Credit checks necessary for promotion/employment

["Rae A. Osborne" <Lycina@gte.net>]

The company I work for, AAA Auto Club South, has instituted a new policy that 
before promotion into either supervisory or management positions it will be 
necessary to pass a credit check.  The reason given is that these positions 
have access to sensitive material.  

It is my belief that this policy discriminates unfairly against women and people 
of color.  Women in particular are vulnerable to a divorce, separation, or pregnancy 
setting them up for a poverty situation unexpectedly.  It is a fact that when a marriage 
dissolves the likelihood that a woman will be thrown into poverty while her ex actually 
enjoys increased disposable income is very high.  In many cases, credit that was issued 
jointly to the couple is withdrawn from the woman, (not the man), on the basis 
that her income has decreased dramatically.  Coupled with the fact that women continue 
to earn far less than men in equivelant positions and even the same positions, makes 
this policy extremely unfriendly to women.  

I have since found out that a number of companies are now using this method to 
determine promotions and hiring.  This is little more than an ill disguised attempt 
to keep women and minorities out of higher paying positions and out of some workplaces entirely.  

I am looking for stories of similar policies and am also trying to find out if these 
policies have been challenged in the court yet as the discrimination tools they are.  
Please write to me if anyone has any information on this.

Thank you.

Rae A. Osborne