Massachusetts U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren is introducing legislation that would ban what she calls the widespread use of personal credit history by employers looking to hire workers.
Warren said the practice unfairly targets women, minorities, seniors, students and others with fewer resources to bounce back financially after a personal setback like an illness or divorce.
Those low credit ratings can follow an individual for years.
Warren told reporters there's little evidence of any correlation between a poor credit rating and job performance.
She called the proposal a matter of basic fairness, arguing that wealthier individuals can suffer a personal setback without it threatening their employment prospects.
Warren's bill is co-sponsored by fellow Democratic Sens. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Sherrod Brown of Ohio, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut and Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island.
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