On Oct. 19th 2010 the ACLU launched investigations into whether homeowners are being unlawfully removed from their homes and having their constitutional rights violated. The foreclosure epidemic has become so overwhelming that the state of Florida has created special foreclosure courts to handle the more than five hundred thousand foreclosure cases that are pending. So with recent media reports many are calling for investigation into the rush of foreclosure proceedings because many believe that constitutional rights are being violated and are not being processed correctly.

The Center for Responsible Lending report estimates that between 2009 and 2012, the African American and Latino communities will be drained of $194 and $177 billion, respectively, in these indirect “spillover” losses alone.

Original source

The EEOC plans to have a hearing on Oct. 20th 2010 with others to determine if employers use of credit checks in job screening processes are valid. A house committee earlier this month was discussing the Equal Employment for All Act;

H.R. 3149, a bill that would make it unlawful to base adverse-employment decisions against prospective and current employees on consumer credit reports.

Pamela Devat a partner at Seyfarth Shaw LLP has been asked by the EEOC to advise them on the matter had this to say “Employers are also extremely cognizant about possible claims of negligent retention and negligent hiring – a main reason they conduct employment screening in the first place.” via original source.

Parents in Charlotte, NC have recently been asked to submit a background check to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School administration if they want to eat lunch with their child in the school’s cafeteria. The reason being is that the cafeteria lunchroom provides access to other children, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools board wants other parents to know that their child is safe while attending school. What about adults that are visiting a student, say a uncle, aunt, or grandparent? They will have to eat lunch with the student away from the other classmates. If you have ever committed a sexual, violent, or drug related offense your access could be restricted in the school your visiting.

Original Story

The Pearl Nightclub in Tuscon, Arizona has started to implement the use of background checks on it’s patrons who are violating the nightclub’s dress code “which prohibits baggy clothing, athletic wear, flip-flops, work boots or plain-colored T-shirts.” says general manager Damian Calderon. But there may be a slight perk to customers who have successfully completed the club’s background check process, they are issued a VIP card which entitles them to free admission on said night and on further visits gets them to the front of the waiting line. So far some 10 people have been asked to leave because a background check came back with a recent felony conviction. Found it here.

Joe Arpaio the sheriff of Maricopa County, AZ has for years been accused of racial profiling and unlawful search and seizures while enforcing the Boss Immigration Laws. So now the sheriff finally has the spotlight to show all the accusation are false by providing the Justice Department with the requested records and documents it has asked for in it’s lawsuit against Sheriff Joe Arpaio, The Sheriff’s Office, and Maricopa County. Which also appears to be in direct violation of his statutory, regulatory and contractual obligations to the government for receiving some $15 million dollars in financial assistance last year alone.

The LATimes original story.

It seems as though that there are many more people being affected by the extensive job interview process that employers are using now that they have a larger pool of potential employees to choose from.

a growing number of job seekers are being systematically weeded out by criminal background checks and personal credit histories, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)

as reported by the original source.
The EEOC is attributing the rise in extensive background and credit checks to employers using websites like the one your on that enable easy and affordable background checks. This has led to a number of class action lawsuits against certain companies because they are using a blanket policy against people with a criminal record of any kind whether it has any relation to the job or not therefore unfairly eliminating them from a job.