I've been looking for work for months, applying anywhere I was remotely qualified for. I'm getting evicted, I can't pay my bills, I've been in poverty for years and struggling but the last few months have been really bad.
JUST got hired at a fast food joint. I was so relieved. Then as I'm doing my onboarding I have to sign authorizing them to run a background check. Ok cool. Whatever. But I also had to authorize a full credit check. With a score check.
My credit is screwed. I had worked really hard and had it up to a 630 4 years ago and got laid off. Defaulted on a lot of payments just trying to keep a roof over my head and food in my kids stomach. Credit score went down to a 485. I never got to a place where I could fully catch up. I have a property lien against me, and another debt collector is filing for wage garnishment. My credit score is now like 583 and that is with 4 years of working to get it to that point. I don't qualify for debt consolidation because the amount of debt I still owe on and that's being collected on is like $8,000 something and every debt consolidation place I've tried said I need a minimum of $10,000.
I'm in tears. They are having me start before the credit check comes back, but I have maybe 2 weeks to earn a little before they let me go.
What a horrible catch 22. My credit score and history are horrible because I couldn't get employment with a livable wage. And now I can't get employment with a liveable wage because I have a horrible score and credit.
This is the kicker of a horrible year and a half. 2 debt collectors took me to court for debts under $1,000 and won default judgements because I couldn't go to court because I was working a low wage job barely making ends meet and of course my requests for days off were denied and when you have kids you don't have the luxury of saying “well fire me because I won't be here”.
I am so screwed. Hell, if even cheap fast food places with 2 for $4 menus are even doing credit checks as a requirement for employment, everyone poor is screwed.