striking A
and inserting Subject to the restrictions
set forth in section 604(b), a
.
In section 604 (15 U.S.C. 1681b)—
in subsection (a), by striking
subsection (c)
and inserting subsection
(d)
;
in subsection (c), as redesignated by subsection (a)(2) of this section—
in
paragraph (2)(A), by inserting and subject to the restrictions set forth
in subsection (b)
after subparagraph (B)
; and
in paragraph (3)(A), by inserting
and subject to the restrictions set forth in subsection (b)
after subparagraph (B)
;
in subsection (d)(1), as redesignated by
subsection (a)(2) of this section, by striking subsection (e)
in
both places it appears and inserting subsection (f)
;
in subsection (f), as redesignated by subsection (a)(2) of this section—
in
paragraph (1), by striking subsection (c)(1)(B)
and inserting
subsection (d)(1)(B)
; and
in paragraph (5), by striking
subsection (c)(1)(B)
and inserting subsection
(d)(1)(B)
.
In section 607(e)(3)(A) (15 U.S.C.
1681e(e)(3)(A)), by striking 604(b)(4)(E)(i)
and inserting
604(c)(4)(E)(i)
.
In section 609 (15 U.S.C. 1681g)—
in subsection
(a)(3)(C)(i), by striking 604(b)(4)(E)(i)
and inserting
604(c)(4)(E)(i)
; and
in subsection (a)(3)(C)(ii), by striking
604(b)(4)(A)
and inserting 604(c)(4)(A)
.
In section 613(a) (15 U.S.C. 1681k(a)) by
striking section 604(b)(4)(A)
and inserting section
604(c)(4)(A)
.
In section 615 (15 U.S.C. 1681m)—
in subsection
(d)(1), by striking section 604(c)(1)(B)
and inserting
section 604(d)(1)(B)
;
in subsection
(d)(1)(E), by striking section 604(e)
and inserting
section 604(f)
; and
in subsection (d)(2)(A), by striking
section 604(e)
and inserting section
604(f)
.