Credit Checks to Be Required for New Cards

The draft OMB guidance, which likely will be issued as a new circular or as a change to a prior one, also addresses a provision in a fiscal 2005 appropriations act requiring federal agencies to address the credit worthiness of first-time applicants for government travel or purchase cards. On the credit check, the employee generally must receive a score of at least 660; those with lower scores still could get the cards, although certain additional restrictions, such as lower dollar limits, would be imposed. Applicants denied a card because of their credit worthiness can be reevaluated later at the agency’s discretion. The credit check provisions would not apply to current cardholders. The draft document said the Office of Personnel Management is developing a process to provide credit scores to employing agencies.