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States work to curb the financial background checks that can keep the unemployed out of work.

After two years of working in a temporary job as customer-service representative, Debra Banks was offered the job permanently. She was sent a hire letter, set a start date, and confirmed her new salary. But there was a hitch: To get the job, Banks had to undergo a credit check.

New York, NY – Today, as Congressional battles threaten the future of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the national policy center Demos published a new report that shows how failures of the credit reporting system — and the increasing use of the system's credit reports and scores for non-lending purposes — are having outsized and damaging effects on Americans' economic health.

Download the report "Discrediting America"

David Shuster will be guest host when Keith Olbermann is unable to be in-studio, says a release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 16, 2011

CONTACT:

Lauren Strayer, lstrayer@demos.org, (212) 389-1413

Judy Putnam, jputnam@milhs.org, (517) 487-5436

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

June 16, 2011

CONTACT:

Anna Pycior, apycior@demos.org, (914) 330-1103

Demos Statement on Maine Election Day Registration Repeal

Steven Carbó, Senior Program Director in the Democracy Program at the non-partisan policy organization Demos issued the following statement today in response to Maine repeal of Election Day Registration:

For Immediate Release
June 15, 2011 

Contact & RSVP: 
Anna Pycior, apycior@demos.org, (212) 389-1408
Alex Amend, aamend@demos.org, (917) 822-7405
Lauren Strayer, lstrayer@demos.org, (734) 904-1704

Growth & Justice and Demos Show How Minnesotans Face Falling Earnings, Lack of Good Jobs, and Decreasing Access to College 

New York – Today, Demos, a national public policy research and advocacy center that supports fair employment practices, congratulates the Connecticut General Assembly for passing legislation that prohibits employers from using credit reports in employment decisions except in certain circumstances. Demos commends Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney, House Speaker Christopher Donovan and Representative Matthew Lesser for their leadership on this issue.  Connecticut is sixth in a growing number of states to ban employment credit checks.

This is very different than a CD, which comes from a bank with Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. protection up to $250,000. And it's different than a U.S. Treasury bond, backed entirely by the U.S. government.